The Washington times., 1911-08-31
RAIN SPO|LS FAIR
AT ROCKVILLE AND
Loss WILL Be BIG
Gate Receipts Will Not Meet
More Than Fourth
Of Premiums.

Eu~EyILLE, Nd. Aug. A.-In spite
O. tns act that Il has rained almost
c1-lluunusly since the gates opened
Tuesday. the Rockville Fair will not
close gatn tomorrow evening.
Seve~a! members of the board Of di-
reatoTs "ere in favor of closing the ex-
ElbIron ioday, and to determine what
action should be taken, President ]. w.
Jones ce!!ed meeting of the board this
Afternoon. Following the meeting it
vas snEolnced that because Of the fact
t4st meme OF the horses has been judged
as yet it was decided to continue till
tomorrow in the hope that the rains
VIII cease long enough to permit the
,l--ll!A!s icing taken into the ring.
This is the third successive year that
rain has made the Rockville Fair
failure. Last year the gate receipts
amounted 70 less than hat OF the
Of the Montgomery County Agricultural
Society in years.
The management is thoroughly dis
gusted over the results. An unusually
good racing card was arranged and big
purses were offered. Even should the
rain stop this afternoon. the track will
not be in condition tomorrow to start
anv Of the racing events, as the mud
is several inches deep.
Hardly more than a handful of peo-
pie have been in attendance any day,
and the gate receipts Will not meet
more than a fourth of the amount
offered in premiums. The concessions
have met with failure from a financial
standpoint, and several of their own
ers are bankrupt
The directors of the fair are in
grounds later in the fall.
Rain Spoils Big Day.
1t had been planned to make this the
big day of the fair. An unusually good
racing card had been provided, and this
afternoon would have marked the final
exhibiting and judging in the horse
show, had the rain not completely
spoiled the schedule. Bright weather
would have, undoubtedly, resulted in
large number of Washingtonians being
on hand for the horse show.
AS it is the track offers no attractions
even to the most confirmed mud larks.
The going is so heavy that 1t is doubt
full If a race could be pulled of unless
there should be an unexpected couple
OF hours Of sunshine TO dry II of.
The fair grounds proper look more like
a river of mud than an agricultural eX-
hibition field. The canvas OF the tents
is soaked and the mud is several inches
thick. The fakirs, who have stuck
there would be one good day during the
fair, were standing in mud to their
ankles, trying to rake in a little money
from the few people in evidence. Their
efforts were not very successful.
Sideshows Are Losers.
Unless there is a decided change in
the weather the snake charmer, the
wild men and other sideshow at
fractions will have to pack up and start
for Frederick without having taken in
enough to pay expenses of hauling their
outfits to Rockville.
The several stands that started the
first day TO sell soft drinks and ice
cream have discontinued that line and
are now handing out coffee and "hot
dogs" to the hundred or so persons who
are connected with the fair in various
capacities, and whose presence at the
grounds is necessary in spite Of the
weather.
Yesterday. however the bad weather
did net keep Philip Lee Goldsborough,
Republican candidate for governor, and
his running mates, William s. Cum
ningham and Morris Spencer, candidates
for comptroller and attorney general.
respectively, away from the fair. They
arrived in the afternoon and were met
by Thomas Dawson, Willis B. Burdette,
and Charles F. Kirk.