The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-15
Biggest CT osing Day
rowdThrongs Grounds
to the End.
EXHIBITS BEGIN
To MOVE EARLY
Few Left by Late Afternoon
Amusements Keep Going I'm
til Midnight-Utmost Good
Order Maintained Until
1911 Fair Becomes
History.

beneath fnvoring sky and with a
kindly sun shining down its benson,
the sixth annual exhibition OF the vir-
sinie State Fair Association closed yes
terday. and ended, WIN 4 larger at
tendance aud more varied exhibits. its
most successful year
BY noon exhibitors began Leading
their stock nom the grounds, anu
Hermitage Road was crowded with
cattle and prancing horses going TO
their cars Only the show people along
Bally Hoo Lane remained for the bitter
end Their work was not done until
the gates ware closed last night. ana
then. In a flare and nurry. they pulled
mp pegs, singing tine white and be, *
themselves TO the train. bound for an
other ta!r
The attendance yesterday rrobaol,
surpassed that OF any preceding sat
nrday. 1t was estimated tina, there
were $4,000 people On the grounds
With minor exceptions here and there
the program scheduled for the day was
carried out But there was no stock
parade. Most OF the cattle and hotse
exhibits had been led from the grounds
before o'clock, and the grand pro-
cesgion, always one OF the best fea-
lures Of the fair. was called of
Grent Steeplechnsc.
announced, and they Tcre the best OF
the week IN the FIRST. for I'VE furlongs.
Mushmelon and Thrifty came under
the wire almost neck and neck. Mush-
melon winning by a short nose In the
fourth race-the Richmond steeple-
chase-Juvencnce and Herdsmen fell
with their riders, but neither was hurt
Herdsman gai!oped along, taking all
the hurdles, and riderless, came down
rp1 No n
wss great race, and A.onoe. winning.
left big field behind when he came
under the wire
Ralph Dudley. head Of the .Pinke.'
ton force. employed by the fair man
Agement. stated yesterday afternoon
that It was the best fair he had ever
attended He said that the crowds
were better handled than at any fair
he had ever seen. and that the street
car service was une1empled. The Vtr-
6inia Railway and Power Company
sent l29 cars into the grounds every
hour.
AS IT was a half holiday in the city,
most OF the people Went out in the
afternoon. and by 2 o'clock the grand.
stand and the roadways around the
track and through Bally Hoo Lane and
by the exhibit buildings were throng-
ed with an eager and excited crowd
And il spite of the press and push,
there was no sign OF disorder, Ser
geant Eoldcroft, in charge OF the
Richmond police detail. stated that he
h not received a single complaint.
and declared 1t the most orderly crowd
he had ever witnessed.
Aviation Imprncticnble.
a race between Howard IeVan's
Curtis biplane and an automobile had
been scheduled for the afternoon. but
the aviator found that the wind was
=
w. F. (Fizzj Gordon. who was TO have
raced against LeVan. gave an exhibit
ton race around the track. and was
followed By motorcycle race which
was especially arranged for the day.
Best OF all. however, OF the free at
fractions was the performance OF Miss
Mildred Mullhall. with her horse.
Bill oliver, in an equestrian act In
front OF the grandstand, with thou
sands of eyes intent upon him. Bill
Oliver pranced gaily Up and down.
and then, at tho finish, knelt and
bowed his thanks for the uproarious
applause which greeted him.
Professor Hutchinson and George
eewell went up in the hot-air balloon
together, one coming down in three
parachutes and the other in six. Theirs
was the most exciting event OF the day.
and the unlocking crowds were thrilled
as tn two men descended side by side.
with nothing but hope between them
end death
other Day Features.
The Pain Pyrotechnic Company gave
another daylight exhibition of fire.
works. Dancing horses, men and wo-
men in fantastic costume, were I'M
folded and dropped lightly down us
the bombs exploded In mdair And
far and wide yellow streamers flung;
themselves ha
plaudits of teh multitude. 1t was 6
grand spectacl and a fitting climax to
the greatest fair Virginia has ever
seen.
After the races were done and the
free attractions We're finished, the
crowds in the grandstand streamed
through the gates and across the pad
dock to take a farewell look at the
exhibits. Everything was moving.
stalls were being taken down. and
In dray and cart the agricultural pro-
ducts were being removed from the
tield. Moving day is always a sorry
spectacle, and threats frightened bit
as the people watched the horses and
the cattle being led from tho field and
saw the tent men pull up their pegs.
Before nightfail the main exhibit
building WAS almost deserted Tha
floor was strewn with paper and ref
use and mud left Ivy thousands OF
tramrling feet. Automobiles were
driven out and taken back to their
garages. and half a thousand men were
bueily engaged in removing their ex-
hibits
One Slight Accident.
From the broad area to the wesr of
the big building the machinery exhib-
its were slowly hauled away. Every