The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-08

The big day Of the Virginia State
fair. Richmond day. was yesterday
Seine sixty thousand or more persons
tafoagcd the grounds. the crowd
Pouring through the gates from the
t.ns4 az their opening At s O'clock Iva
the morning Until they closed with
lights ont. at midnight. Everywhere
w.thin the enclosure people were
happy
Some had gone out for the races,
some far the great free acts given
talcA daily before the graudssand.
som for The Midway attractions, and
others Ia view the myriad exhibits,
The program was carried through To
the dot and here was but one nishap
to mar the Gay.
This was NOT serious one. being
the losing of a rider by one OF the
horses entered in the steepiechase.
The rider WAS uninjured beyond sus-
tanning few bruises which were
gwen attention at the hospital IN the
grounds
Mayor George AinsIie and many Of
the city officials were interested Wis
iters at the fair. Governor stuart
who has announced that he will at
tend the fair on every possible oc-
oas4cE, Was another of Tho prami-
merit fair visitGrs of The dag. These
officials not c, ly did the exhibits, saw
the races and applauded the actors
ard actresses who in tests of skill
and daring are thrilling the crowds.
hut mingled with the throngs on the
Midway.
Midway Is damned
During the afternoon the Midway
was damned with the most good
.natured and the happIest crowd i'm
agsnable, Through the earlier right
hours, when the thousands We're not
giving their eyes a feast of the at
giving their eyes feast of the fair
attractions and the fireworks. more
brilliant than ever. which closed the
day. they visited the side shows. and
the men on the Midway joined in the
general joliifcation. The ring and
cane men, the spot the spot" men.
the 'fetti men, the sellers OF pop
and of food, all did good business and
al appeared pleased with the lays
work
T . grandstand which has ca
pacity OF some five thousand seats
was twice filled. The afternoon
crowd packed the stand almost TO
discomfort, vet the crowd seemed 10
feel no inconvenience, so absorbed
were the people in the offerings on
the two stages and the track The
night crowd was almost us great
During both the afternoon and night
men and women stood In the stand
many On the oran space hnck IF the
last row OF seats. hundreds in ths
aisles. and perhaps a thousand stood
on the ground in the open space be-
fore the grGndstand.
The hleaciiers, beyond the grand
stand, were filled for the first time
this week. The crowd that lined the
fence, five or six deep in places.
around the race track was nearly
three-quarters Of a mile in length.
1t was great crowd, happy crowd
and crowd that appeared TO thor
pughly enjoy the holiday.
Richmond day, as usual in former
years OFT hcf air, was big success.
weather Conditions Ideal
Weather conditions were favorable.
The day. while not clear. was fair.
The clouds hung low In the sky during
the morning hours. but during the
afternoon, the sun. at times. peeped
through and warmed the atmosphere.
The ground underfoot was solid, there
having been just enough rain during
Sunday and the early portion of Mon
day, to settle the dust and enough sun
and breeze since. to prevent muddy
conditions. The dav was ideal.
Industrial hall, the buildings con-
tanning the poultry. corn. Sleeps and
goats. the horses, the cattle, the farm
products, the apples. aud the special
exhibits displayed BY women. csa!ldren.
manufacturers OF agricultural nh
chinery and others. We're fiIled all day
and closing hours found many still
inspecting the big show
The crowd last night was an Inn
patient crowd The grandstand en-
closure opened its rates earlier than
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