The Topeka state journal., 1916-09-09
States Free Exposition To Be
One of Many Features.
Every Amusement and Every
Educational Exhibit.
CITY OF TENTS AT FAIR GROUND
Bee Hives of Workers on Beau
tifuI Tract This Morning.
Cars, Motor Trucks, Wagons,
Men, All Crowd the Space.

Like the tabled city of the plains
that sprang up in a night, a city OF
tents is springing up at the fair
grounds. Where three days ago there
was only naked ground and empty
buildings today the ground is covered
with tents and temporary buildings,
with machinery, live stock and people
and the former vacant buildings are
like bee-hives.
Every road and footpath running
/ to the fair grounds is crowded EV-
cry sort of vehicle from big gasoline
trucks to one-horse express wagons
crowds the roads and streets. Going
towards the fair grol they are
piled high with almost everything
man makes and sells. Returning they
are empty The drivers crowd each
other for wheel room and hand Joshes
and curses back and forth.
All this is a necessary preliminary
to the big free state fair which opens
Monday. The fair grounds today look
like hopeless tumble of men, STOCK
machinery, tents and building ma
teriaL 1t doesn't appear possible that
everything will be in readiness Mon
day morning when the formal opening
takes place. But it will be ready
John Wright, deputy county clerk,
every fair for fifteen years. stood look
ing over the grounds today from the
steps of the secretary's office
at doesn't seem possible that az
these tents. all the machinery ana All
the stock will be in place by Monday
morning" was remarked to him.
Carpenters Are Busy.
ct know it looks that way replied
Wright. but it will be ready AS
matter of fact things are farther
1l0Y n
urday morning before the fair | can
remember. There are more exhiblts
on the ground now, too, than can
remember heretofore
amateur carpenters are at work on the
grounds today. They are throwing to-
gether the framework for big dining
tents. cigar and candy stands soIt
drink "parlors," and all other places
necessary to the modern state falr.
The sound of the saw and hammer
may be heard in all parts of the
grounds.
grounds carload after carload OF farm
machinery has been dumped NO Ell
fort has been made to place it in the
form of an exhibit but tractors viii
take hold of it today and jerK .he e,oce acf-
The sidetrack running INTO tne
grounds Is full of cars waiting 10 oe
npIoaded Great stacks of baled nay
and straw are DelnR plle0 uP
the stock barns for the stock thde IL
being unloaded every hour.
The Johnny Jones Shows.
The Johnny ]. Jones shows-thlrty
Of them-will reach Topeka TINS aiter1 ,1
noon and within few hours VIII IN
up the one big gap at the 1alr S,l SIouilus, Us,
Thev will cover more ground lndh any
1+ber carnival company the fair man
apement has ever had. BY SUNDAY
morning the shows will be SET up;
ready for the crowds ana there WIN VIZ
he a crowd Sunday but the shows Will
not omen until Monday. The big snow
comes to Topeka from Lincoln. Nep:,
and the fair there did not close uhtli
last night. III, ..,,, -
roneka from Lincoln this afternoon
Tonal,a follows Lincoln on the circuit
and will get most everything Lincoln
rad except the exhibits of local peo-
pie. Knowing what is coming from
Lincoln in the way or livestock the
livestock managers at the fair grounds
have already begun worrying about
Fifteen of the thirty horses Miss
Loula Long will bring for the horse
show are on the ground. They were
sent here direct from the LongvleV
farm in Missouri. The other ftfteeI
will come by express from Rochester
N Y, where Miss Long has been eX
hibiting them Other horses anC
equipment for the horse show will
come in this afternoon and tonight.
Exhibitors Stand in Line
The office of the secretary has beei
moved to the fair grounds and tn
force increased from two men to abou
ten People were lined up at ever,
window today making arrangement
for exhibits, for concessions or quar-
reIing because somebody had don
something or had failed to do some
thing. One of the favorite pastime
of people who follow the fairs is t.
fuss with everybody else who follow
the fairs. That, they say, is the onl,
way to be sure of getting all that i
coming to them.
There is every indication that ther
will be plenty to eat at the big fail
The biggest tents in course of con
struction today are dining tents. mos
of them being erected by church or
ganizations. Preachers, elders, dea
cons and laymen are at the ground
in their shirt sleeves saving board
and striking at nails. Members o
sewing societies, aid societies and mis-
sionary societies are there in bonnet
looking after coal oil stoves, refriger
ators, table cloths and dishpans.
The rain Thursday put the ground
in excellent condition. There is n
dust and there is no mud. The gras
looks greener than it does on mos
Topeka lawns. O. NJ. Keats, super
intendent of racing. said today tn
track couldn't be in better shape
The grounds will be closed Sunda
to the public on account of the ac
tivities of the workmen.