The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-07
SUNSHINE ADDS
TO ENJOYMENT
OF FARMERS DAY
Increasing Crowds Testify
to Success of Ninth
Annual Fair.
HOLIDAY TO-DAY FOR
RICHMOND FESTIVAL
State and City Offices to Be
Closed-Banks Only Nomi-
nally Open.
fky,rENsE THRON7 ExpEeyrEn
IMMENSE THRoNG EXPECTED
Judges Announce Awards in vari.
ous Grades OF Women's
Handiwork.


Farmers Day observed at tho vir-
sinia State Fair Grounds yesterday. has
rarely been equalled in the interest and
enthusiasm shown by rural and city
visitors alike, and the attendance,
which was generally expected to fall
short OF that OF the corresponding day
last year. in fact exceeded Il. Certified
figures gathered by Herman Pollard,
superintendent OF terminals and parks
Of tho Virginia Railway end Power
Company, show that the street cars
carried s,7ss people; away from the
grounds. Those who walked and drove
In automobile or cart must have In
creased this figure, It 10 estimated, to
sen or twelve thousand people. This
would bring the total attendance nearly
equal to that OF 1912, the best showing
made since tho fair OF 1910. It was a
fair day, which accounted In large part
for tho influx. But the greater credit
Hos at tho feet of those who have made
OF tnis annual showing Of the farming
and commercial industries of the Com
monwealth the best. most extensive
and most diversifled general exhibit In
tho history OF the association. This is
IN opinion rendered. not only by those
cirectly interested I'm the fair, but az
well By those who came to exhibit and
those who came merely to see.
During the free performances and the.
running races and tho steeplechase in
the afternoon, there were approximate
Iy 5000 people in the grand stand, and
at least like number adorned the rail
extending from the enclosure around
the quarter-milc to the Industrial Hall,
along which the people were sometimes
lined three and four deep. Hundreds OF
others. caught in tho flare of music in
tnduHtri11 nr reH hxy
interest in. the exhibit buildings. or else
icposing themselves on benches and
park benches were lost in the general
accounting.
an annual stasc eair are. aftsr G
all, the fakera and travelling show
men. whose experience Is OF wide
latitude and whose statements are free
from the esaggeration OF personal In
terest, and many OF them said yester-
day that they were pleasipgly surprised
at tho outpouring OF the people.
SUN SHINES KINDLY
ON INCREASING CROWDS
Steered from their natural inclina-
t.ons by threatening skies In the morn
Ing. visitors veered back to them In
IL the Lutte and the sun ahone kindly
down. Beginning at noon, people
Etreamed through the gates in an al
most uninterrupted tide until 2 o'clock,
when the scene was filled with the live
ly activity OF slow-moving thronss and
the air broken with tho noise incident
IN tho opening of the show lanes
Governor Stuart and President Henry
Fairfax occupied their respective boxes
in the grand stand, and the Governor,
who preceded Mr.. Fairfax as president
Of the association. expressed himself as
being gratefully proud OF the showing
OF which Virginia farmers and manu-
fucturSYS CaDable.
we certainly have the greatest fair
We have ever had" said Leigh r. Page.
attorney for the association and ono of
Its directors. 'and II tho weather con-
tinues good and the fair receives the
proper boosting, feel assured that the
attendance will be equal to the best we
have had. IL 1t does not surpass It,"
Di5interested observers state that the
action OF the board Of directors in for
bidding the sale of intoxicants has had
no erect on the attendance, and the re-
gard Tor tho sentiment OF the people
expressed In the recent election has
been widely commended. Near-beer n
beverage which is said to come within
the definition of nonintoxicants was
placed on sale beneath the grand stand
yesterday. And that was the closest
approach to forbidden REFRESHMENTS
seen on the grounds.
NO CESSATION OF
INTEREST IN EXHIBITS
There was no cessation OF interest
in the exhibits, and all through the
day there We're crowds passing through
Industrial Hall. where the Judging of
the entriesin the Women's Department
was taking place. There were bread
cake, pies and b hundred OF other
dsiiSaGies ds,niaina on display. and in booth
ticles and the things OF everyday
apparel, looking something like bar
gain counter on rush day. Husbands
were forced to daily with admitting
and half-tealous spouses, and the
girls who hope one day to have hus-
band and home of their own were not
less enthusiastic In viewing trous.
seaus on show All the while the Kill
ties bandsmen played their bagpipes.
with the drummer laundering away
with might and main to make as much
noise and music as they could bring
out. The County Exhibit Building. the
show tents of the manufacturers of
farm machinery and implements were
also OF absorbing interest to the farm
er and the layman. The big Poultry
than 1t was constructed to hold, occu.
pied the attention of fanciers. The
crowds passed from one to the other
with never-failing wonder and inter-
ested commentary, pleased with every
thing IT saw.
One of the most interesting features
was the work of five country girls in
tomato canning exhibit. Within
twenty minutes they cooked, canned
and sealed bushel of tomatoes, and
the product was ready for the table.
The five girls are all prize winners In
their respective counties. and their
trip to the fair was part of their re-
ward. They were Miss Clara Eikin-
son, of sDinwiddie County; Miss iolet
Etherton, of Albemarlc Miss Anna
Quarles. OF Halifax; Miss Helen Thorn
ton. OF Prince william. and Miss
Gladys Mahanes. Of Alhemarle. They
were under the direction OF Miss Ella
e. Agnew, who is in the employ of
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