The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-08
Richmond Day Program
Goes On Despite Fear
Of Rain.
BOARD DECIDES
NOT TO DELAY 1T.
Holiday Already Proclaimed by
Corporations, State and City
Cannot Be Changed-Vis-
itors Amazed by Magnitude
of Exhibition and Won 4
derful Displays.

Despite lowering clouds and threat
ening weather there was n larger
crowd in attendance yesterday on the
state Fair than on tho corrcspondirr
DAY last year. During the free per-
formances on the two vaudeville st,r..
there were between 800 and 1000 peo-
pie In the grandstand
On account OF the weather indica-
ions, which promised rain du-in, III,
next twenty four hours. a member ne
'he board of directors suggested that
N'e Mayor be asked to postpone Rich
mond Day until promise of fair weather
was obtained: but. after talking tbe
matter over with other directors and
WIN oihciais of corporations in the
'''S' II was decided to let the program
stand ana to-day will be observed as
richmond Day. / was stated however
'nat managers of certain large firms
III the city had promised to give their
employees an extra half holiday on SAT
ur"ay. 50 that, If they were unable IN
attend the Fair to-day. they would have
an al opportunity of seeing it later. But
SATURDAY afternoon is usually observed
% hait monday by most of the cor
poratlons and city and State officers. so
mat their employees may elect either.
DAY thcE choose to attend the fair
Not Kept Away by sIist.
me attendance yesterday was esti-
mated mt between 10000 and $4,000. 1t
80 MIS- i"uen inrser' than was expected
| when day broke. with dark. dank
clouds. and when there was every in
location OF rain. The crowd was made
up largely OF country people. who ara
now coming III on every train and iill-
ing the hotels and lodging houses. They
J SWarmeH
/ ihS to noon, and quickly made their
way TO the exhibits, wherein they found
the things that interested them the
most
lheS damned the Industrial Building
/ IN which the women's department farm,
products. tobacco exhibits. schoo, ana
railway and private exhibits are fea
tured in tastcfully decorated booths
ana managed by men who are experi-
enccd in handling and informing the
| curious pubic Among the more inn
portant displays in the Industrial
building are the tobacco exhibits from,
the Counties OF Powhatan. buckingham.
.Ninelia, Louisa, King William Uenrico
hanover Goochland Fluvanna. Ches-
| terheld, Caroline and others i'm which
me weed which Sir Walter Raleigh
made famous is the staple crop. The
single farm exhibit is from Cumberland
county. IT shows the advantage OF
ulNerslhed farming and the success
with which ii may be pursued Farm
products. showing everything grown
IN virginia from peanut 10 a pump
KIN, and from lowly beet to :, stalk
OF corn more than fifteen feet high
also form centre of extraordinary in
terest Hardly less In their arrange
ment and in the attraction which they
FORM are the display booths of the
r"Ii"ays ana the exhibits Of the va
rious state and city departments
Crowds Drift E.yeryxxh.ro
FROM the Industrial Building. sought
hrst because OF the threatening wealth
er the crowds drifted slowly through
tho agricultural, poultry and stock
buildings which they filled from door
10 door. Much OF the poultry is stilI
cooped up on the outside, there not
being room inside the exhibit buildings
though little of the overflow was
housed temporarily in makeshift
tent President Fairfax. of the assoc
ciation said that there were still many
EXHIBITS which could not he properly
shown because there was no room, for
! them.
/ Judging in the 1.-Two stock was begun
yesterday. and large concourse Of
people gathered about the ringsides To
watch the sturdy beef cattle and tba
/ gentle dairy kline brought forward for
the inspection of the judges The we'll
! hlled cattle stables form one OF the
/ most interesting and informing fen
lures of the fair as the State. accord
/ ing To President Fairfax and other OFF,
Gals has greatly improved in its breed
/ OF cattle. The seventeen steers grass
! fed for six months and the blue grass
cattle of Henry &. Stuart and others OF
the southwest. attracted much atten-
/ ton as they were brought out to tho
watering tanks, and as they lay still
and silent, chewing their cud. when tho
SiGhtseers passed through their sta.
/ blcs.
Sights Along tho Midway.
I Arriving earlier than usual the crowd
had plenty OF time TO view the exhibits
and then wander through the Midway
ana back TO the grandstand in time for
the iree attractions. which begin in the
afternoon. The famous avenue OF noisa
and fun, tent crowded on either side
ran riot with moving people. \ barely
perceptible mist fell, but il did nor
thwart the people, and IL did not in
terfere in the slightest with the bust
ness OF the little street. Old men and
! women. Sray-haired feeble and rhciI-
matte, became children again for tho
hour. and found AS much enjoyment n,
! the shows as they did years ago when
1 the annual circus came 10 town The
! two extremes OF society met and min
/ gled. and laughter over simple thing
made them one
| The crowd gathered In and in front
| OF the grandstand for the races. and en-
|. jcyed them with the free attractions.
/ Nhc trottinS events were taken pas
sively. but a thrill came with the run
ring races, and set tne mark for the
crowd when the more thrilling aero
| nautics engaged their attention.
| Three Acropinne Flights.
| Peola. driving ~ Curtiss biplare.
brought reminder OF Ralph Johnstone,
who met his death few month"; after