The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-12
Topeka DAY, THIS
All Paths Lead to the Big
Fair.
Kansas Derby Is Feature at
Race Track.
GETS A GOOD START.
First Days Crowd Is a Record
Breaker.
Greatest Show Ever Seen in
Topeka.

{ 10D6ka
likewise Kansas Derby day Inn
means Il great crowd on the lan
grounds to take in the sights OF VIA
is probably the greatest agrlculeuia 4
show ever held in kansas
The crowd opening day was twice as
great as year ago and estimates place
fhe attendance anywhere from l4seoe
TO $4,000.
All departments are larger and bet
ter than last year and the entertain
mont program is something out of the
ordinary Liberati's band and grand
opera singers furnish rare muslcal
+rea+ and the Last Days of Pompell,
staged in fireworks by the Pain com
nanv. is a spectacle which viii make
lasting impression upon the minds OF
the spectators on account of the bril-
liancy and wonderful scenic effect
Then the Patterson shows furnish a
great amount Of amusement Of a diff
ferent sort, and just to watch the peo-
pie is a source of diversion to many OF
those who enter the gates
The racing is good and an excellent
program of horse racing viii draw a
crowd at any time.
Thus far the grounds have been or
derly. 1t is true that ticklers were be-
ing sold Monday night, but they dld
not prove an annoyance to the better
element present
Big Crowd in Evening.
The evening crowd was estimated at
about 1000 Of that number some
thing like 1000 persons occupied the
grandstand.
At 1880 O'Clock a big double pro-
gram of music was started by Ldber-
ati's band and grand opera singers.
The organization has made a great hit
and a large attendance at the remain
ing evening entertainments is assured.
The first portion of the program was
confined strictly to band music, but in
the second part portions Of the opera,
'II Trovatore,' were rendered by the
band and vocalists.
The soIoists who took leading parts
were: Miss Diana Bonnan, soprano;
Miss Julia Ryan, contralto; Signor F.
Marina, baritone; SignOr A. Baldi,
tenor and Signor D. Pezzetti, tenor.
The crowd on the grandstand was
decidedly noisy on account of the
large number of counter attractions
due to the large number of babies and
small children present and it was with
difficulty that those who were out on
the edges, SO to speak, could hear the
singing Those sitting in front of the
band stand, however, got the full bene-
fit of the strength and wonderful quail
fty of the voices of some of the per-
formers in particular.
It is not often that the music lovers
Of Kansas have an opportunity to hear
grand orera in the open air by artists
of great ability-in fact it is proba BILE
that for the first time in their lives
most of the people present were en-
tranced by the music rendered under
such circumstances.
The solo work of Madam Luisa Bres-
Eonier was especially appreciated in the
first part of the concert, She sang in
exquisite style Nerdi's ''Care Nome, -
from "RigolettO." Signor F. Marina,
the baritone singer, also made deep
impression upon his hearers In fact
all of the soloists were good.
Splendid programs have been arrang-
ed for this afternoon and evening.
AS to the last days Of Pompeii as
depicted by Pain it was well worth the
entire admission price to the grounds
and grandstand. That is simply
great" Its classy" and It's simply
grand" were some of the expressions
of appreciation overheard by a repor
ter.
Starting at $3.50 O'Clock scores Of
children dressed in attire fitting for a
special occasion appeared upon the
scene and began to play games of vari-
Gus kinds. Later a procession which in
cluded somathing like a hundred actors
" no were garbed in a. manner more
pretentious than anything that would
been seen at a present day occasion of
Ceremony-thar is the color effects We're
more brilliant passed along quarter
stretch with buildings of ancient arch:-
lecture and old Vesuvius in the back
ground.
The volcano was smoking IN a realis-
tic fashion all the evening. but it was
entirely without warning that the eli
max was reached to the scene when the
earth fairly trembled with the dlscharg-
ed of heavy bombs and when fire began
to shoot from the crater of the treach-
erous mountain.
The whole effect is awe-inspfring and
realistic. The pyrotechnicaI inventions
introduced in the staging of this scene
were marvel lous-
Some very clever acrohatic work was
done in the course of the entertainment,
and a clown who played a whole base
ball game by himself Immediately in
front of the grandstand made a hit .
The set fireworks pieces and general
Tyrotechnical display after the destruc-
ton of Ponpei was thing Of the past
pleased the crowd.
County Exhibits Excellent.
In the agricultural building there is
e real t'punkin'' show.
The collective county exhibit which
Is the most SNOWY of the five general
exhibits is the Douglas county display.
Ornamental plants including cotton
peppers. okras and other varieties of
a rare nature growing in tubs, serve
as an ornamental feature, and pep
pers"16 kinds=form a means of fes-
tooning.
J. R. Blevins got the collection to-
geIher. He went about the arrange
ment of the exhibit with an eye to
please all kinds and conditions of peO-
pie For the amusement of the chill
dren there are seven big n1angel wur-
zels which have been touched up to a
certain extent and now they look like
great hogs protruding their heads
from amidst the vegetables
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