The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-07-02
LET'S GO TO THE
FAIR WITH SL|VERS
He Takes us Over the Circuits
he has Played, and Describes
the Scenes and Conditions Sur
rounding Them.
By SliUers.

words OF the trOuper; words that
bring pleasant memories and scenes
If you will come with me we will
take in some of the Circuits that the
writer has played many times.
First comes Wheeling, w. Va.
The fair grounds are located on an
Island midway between West Vir-
GINA and Ohio in the Ohio river.
At Wheeling is held the West Vir-
ginia State Fair, the largest and
best fair in that part of the country.
The race track is half mile in
length and the racing program in
cludes all classes; pace, trot, and
running races. Bookmaking is per-
mitted. The Midway" is one of
the largest of any fair in the coun-
try but all shows must be clean and
fit for ladies and children. Girl
shows" are not tolerated. Pick
outs" and fish ponds are told to
move on, and the fair management
will not let them work under any
conditions. On the fair grounds
are some of the finest exhibit build
ings in this country. The fair is for
five days, and considered one of the
best by concessioners and showmen;
for the people who attend have
money and spend it freely. The
second fair at Sisterville, is the Sec
ond largest held in the State. All
classes of racing is held here also.
Al this fair the standard set for the
shows is not as high as at Wheeling
and pick OUTS are permitted to
work. The third fair is at Mounds
vile. The location of the fair
grounds is very poor, being about
two miles from town ard set down
in kind of basin. This fair is wide
open and everything goes.
In New York State
Now we will make a long jump
down into the western part of New
York state where there is a series
of four fairs held, the first at Ham
burg, about twelve miles from Buff
falo. The fair grounds are ideal,
with half mile track, but no run
ming races are held. Shows of all
kinds can work here, as can games
of chance, even the shell and three
card monte men. This fair is live
one as the profession calls it, or in
other words, the people are good
spenders and the attendance good.
Gowanda Is the second of this
series. Gowanda is about sixty
miles from Buffalo on the Erie rail-
road in the heart of the dairy coun-
try, for which western New York
is famous. The fair grounds here
are right at the edge of the town.
and has a good race track. Two
classes of races, pacing and trotting.
are run. Only clean moral shows
are permitted, and no games of
chance.
Little Valley is the third fair. The
grounds are old but we'll kept in
fairly good condition. Clean shows
and no games of chance. 1t draws
the best people and is a live one. )"
Franklinville is the fourth fair.
The location of the grounds is very
poor as they are far from town. All
classes of racing is held. The race
track is half mile course, and one
of the best to be found on any fair
grounds. All shows must be clean
or they cannot open; games of chance
are not tolerated. The attendance
is large as the fair is we'll known,
and the people are good spenders.
Get-away-day" is always sure
thing to all who make this fair.
At Beaver Dam
Again we will make a big jump
and just to make" one fair. 1t is
at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, the best
county fair in the United States.
Six big days and nights. The fair
grounds are very large and the ex-
hibit buildings will compare favor
ably with those of most State fairs.
This fair is what the profession calls
pumpkin husker," the farmers
coming in by the wagon loads at
sunrise. stay all day and half the
night. The free acts at Beaver Dam
are always the best that can be had
and it was at this fair that Prof
Harry Hoffman the balloon rider
was killed, using fire. works and
dynamite in a night ascension The
standard for shows is the highest oil
any county fair in. the north west
and games of chance are few and fa1
between. On the Wisconsin circui
Fon du Lac usually comes just be-
fore Beaver Dam and then Apple
ton, both of which are good fairs anC
Getaway day" is always easy fol-