The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-10
RICHMOND DAY GIVES
GREATEST CROWD EVER
Continued from nsst page.

race track, and the crowd in the mid
way was SO dense that 1t was I'M
possible almost to move in either
direction. At the same hour Indus
trial hall was overfowing and Hor-
ticuiturai hall, the farm products
building, and the stock building were
ecngessed with sighseers.
SurKing like The pillows of a sniien
sea, the .>sreat mass OF humanity
swayed to and fro all the afternoon.
The three-minute walk from the
meant the struggle of an hour, and
the energetic sightseer who made II
In that time was going some. Soc
rotary W. Douglas Gordon found it
necessary TO climb into private
box by means Of a stepisdder. Every
body was in each others way ana
only those who had arrived early and
secured vantage points could see the
events they had come to: see. once
separated, families or friends could
never hope for reunion on the grounds
except by chance.
Mega phones. For Parents
A pretty. blue-eyed tot swept from
fond parents in the surging tide, was
carried away like ship on an I'M
chArted sea. ThA.. protecting Provi-
dence that always guides the des-
TIMES OF waits. landed her, high and
dry. within the grandstand enclosure,
where kindly hands tenderfy bore the
Lost ono to the, judges stand HI
Henry, with his stentorfal mega
phone voics, bawied TO the multitude
the news that the lost ono had been
found, ana tho distracted parents.
almost craxed. with grief, pushed
through the solid wall Of humanity
The most remarkable feature OF
the occasion In that q crowd OF such
proportions ~ the same conservative
estimate placed it. At $1,000 at 8
o'clock-couid be handled without ac-
cident or untowara incident. A. mid
way emplcye was bitten by a snake.
n hostler Was kicked by horse, a
husky man tainted on the midway;
there were no signs. Of disorder.
In tune with the apparent dster-
nainaAton Of tbs Fair association to
break all ATTENDANCE records. the
same sirit imbued the horses.a In
both the trottins ana running races
the mile records for the track were
smashed 10 simthersens In the 2:37
harness event the mare Moelie, made
the mile in 3:12 Ia ana in the run
ming race, Cloud, with los pounds
up, came under the wire with a. new
record Of 1:4l t-6.
Hospitality Not Lacking.
"And where did that vast multi
tude come from: and how come they
all come at once" observed a weary
wag last night. And that question no
one can answer save in q general
way 1t was Richmond Day, always
the big day Of the fair, the schools
and the stores generally gave holiday:
the weather was fine and the rural
visitors nocked In. For once in Its
in the effort to entertain the strangers
within It's gates. The hospitality was
not lacking.
Even the professionals pickpockets
and slick-hngered gentry Of that cal
ibfe seemed not to nave taken advan-
tage Of the golden opportunities pre-
sented ia such a crowd II these gen
tiemen operated at all only they and
their victims are coEnixant Of il
no loses were reported to the police.
The only isolated instance that did
occur Of this nefarious trade was
humorous-two negro girls not over
twelve years old-were, picked up on
the midway last night---caugh. ia the
act or a clumsy attempt ~ pocket
picking, and were lodged in tho LOCK-
up.
This is Virginia Day At the, fair.
The anne program Will be carried out
TO the letter. embracing what prom
ises to be the best racing care OF the
week. Nobody expects the. Jam that
characterised the big show yesterday.
but that the attendance will be large,
With the continuance Of the fine
weather goes without sayinE. IA