Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-10-08
MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENT IN HIS
TORY ENDS SATURDAY
Permanent Association Certain
From all Portions of County Comes
Demand for Annual Exhibit; Infu-
entail People Interested; Complete
List of Awards.

To the unearthly din of tin horns,
cow bells, automobile sirens and ev-
cry other noise making contrivance
which fertile mind could invent, the
first annual Polk county fair came to
an end last Saturday night, when a
big crowd of merry makers thrOnged
the streets until a late hour patron
izing the various shows and spending
their money freely in an effort to get
all the fun possible out of the last
moment of what is declared to have
been the most successful event of the
kind ever held in Polk county.
Everybody was down town. He
might as well have been, for he
couldn't exist in peace in his other
wise quiet neighborhood. The crowd
. was an orderly one too. No acts of
rowdyism have been reported, it ap-
pearng to be everybody's idea to have
as good a time as possible without
discommoding his neighbor. Of
course you occasionally got a feather
duster thrust in your face and had
your ear drums saluted with blasts
from noisy trumpets but what of it?
McMinnviIIe Band Comes.
The McMinnville band accompan-
led by a bunch of special Yamhill
rooters, arrived on the late Portland
passenger and were met at the station
by the Dallas band. and escorted up
town where a concert was given on
the band stand on the court house
plaza. At least, one standing few
rods away could see the musicians
going through the motion of playing,
but nobody could hear them. An
Indian dance by a number of Grande
Ronde denizens added a touch of the
aboriginal to the evenings fun. The
McMinnville boys mingled with the
crowd and did their share toward
making the night hilarious with sound
and fireworks The crowds which
iammed the sidewalks were constant
ly on the go while the streets were
filled with automobiles loaded to the
guards with gay crowds, each indi
vidual member of which possessed
some sort of noise making weapon
which was worked overtime 1t was
a great night, and will not be forgot
ten for many months.
The Crowds Came.
The crowds came to the fair. They
came from every section of the coun-
ty and they marveled at the display
at the armory, at the poultry show
and at the horse exhibit. The only
drawback was the failure of the sheep
goat and swine men to exhibit. but
limited notice probably accounts in
large measure for this.
On Friday Salem people to the
number of at least $50 came over
and helped swell the crowd. BY far
the greatest number came on the 2
o'clock passenger on the Salem, Falls
City e. Western railway, returning
on a special train later in the day,
but a large number came over in
autos. The Salem train was met at
the station by the Dallas band and
the crowd was conducted to the Court
House plaza where they were well
coined by Walter L. Tooze, repre-
senting Mayor Craven. Secretary
Hofer, of the Salem Board of Trade.
responded in an appropriate manner
and afterward the visitors mingled
with the crowd and viewed the ex-
hibits.
Big School Parade.
with more than Al districts repre-
sented. and 1900 children in line. the
parade of school children on Friday
afternoon was the biggest thing of
its kind ever pulled off in Polk cOun-
". Many of the children carried
small American flags and presented
an alluring picture. The school from
the Guthrie district was awarded the
first prize for having exactly 100 per
cent. Of its enrolled scholars in line,
numbering 22. The school parade
was followed by a parade of live
stock as an added attraction.
The event Of Saturday in the pa
rade line was the showing Of live
stock which called forth many words
Of praise from all who saw it.
Political Speaking Unpopular.
One thing that the fair program
clearly demonstrated was that the
neonle are not interested in political
addresses to the extent that they will.
leave the street and sit in a stuffy
room to listen to them. Every one
Of the addresses at the court house
was not attended by the number that
IT. was supposed would so. Senator
Chamberlain. probably. had the larg-
est audience. but this is accounted
for by reason Of his prominence in
the state and nation. Although the
crowd on Friday was one Of the
largest that ever assembled in Dallas.
and the outpouring on Saturday near
lv as great. but a few people COM
rarativeIy. assembled in the Court
House to hear J. Frank Burke. the
phil Moozer. on Friday. or Wallace
McCamment the Republican. on sat
urdav. II the speaking could have
been held on she Court House plaza
u Is probable that a much larger