The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-07
Show People Who Arrive
Late Find Ground
Rent Is High.
BIGGER DISPLAY
THAN EVER BEFORE
Statement by President Fairfax
That Fair Is Greatest in Vir-
ginia's History Warmly In
dorsed by Crowds as
They March Through
Vast Enclosure.

Spread under kindly sun as far an
the eye could reach. the panorama o;
the Virginia state Fair unfolded itself
yesterday morning, and lay almost
quiescent. except for the little clatter
or carpenters tools. until the vanguard
OF visitors began to drift through the
slow revolving gates. The show was
all In readiness when the turnstiles be-
gan their unceasing revolutions All
tho exhibits. all the homes OF the
tented people. and all tho attractions
which give go to a fair were ready.
and the giant stage was set for the
exhibition OF farm and manufacturing
products.
The one thing that stood out above
all others and attcsted to the success
OF the eighth fair held by the associa-
tion was the fact that there was more
of everything than had been expected
and that housing for all the exhibits
WAS cramped. Additional space was
obtained on Sunday afternoon by TAX
ing out n section OF the fence which
surrounds the grounds. and yesterday
afternoon. when 4 few bclated shows
appeared and asked for room, ground
rent went At $40 foot.
Hest Yet. Says Fnirfnx.
Henry FairfaS. president of the Nlr-
yinia state Fair Association, Was on
the SloUUu B'llllSb, li4s i1te N!tatil'tl
in smiles. To a reporter for The
Times Dispatch he stated that il was
the biggest fair in the history Of the
state and that the quantity OF ex-
hibits was far in excess of any ever
brought
IT is not alone in quantity that this
promises To be the most successful
fan. in our history" said SIR. Fairfax,
hut there is shown tremendous i'm
iV, he 10 nf hp T.
bits, particularly in the live stock and
The farm products. All our stables
: and pens are already fIicH. and VIC eX-
poet more live stock in to-morrov.
an, particularly pleased with the open
Ing day. We could rot have had finer
weather. and the promise is all that
could desire"
Directors OF the association. espcciai
" these who have departments under
their supervision, were delighted T.
-. Sandy. state & gent OF tho United
states Department of Agriculture. said
that the county exhibits and the farm
products were the best he has seen
here. and he found particular pride in
the artistic manner in which the pro-
ducts had bcen arranged. Tic ccmpli
mented the boys ccrn clubs on their
displays for every member who eNhi-
bitcd had grown not less than 100
bushels TO the acre. and there were
some who ran UP to as high $50
bushels to the acre.
Raven-haired. sloe-eyed palmists
and clairvoyants besought one for just
glimpse of the hand, in which they
would find written by the finger OF
destiny all the secrets which the fu :
ture holds. A long legged Turk beat
rumbling tattoo on n hand size drum.
and cried TO the people that he was
the seer Of the invisible itself, tina t
vii haI IA
trailing power.
Barkers and spieIers.
Wild animals strained at their bind
ing chains. and shrill. gaudily dressed
women clattered up and down the mar
row aisle, calling for only Il dime or
a nickel TO come In and see the mys-
ter!es within the tented walls. a cir
Gus tent reared Itself at the end OF the
narrow lane, and IL was proclaimed
that here Oklahoma Bill showed the
wild wonders of the story-book West.
There were lesser shows. and so on
nd infinitum, everything for every
body, always changing and ever new,
something to teach, and something
merely to amuse. Into the Midway,
with its noisy, shouting harum scarum
mob. poured the tired crowd by hun
dreds, and instantly the charm of the
rovers whose business is to amuse ef-
fected it's magic work. and there was
no more WEAKNESS.
Wheresoever the eye turned in tho
vast space of the Fair Grounds there
was something to see, everything we'll
worth the seeing. Events featured on
the program followed each other in
rapid succession. Races entertained
for an hour or more, and then the
vaudeville artists took their places OH
the two stages constructed in front of
the grandstand. thrilling and amusing
by turn. Mace Gays Band played
through all the performances and in
the intermissions. and Miss Mae Ham :
mcr and Hugh Blaney charmed with
voices that were sweet with power.
There was variety everywhere. There
We're song and laughter, the busy sound
of trade, the hoarse murmur of Il null
titude of voices swelling through the
crowd like breakers falling on dis
tant shore, and the steady, insstent
nuts and his pies. 1t was the day of
the "hot dog" and the stale bun of
popcorn and candy. and the spirit of
the hour brought together the man
who wears" cane and carries n silk
handkerchief in his upper coat pocket
and the man who had neither cane nor
kerchief, to carry. Hunger and '"hot
dog" on fair day make all mon
brothors, and the one who does not
condescend is poorer by far than Crusoe
on his island.
Boys and Girls in Front.
It was the occasion of the first 'ex-
hihit Of the Bays and Girls Poultry
Clubs. and OF tho Girls Canning Club
which received merited praise for the
quality of the products shown by them
Joseph NJ. Kinghorne. Junior animal
husbandman In poultry Investigations
OF the Department OF Agriculture, said
that especial credit was due to the
Boys and Girls Poultry Club, which
had raised the standard tof chicken
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