The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-07
F AIR READY TO
Open ITS GATES
But Public Cannot See Those
Varied Attractions Until
Monday Morning.
GREATEST SHOW THIS YEAR
Grounds Much Like New City
Which Has Sprung Up
in a Night.
GREATEST SHOW THIS YEAR

Tho sound of hammer and saw at
the Fair Grounds. welded by hundreds
OF workmon. indicate that the last
touches arc being put upon the forth
coming fair, and when the gates arc
opened to the public on Monday thoy
Will SEQ q remarkably transformed
condition OF things from what they
i saw last year.
Many thousand dollars have boon
spent this year In remodeling tho
grounds and buildings, and In eroot-
ing additional stables that became ne
cessary by virtue OF the fact that tho
State Fair has grown to such n large
institution that 1t needed new clothes
and now surroundings.
A new town Is going up at tho Fair
Grounds. On every hand there are
now buildings, booths. enclosures
| tents. Mystorious-lo looking STRUCTURES
arc being finished OFF for the Hmuse-
ment devices TO be supplied by tho
Virginia Amusement Company, which
will become permanent attractions,
and tho sausage man. the tin horn
man, the novelty man of ever class.
the lunch man. the balloon man, all.
are rushing the work upon their tenn
porary. homo for the week. and hun
dreds OF thousands OF feet OF lumber
Is being consumed In tho construc-
ton OF the attractive little booths and
stands.
In Exhibition BuildinE.
In the main exhibition hall the do
corators have doEe good work. Hun
dreds of flags and hundreds of yards
of bunting have been GRACEFUL drap-
ed. so TINT the scene presents already,
with only few of the exhibition
booths finished beautiful scene
The first booth In this building COM
pleted and ready for inspection was
that of the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
way Company. This booth Is filled
with products FROM firms along the
lines of that road They are grace
fully arranged. and are in fine shape
for the inspection of the public.
The implement people are some of
the first to get things ready on the
grounds. Perhaps nifty concerns have
their stuff ready and in place, while
others arc unloading and preparing
for the Monday opening.
Poultry and cattle are coming in
fast, but the stock is arriving slowly
and It will probably be early Monday
arrival Of the entries for this depart
ment will be ready and in shape. The
morning before all of this depart
ment will occasion much chasing
aroud by the attendants, for the list
is 40 long that before tho dth' of clos
ing the officials had to stop receiving.
Entries for the harness races will
be announced some time to-day. This
| list Is SO long that 1t has behn impos-
| slble for those having ii in charge to
yet through. even though there have
been two days since the closing. Many
| entries como from q distance. and II
Is necessary under the Grand Circuit
rules to have the list complete be.
fore making 1t public.
Ready for Attack.
Work on "Pompeii' is also pro-
crossing. Much OF the ancient city,
| which Will be destroyed six times next
week. has been erected And the era
ter OF Vesuvius Is on tho way to COM
pletion. The Pain people have been
at work on the city for several days
and will have 1t completed In ample
time for the first destruction.
The devices along the Midway are
about ready for the public, while some
OF tho freaks have reached town, no.
tably the giantess and the fat man.
California Frank will not reach the
city until Tuesday. His show plays
in Charlottesville on Monday. and will
open at tho fair the following day for
the remainder OF the week.
The aerial device people will reach
here tomorrow. They come from
various sections. but will reach the
city at about the same time.
Howard Levan Will arrive on Sum
day morning. while Huutcheson and
the othors will come in short time
later.
Yesterday morning the headquar-
ters force removed from the Mutual
Building to the Fair Grounds. where
they Will remain until after the fair
The quarters ut the grounds are much
more commodious and convenient than
heretofore. Larger office rooms have
been erected, and thcre Is n comfort
! able and roomy space designed es-
pecially for the newspaper men.
Many comfortable retiring rooms
have been constructed at convenient
points In the grounds for women and
children. while scattered about are
hundreds OF benches for rest and com
fort during the hours OF the visit to
the fair.
Additional seats have been erected
, adjacent 10 the grandstand, 30 that
upon the occasion of races. fireworks
or shows on tho big stage. there need
be no discomfort or crowding.
| Visitors to the grounds to-day or
tomorrow will have to provide them
selves with admission passes, which
may be obtained from the manager
/