The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-10
Gates Flung Open on
Best Show Ever Given
in Virginia.
HOW ARD LIE VAN
CIRCLES ABOVE.
All Eyes Turned skyward as
Three Performers in Air Daz-
zle Thousands by Daring
Feats - Grounds File d
With Exhibits That Sur
pass All Seen Before.

With no special feature overshadow-
ing any others. but with all features
especially good. the Virginia state
Fair Association threw wide its gates
at o'clock yesterday morning, and
on unofficial estimate--entertatneu
about 5000 visitors through the day.
PRESIDENT Henry Fairfax and ex-
PRESIDENT Henry c. Stuart. who were
on the grounds early and continuously.
were much impressed with the OPEN
Ing day, pleased with the attendance
and more than usually satisfied with
the character and number of the ex-
hibits' Many people were waiting at
the gates when they were flung open.
but the majority OF the people went out
IN the afternoon, in time to be prcsen,
Tor the races. which were OF high class
In addition to the staged attractions
the tree features Of the day were the
simultaneous ascension of tho Curtiss
type btplane. in the hands of Howard
LcVan. the parachute drops by Profes.
sor Hutcheson and the flight of the
dirigible balloon by Professor Crew.
LeVnn Circles Far.
LeVa an, In the latter part of the eve.
nins, made two test lights. and them
In regular flight. circled the Erounds
and waited his way out over the zelda
to the northwest. He rose to a heipht
OF about 500 feet, and in his aerial
evolutions attracted much attention.
Around him the dirigible moved alonu
Its airy path. and from the heights
above Hutchinson. clinging wildly to a
trail rope, dropped to terra flrma from,
six parachutes His descents appeared
easy-as most descentB are-but thev
looked more dangerous. Twice no
went up and came down. each time
alightins softly and gracefully on the
incloscd fold.
AT the same time beneath, the Vic.
tors band. free attraction, played
stirring tunes, and trapeze artists and
tumolers labored In their art Horse,
were racing around the one-mile track.
and from Midway came the belated
sound or Bedlam turned loose.
There was more than the eye could
see in glance. and the noise and the
music were changed into a medley. In
which the various sounds were not dis
tinguishable one from another
Lenden Sky Above.
Above all dropped a lenuen and sad.
dening sky. But there was no nstter
OF rain. and all the winds from the four
corners of the earth were at calm.
Hutcheson In his balloon was NOT
blown from his course. and each time
descended into the soft grass of the
held On his second ascension he wenu
so high that his hot-air BALBOA looked
like small black ball in the sky.
Five parachutes dropped around him.
and he emerged from the cloud swing
Ing wide and free.
1housh there was some difficulty ex-
perienced by MIR. Upton in starting sew
eral OF the harness races, the card
events for the first day were above tba
average, the entries being full, and
mnay favorites showing AS Is AL
ways the case. the two steeplechases
were spectacular and the crowds
watched with bated breath and beat
Ing heart the finish at the last hurdle
Clarence Hall Thrown.
In the first run of tho hurdles tina
riders of Chopper and Joe Mason CANA
a cropper. the first at the second hur
ole. ana the second at the nth hurdle.
Neither was hurt, and both remounted
ana rode their horses from the field
But In the second hurdle race Clarence
Hall. Richmond rider. whose homo
Is not far from the Fair Grounds.
was thrown from the jump in front
OF the grandstand. and was rendered
unconscious Hall was riuing Miss
English. Tho horse brushed the jump.
ana landed with all four feet in the
ditch. turning a somersaLl. and hurl-
Ing the rider over her head The
mount doubled up. and lay still for a
Few seconds. but was able to regain
her feet and so be led away
Walker was removed from the track
and was later taken to the emergency
hospital by DIR. Hulcher. of the city
ambulance corps. Consciousness was
soon restored. and he was said not to
he seriously injured. Mrs. Walker wit
messed the accident from the grand
stand.
No Improper Shows.
Midway, more than usually FREQ
from improper shows. was alive with
slow moving folk and the sound OF
tho tamboureen and the spieler's
voice. Sharp sounds clashed in an
uumusical medley. but the people has
tened from one tent to the other, ex-
pecting each to be better than the
last, and hndng something good and
worth seeing in all. Some OF the show
people had not yet arrived. but all will
he in their places by noon too day. and,
with a few exhibits moro to be placed,
the fair will he in full swing, and
there viii he nothing lacking in what
the fair management declares and liz
now showing to be the best fair held
since the first half dozen years ago.
between and during the events SET
as the star attractions given free to
the public. thousand people streamed
through the exhibits which they had
come TO see. Tho exhibits OF thu boya'
corn clubs and thirty-eight county ex-
hIbits attracted especial attention.
King Corn ID still In his own domain, &
and nnds a close second In tobacco.
one of the staple products in the state q
notwithstanding the unusual dry
Y (ContInuod on seventh Pa rs71''-'tsfs