The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-10
Twenty-Five Thousand
People Romp Merrily /
at Fair Grounds. 81
SUNSHINE PLAYS
HIDE AND SEEK
Program Carried Out Despite
Showers-Presidcnt Fairfax Re-
CARDS Attendance as Fine /,
Public Tribute to Great
Show Provided for
Virginia Folk.

shower and sunshine battled
against each other yesterday. and the
great majority OF tn $4,000 people
who attended the Virginia state Fair
got drenched TO the skin and spattered
WIN mud from head to heel before
surrendering TO the inevitable and en-
during what could not be avoided.
When morning broke there was every
indication that the forecast OF rain
throughout Virginia would come true.
ana IL rained internationally during
most mo- OF the day until 1870 o'clock in
me afternoon, when Nature hunt out
her sign IN the sky that there would
De iair weather on the morrow.
l"o rainbows. the mariners sheet
"nci'oi . OF nope archcd themselves over
'ne SKY In the northeast and the
croWos looked through the mist and
drlzzie and permitted hone again to
enter their hearts. II was shortly
a1ter o'clock when the first rain
DOW appeared and a few minutes later
IL began to pour. Rushing hither and
yon. through mud and pools Of water
mat had settled IN front of the grand
stand and on the Midway. the crowds
AouSht the most convenient shelter,
coopinS themselves up under small
tents and awnings and in the rramI
s,ahd and exhibit buildings like
chickens scattered before a storm.
Rnin Follows Sunshine.
nen Tue sun came out and smiled
again, and the people heartened them
selves Tor another stand around the
.icc Track and another patrol through
me shouting. screaming Midway. And
then about $3.50 o'clock 1t poured again
and there was another Wild. heiter
skeiter scamper for refuge from the
shower The sun played game of
hide and seek among the clouds. and
the throngs were kept running he
tween sunshine and shadow until they
'aushed at the game and ceased to
worry. "lsh gebibble." spieIer
shouted through his meeaphone' and
ihe crowd tarried for the cry. and
agreeing with him thoroughly. boupbt
ticket for the show.
The crowd OF visitors was a s,,r-
prise to President Fairfax and to the
mana cement, for they had not hoped
aor hall as many 1T is an agree
able sunrise" said Mr.. Fairfax "for
we never thought that there would
be half rs many people here 10 -dav on
account OF the bad weather, and Wa
are all very much pleased think
IL compares favorably with the fourth
Gay OF any iair we have had"
Races Run In Mud.
The rain and the mud did NOT nra-
vent the program from being carried
OUT Every race was run as scheduled
'houSh the going MAS heavy and hard
on the horses. The drivers i'm tbe bar-
ness events We're covered with mud
from head to foot. and were almost un
recognizable when they came to the
judges stand The horses, too. we're
covered with mud and sweat. and ,oo.
ed as bad as their drivers And though
The track was heavy Peter Sims owrsa
ana driven by &. w. Lasell OF Whitins
vic, Mass, made a record in the 2.o5
trotting event, winning it in three
straight heats. the last in 2:161-4 and
inc other Two IN 2:i9 4 each In the
last heat Peter Sims walked hon,a
we'll in the lead OF the Others. Tha
purse was for $4,000. The fastest recor5
In years in the o:li pace was made by
isaac H.. who made IL In o:D9l-2 In
the free-for-all trot and pace. Greatest
Line, .. w. Welch. North Adams. Mass
owner. made the course in 2:093-4 All
the harness events were good. In the
stceplcchase. Bob Taylor. gentleman
rider, came cropper ~ the mile and
half hurdle. In Death Valley" but
got up unhurt and walked away, while
TcpriSht, his mount finished the raca
without the rider Taylor was the
crowds favorite until horse and rider
went down, and chance TO win was
lost
Some stunts I'm the Air.
When the last race was started and
the sun was out again, with the crowd
In fine humor, Peoli went up in his
Curtiss biplane, the auto-polo players
Went out FOR their game i'm the centre
OF the field. Professor Hutchison sailed
aloft IN Ills balloon. and everything
went on AZ once. 1t was grand cl-
max for wet days program. and it
pleased the people. Professor Hutchi-
sen droppcd from six parachutes While
the crowd looked on with upturned
eyes and then the grandstand cmptted
itself They waded through mud and
water 10 sawdust path laid out In
front as far rs the sawdust would
go. which was several yards too short,
and pretty suede shoes and white pet
ticoats lost all resemblance to their
original selves. Rut IL was too late
10 care. and one could not pick ones
way when there was no way except
through slush and mud to pick.
Thousands OF those who came to
scoff at the Weather Bureaus fore
cast remained to repent their unbelief.
and raincoats and umbrellas left safe
at home were sadly and bitterly ufss-..
ed Once wet however. the people
didn't care, and they took rain or
sun with equal abandon. They seat
tered themselves from the grandstand
to tho Industrial Building, and when
1t rained took refuse in the grand VI
stand or In the exhibit buildings and,
the tents along the Midway. Booth
business stopped with the coming or
the rain. and sad-eyed tradesrner,
covered their wares With tarpauIins.%
and TIE hawkers and speiers ceased
their siren songs Free shcltee tents.ss
among them The Times Dispatch