The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-03
Every Indication That the To-
peka State Fair.
VIII Surpass All Previous Ef-
forts of the Management.
TRACK IS IN FINE CONDITION
Many Fast Steppers Already
Are on the Grounds.
Offices of the Association Have
Been Opened There.

Ine busiest place in Topeka today
was the Topeka State Fair grounds.
There a tent city is in the making.
Big tents and little tents are being
erected, and the permanent buildings
are being repaired and given the fin
ishing touches for the big doings at the
Topeka State Fair next week.
That there will be big doings there
is not the least shadow of a doubt, for
it takes farmers to make a fair, and
never before in the history of the state
has there been at this time of the year
a little for the farmers to do. So
they are figuring that they may just
as well enjoy themselves and make the
best of matters by coming to the fair.
The agricultural exhibits promise to
be better than were at first expected.
and the Topeka fair will be just lit
tie better than any of the fairs held in
the other states which have been
short on rainfall, and this includes all
the fairs that will in any degree come
into comparison with the Topeka at
traction, for the dry area this year
extends to many states, and crop con-
ditions in this vicinity are considered
20 per cent better than is the average
elsewhere.
The railroad spur to the grounds to-
day was occupied by a string of freight
cars loaded with agricultural imple-
set up for demonstration purposes.
Many Horses Have Arrived
The lovers of fast horses do not need
to wait until next week to find amuse-
ment, for mighty good, free attractions
are being pulled off on the race track
every day with horses from the two
score or more which have already ar
rived. Before Monday morning prob
ably one hundred or one hundred and
fifty more fast horses will arrive from
the state fair at Lincoln, Neb., and
from lola. Leavenworth, Kan, and
elsewhere.
The race track is in good condition
now but will be even better next week
for both the horses and the spectators
for then the dust will be wet down and
the hard places loosened and the soft
places made harder to give the horses
better footing.
That fast time will be made is as
sured by the simple fact that horses
here now are taking workouts in
time close to the tracks records of
PAGERS.
This morning two PAGERS took a
workout together. They have been
racing together practically all season.
They were Bess Ward, owned by A.
w. James of Cameron, Mo-. and Mis-
sissippi Bell, owned by r. NJ. Knight
of DyerSburg, Tenn. These horses
have contended for the prize money
ways been just neck and neck, al
though Mississippi Bell has thus far
had d little the better of the speed
argument. Naturally the rivalry be-
tween the owners, who are also the
drivers, is intense. The two horses
were worked out against each other
this morning for three fast heats,
which were as much a race as a work
out. The fastest heat this morning
was turned in 2:16A with Mississippi
Bell less than a length ahead of Bess
Ward. The two are entered in the
same race next week and it will be a
race for blood. Mississippi Bell has
a mark equal to the track record and
began his racing career when only
2:16H.
A Ozark" Horse.
Another fast horse which worked
out today and caused the "rail-birds''
to open their eyes and get out their
stop-watches is Peacock, also owned
by Mr.. Knight. owner of Mississippi
Bell. Peacock is a horse of un-
known pedigree. No one knows any
thing about his breeding. All that is
known of him is that a young man,
who proved to be both a lover of fast
horses and of women sometimes thus
styled, "blew into a little town in
Tennessee, and became involved in
difficulty coincident to his weaknesses
and was forced to part with his horse
for just what he could get, which was
$50 with a new saddle and bride cost
liveryman thus became the owner OF
Peacock, but Peacock was too high
strung and nervous to be of any use
in a livery stable.
He was supposed to be a saddle
horse beautiful and fancy gated but
not suspected of speed. Mr.. Knight
obtained him from the liveryman for
use as saddler, getting ownership by
swapping" an old broken down horse
and SIS. Mr.. Knight was riding Pea
cock one evening when he SHE'D at
something in the road and struck out
on pace that caused Mr.. Knight to
instantly conclude that the place foc
his horse was in harness and hitched