The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-23
MUCH ACTIVITY AT THE FAIR GROUNDS
Head of Association Back
 From Louisville Fair
SECURED RACE HORSES
Running Races Will Be Feature of Fair for First Time in Several Years-Much Attention to
 the Amusements


 A casual visitor or passer-by might think that the Alabama State Fair already was in progress, judging from the scenes of activity manifest in every part of the grounds. Concessionaries are busily pre- pairing for the stands" bunting is being placed plaeards being nailed. exhibits go- ing up. in fact. everything that will aid the fair to begin promptly op schedule time is being placed.
 President R. A. Brown returned yes terday from Louisville. where he was for few days with Secretary FowllSes. who the fair. There will be running races, pacing and trotting races. Angus A. Acree, publicity agent for the fair, yes terday was in Tuscaloosa for the purpose of securing Alabama race horses to enter in the races here,
 The horse racing and motorcycle rae ing will be featured this year, and for the first time in many years in Brming ham running races will be held.
 The amusements this year are to be of a higher order than ever before attempted
 
 association attributes the largest attend ance in the history of that fair to the fact that the amusements were high class. The same carnival company has been en- gagged for the Birmingham fair and is expected to prove as great drawing card here.
 or especial interest this year will be the fireworks. The fair association has expended much more money this year for fireworks than ever before, and the dis plays promise to be the greatest ever shown in the south The pyrotechnic drama, The Panama Canal" which will be staged, is said to be one of the largest pieces of staging ever attempted by a pyrotechnical display company. In the cast are 300 people, who will act on a stage 450 feet long. Every phase of the construction of the canal and on through to the commerce which passes through it and what would happen in the even of the United States going to war with a foreign power will be graphically shown in living fire.
 There will be ludicrous pieces for the little ones and a baseball game will be played by real men dressed in clothes of fire, using bats and balls of lire.
 From an educational standpoint the fireworks will be valuable to school chill dren, showing many of the products of the south and demonstrating the worth of corn and alfalfa as a money crop. This will be especially stressed and one picture will show Queen Alfalfa and King Corn typifed in showers of gold en, green and red stars, lighting the heavens for miles about.
 The dog show this year is to be of more than usual interest and Jack Riddle, superintendent of this part of the fair, said yesterday that there would be more entries and the entries would be of u higher class than ever before. George W. Slaton of Chicago, one of the nation ; most famous dog experts, will judge the dogs and make the awards.
 The chicken show this year will have many entries and pr. Hal F. Halstead, superintendent said yesterday that many back lot birds would be entered. He also said it was his opinion that back yard fowls would give the blue ribbon breed u run for their money. Dr. Hal stead today Is in Tuscaloosa judging the poultry show of the county fair at that place.
 The Home Products show, which will be staged in the home products building at the fair grounds this year, is of more than usual interest and many manufac-
 
 exhibits of their products. Childrens day, next to the last, will bring practically every school child in Birmingham to the fairgrounds and many teachers of the city schools will take advantage of the opportunity to instill into the youthful mind what Is made in Birmingham. Many of the pupils doubtless will be required to write an essay on Home Products get ting their subject matter from what they see in the home products building at the fair. .
 T think that the manufacturers of the Birmingham district now have the great est opportunity to exploit their products and to advertise themselves as manu- lecturers of various articles in the Bir- mingham district, that has ever come to them" said Robert W. Ewing. presl- dent of the Board of Trade, in talking of the display in the home products building at the Alabama State fairgrounds.
 Upon visiting the fairgrounds the other evening I find that one of the largest buildings on the grounds, ordinarily known as the manufacturers' building, has been set aside as home products building, and will be occupied exclusively by exhibits of manufacturers of the Birmingham dis trict to display home products"