The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-07-06
Barnes County Fair Is
Opened Auspiiciiously y

The first day of the Barnes county
fair was decided success. In spite
of the heavy rain Of Monday night
and the almost impossible roads, a
crowd of 1000 gathered at the
grounds to celebrate the Fourth.
The Clifton-Kelley shows made a
great hit with the assembly. Their
shows are all clean, and there are no
skin games whatever on the grounds
There was fine attendance at each
show, and no one has registered a
kick. Easily first in popularity is the
dog and pony show, and there has
never been better one in Valley City,
The intelligence of the Shetland pom.
les is almost incredible, and everyone
who went is a booster for the show
The Days of '49 Camp is reproduc-
ton of a mining town saloon and
dance hall, and judging from the at
tendance, we have number of histor-
ians in our community. May Joe, the
three legged girl, attracted attention,
and Spidore, the spider girl, has every
one asking "Well, how do you think
she does it," The Ten-in-One mus
cum includes a snake-den, an expert
glassblower, a strong man, fire-eater
and numerous other attractions that
make it an enjoyable place to spend
half hour. The minstrel show and
the Mississippi Cabaret were we'll lik.
ed, and the merry-go-rOund and Ferris
wheel were loaded to capacity at all
times. The shows, on the whole were
we'll worth the admission to them, and
deserve the business they got.
The afternoon fireworks, which we're
skillfully engineered by J. A. Biggs,
now of Mandan, were excellent and
much enjoyed. The hit of the after
noon was the Mule Derby-wherein
four mules hitched to bike sulkies
were raced by Casper Winkler, Billy
Walters, ]. A. Biggs and Melvin T.
Lee. We suspect that Walters has
driven mules before, for he came in
first, with Biggs close second. We
know that Lee isn't on to the psychol'
ogy of the mule, but even so he man
aged to beat out Winkler. The race
will be repeated every day with new
drivers.
In the evening Mr.. Biggs again
amused the crowd with splendid dis
play of fireworks, after which every
one amused himself at the shows or at
Willard Carlson's dance pavilion.
The two races on Tuesday after
noon were all and more than could
be expected when the condition of the
track was considered. Both contests
were fought out to the finish, the 2:28
. trot going four heats and the 2:18
pace to the limit, five heats, and ev-
cry heat was a real horse race. The
time was remarkably good over a
track which was in awful condition
from the heavy rain of the night be-
fore. The pace was an exceptionally
hot race, each of the first three heats
being won by a different horse. The
summary of the race might have been
changed but for an unfortunate acci-
dent to Gold Film, driven by e. A.
Sage, of Mt. Vernon, S. D. In the
bad footing of the back stretch the
horse stumbled to a break and a hop
pie broke putting him out of commus-
sion, and the horse pulled up very
lame. Many expressions of sympathy
were heard for the unfortunate horse
and his driver from the big crowd, as
many of them had expected them to :,
win the heat. Starter Robbins won !
the crowd. He knows his business
and the drivers don't fool with him. !
Guy Martin is acting as clerk and the
Times-Record is indebted to him for !
many favors. Following is summary ,
of the races: