South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-17
ATTENDANCE MARX
At FAIR BROKEN
Rain Stops Races After One
Heat is Run-DoubIe Bill
on Saturday.

state AdiI lnuIsud5 afternoon, the
storm king interfered and disrupted
the program. Almost simultaneously
with the sounding Of the gong calling
out the horses for the first event on
the card black clouds appeared in the
west, and after a few preliminaries,
the storm broke in full force, driving
all TO cover. The terrific rainfall
made II almost fOOlhardy 10 stage
any OF the races but an hour after the
first storm, one heat Of the second
event on the program was raced over
the heaVY track IN exceptionally good
time. And it was thought that at
least this one might be run.
But the storm king was apparently
determined to spoil the afternoon and
after the heat had finished again made
an attack which made il absolutely
impossible 10 continue the races. This
second storm lasted but a short time
and the thousands on the grounds
were prone to leave the Dig exhibition,
more than half Of the crowd STAYING
TO be caught in the third terrific down
pour OF the afternoon, which broke
shortly before o'clock. The storms
we're the worst experienced he.e for
some time but ole of the noticeable
features Of the afternoon was the ease
with which the thousands found shell
ter. their apparent optimistic mood.
and the lack of any serious results Of
the storm
Double Bill saturday.
Immediately after the program for
the afternoon was called off a meet
ing Of the fair association officials
held conference al which it was de-
cided 20 shift the races scheduled for
Thursday 10 today and those sched-
uled for today TO Saturday. thus Civ
ing the public a double bill on that
day. The shifting of the programs
makes Saturday the big day Of the
fair and another huge crowd is antic-
ipated If the weather does not in
terfere again
1t is probablr that the races will
start earlier Saturday than usual
There will he the Friday card. con
slsting OF three events and the run
ming races in four events The run
ners we're expected 10 arrive at the
stables early this morning. In addi-
ton 10 the racing events one of the
big Saturday T atures will be the
Shrine hand and patrol Of Fort WAYNE
This is known throughout the coun-
try as the Million Dollar Band" and
carries So men The men are cos
tuned in oriental clothes and Will
give a series OF military drills. show
ing peculiar and difficult formations
BY doubling up the Friday and
saturday races on Saturday we will
make the biggest day of the week. ="
said Pres't Abe Frank last night after
the decision was made. The civ
cumstances will permit the staging
Of one Of the biggest and at the same
time, high class cards Of the week"
Look for Big Day.
That saturday will he a big day is
the prediction OF the officials. due to
the fact that there are Thousands of
factory employees who are relieved
from duty at noon on that day and
who Will be anxious 10 attend the
fair.
Ii was not a disgruntled crowd that
moved drippingly out of the Interstate
grounds after the races were pro-
nounced impossible. All bore an air
of 1T can't be helped but il certainly
is too bad" and accepted the blow
given the afternoon by the elements
Every effort was made to hold the
races. AS soon as the first storm was
over. force of men with spades were
set TO work making trenches through
which the water might he drained off
the track. At the same time all of the
track machinery. including the har-
rows and scrapers were set to work
III the second storm had not come it
would have been possible TO stage at
least one of the events.
Crowd Entertained.
The thousands in the grand stand
were literally entertained during tthe
three hours that they waited AS
soon as IL stopped raining the vaude-
vile actors put on their acts on the
big platform. while the Rodgers band
Of Goshen and the Iaporte band
PLAYED selections during the inter
missions. Probably the most enter
tanning feature of the program was
the demonstration given 10y the J.
CROUCH & Son worlds champion six
horse team. For II minutes follow
ing the stock parade the striking out
tit performed on the track i'm front of
the grand stand. winning the approval
of the crowd with its various and UNI
usual stunts.
The Thursday crowd was the big
gcSt Of the week. BY 10 o'clock the
gates were besieged 10y hundreds and
II was estimated at that time that
1000 persons had passed through the
turnstiles BY noon this number had
Jumped tC 10000: 500 automobiles
having already been parked Just east
Of the grounds. and at o'clock 20
600 were in the enclosure Even
after the first dOwnpOur at least a
thousand people entered the park. be-
lieving that the storm had passed.
Grand stand Too Small.
Every available bit of space was
taken up i'm the grand stand thus
strengthening the opinion of the fair
officials that II viii De a good move
20 double the capacity for next fall
The crowd did not cOnfne itself en-
tirely 10 the stand for the bank along
the east fence for an eight OF mile
was black with its horde OF race en-
thusists The midway from end TO
end was crowded and the exhibit tents
and buildings were filed.
The crowd took the storm good ma
tUredly When IL broke. there were
several hundred people inside the
track. There was one grand sCurry
for shelter and among the popular dry
spots was under the vaudeville stage.
Men. women and children SCooted un-
der the platform and at least half
dozen baby Carriag es could be seen
scattered around under the structure
10 was a noticeable fact that only
those who rushed about in the open
were severely dampened Shelter was
found iu the many building and tents
ON the ground which easily accom-
a..