The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-07
HOTELS SHOW RUSH
OF FAIR VISITORS
First-Night Crowd Exceeds That
Of Same Night Last
Year
RESERVATIONS FOR TO-DAY
Despite Increased Capacity,
RESERVATIONS FOR TO-DAY
Despite Increased Capacity,
There Will Be Few if Any
Vacant Rooms To- Night.

Hotel managers in Richmond agreed
last night judging from the crowd
already here and from reservations
made for to-day and tomorrow. that
the attendance OF out-of-town visitors
at the State Fair this year, would ex-
coed all former records. Notwlthstand-
ing the greatly increased hotel accom-
modations OF the city. there will be
little space left by tonight for those
who have not made special reserva-
tlons.
We have a much better crowd al :
ready than we had on the first day of
the fair last year." said Manager
Weislger. OF the Jefferson Most OF
our advance reservations were for
Tuesday. and by Richmond Day we OK
pect practically everything TO be taken.
Tho number OF advance reservations
was much better this year. We antIci-
pated a larger attendance. and pre-
pared for 1t. and from the way people
have been pouring In all day. we arc
not disappointed"
Murrhy'n Nearing Capacity.
bfurphy's, which opened Its hand
some new twelve-story building last
week. WAS almost full last night, and
reservations made for to-day will take
everything save few of the most ex-
peusive rooms.
I'VE would have had to use tho bill
Hard tables for beds IL we had had
desk clerk. The basement bar and
billiard-room in Murphy's Hotel were
opened yesterday. and in many other
details tho hotel shows more finished
appearance than when first thrown
open to the public last week.
At the Richmond Hotel there was a
busy scene, and Manager Atkinson
stated that the bulk OF his reservations
on account of the fair were for to-
night and tomorrow. Already the fair
crowd IS much larger than Oh the first
night last year.
IT'S just n matter OF our capacity"
said tho clerk at the Lexington. I'VE
couldn't very we'll have better sea :
son than we had last year. because we
had fun house nearly all week But
we are taking people in just as fast
as we can assign them rooms, the early
demand being better than last year.
From inquiries and reservations mas Q
there is no doubt that we will be
right up to the limit OF our capacity
all week.
More I'm the Building.
Z. A. Stumpf regretted that his an
mex was not ready for fair visitors.
1t will not he completed until about
the first of the year The present ho-
tel has a stag trade that about taxes
its capacity throughout the year, and
had few rooms TO spare for fair yisi-
tors. but everything was occupied last
night
Ruegcrs now ten-story building will
not be ready for occupancy until about
November L. when 1t will form not
abie addition to Richmond.s list OF
frst-class downtown hotels. ATr. Rue
ger said last night that his restaurant
in temporary quarters across the street
had felt tho effect of tho great number
OF fair visitors throughout the day.
and from the inquiries made he felt
sure that had his new building been
ready. every room would have been
In demand.
At every hotel the belief was ex-
pressed that the fair itself and the
volume of out-of-town visitors grow
bigger and better every year, and
that in point OF attendance the fair
this year would eclipse all others II
was noticed by several OF the hotel
men yesterday that many OF their pa
irons who arrived early in the day
spent yesterday in shopping and In
business affairs about the city. and
will make their first visit TO the
grounds to-day.