The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-06

Clouds dark with the threat of rain
did not, as had been feared, interfere
with the opening of the Virginia State
Fair Association, and the initial day
proved to be far. greater success than
President Henry Fairfax and Manager
Warwick had dared hope after Satur-
days continuous downpour. The gates
when a farmer, unknown save In his
own little township, withdrew his
ticket from an inner vest pocket and
turned the stile. He had the honor OF
being the first man inside the gates
and lost nothing of the distinction. be-
cause for half an hour he had the field
to himself. Other early visitors fol-
lowed, and by noon the fair habitues,
drawn from every section of the State,
began to saunter in, and towards the
shank ofsthe evening the crowd was es-
ttmated in round numbers to approx
mate anywhere between 1000 and 5000
people. The opening day compared
the weather conditions were more pro-
pitious and when also the farmers
pocketbooks were a, little heavier.
NOTHING LACKING &; 1S : aI+.sf4i
r. so. TO ,hAhEt' GREAT. FAIH
OF that psychological excitement and
spontaneous; interest w ARISES when
many people arg gathered Etog ether,
there was as much eneesa when the
Virginia association first called the far
mers to a fair. Itsgoes to say that the
big State show fs now, as much part
of the peoples life as their visits to
town on stock day. With the tnstruc-
tive exhibits installed behind brick or
tent wall. there were outside, all the
thrills and sensations needed to main
tain the visitors interest and suspense
to the end. Over to the north of the
grand stand, g. captive balloon climbed
In slow spiral curves into dizzy heights,
and beneath It sounded the din and
clamor of Midway and Ballyhoo Lane.
takers shrieking In strident discord,
while my country cousin laughed aloud
his merriment or sought to show his
disdain. Directly in front of the grand
stand. free performances. each more
thrilling than the one just before, were
continually shown.
DARBDEyII sCHREYER MISSES
DEATH BY MERE EYELASH
"Daredevil" Schreyer thrilled them
to the utmost when he missed death by
an eyelash, and people marveled when
one Arabian held thirteen people from
the floor.
And when ExempIar fell with Jockey
steeplechase and then led the way home
and passed the wire ahead of the field,
the grand stand shook itself and arose
as one man and literally shriekcd
itself hoarse with applause. 1t was Il
great sight to see EXemplar, true to
his name, continue in the running; and
1t was pity that he could not take
first money. So, in the matter of SEN
sational attractions, the State show Is
better than 1t was last year. There is
nothing worth missing, and everything
is doubly worth seeing. The directors
have been at great pains and tremen-
dous expense to please, and Mr.. Ander-
son has CLEANED from many strange
corners of the world to make the at
fractions worth coming miles to see
EXHIBITS ARE BEST IN
HISTORY OF ASSOCIATION
The fair itself. that is, the exhibits
of all classes and kinds. the Midway
shows and the free attractions. is
really and without exaggeration the
best in the history of the association.
President Fairfax was immensely
pleased with the quantity and quality
of entries in the various classes OF
exhibits that go to make State fair.
Men who follow fairs in the capacity
of judges. and others who follow them
for personal gain. stated frequently
that it was the best fair In the Atlantic
States, and standardized by certain ex-
hibits. it was the best any of them
had seen In their tours.
r. w. Spilman, who is I'm charge Of
the cattle exhibit. said that there were
more cattle and of a better quality
than had ever been seen here, and
President Fairfax stated to The Times
Dispatch that he had never seen finer
breeds or larger number of entries
since he first became connected with
the association as al, exhibitor or an
official.
Mr.. Marshall. one of the officials,
stated that there were 14T entries In
the shorthorn exhibit. the second
largest number of entries in any fair
In the country, the Iowa State Fair be-
ing first, with 20S entries Of this breed.
In the Jersey cattle exhibit there are
ninety-siX entries, the largest number
ever to have been shown here or in any
section OF the United States. There is
a slight falling off in the number of
various breeds Of horses exhibited. but
this decrease Is counteracted by the
large Increase in the cattle display. In
swine and sheep there arc the normal
number of entries. and the standard is
above the average
FIBorY-FIyE COUNTIES
HAVE FINE DISPLAYS
The county exhibits; have been af-
fected somewhat by the drought, which
caused n shortage last summer, but
according ITO IT, o. Sandy, who Is In
charge of the county booths, are much
better in quality. There la tremendous
improyement,h he said, In both the quail
ity and the variety of products in the
county shows. and there are fitty-fiyo
CONTINUED on Eighth Pagc.)