The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-09-30
The Golden Belt Fair
FROM THURSDAYS DAILY


The Golden Belt Fair ground has the
most artisticaIIy picturesque setting,
and is perhaps the most perfectly or
dered fair ground in America People
from other states, those who are used TO
seeing fairs that have taken hundred
years to design and develop, are free to
say, 1--WE have never seen anything Ike
this Even a Hutchinson man land
men from this city claim everything IN
sightl took off his hat and exclaimed
"You have US skinned mile!''
If you will go to the large open win
dow of the Fort Hays Normal building
and study the view obtained from
there, your artistic passion will be
stirred I call your attention to the
sweeping, meandering Big Greek which
is set all about with oaks, elms, and
blackberry trees. Many of these trees
are hundreds of years old and have
branches stretching for seventy-ive
feet, making a canopy of living beauty.
Further to the South, the remains of
the grim old fort rears its bristling
head, reminding you OF early border
DAYS, when Custer, Sheridan, and big
red Indians were contesting the rights
of this eminent domain. The great
Experimental Station with its hun
dreds of buildings, plots and designs
add much to the landscape. If you
will look to the west, just as the sun
is setting you will behold the great
white piles of stone representing the
Fort Hays Normal. Standing to the
left of this striking scene is the mag
nificent new Sheridan Coliseum and
further to the west, the administration
building, library and high school agrl-
cultural hall stand out in their beauty.
Now look to the north, and the city of
| Hays presents q view that would make
an artist rejoice. There before you
looms the High School building, St.
Joseph's church, while the tall water
towers stand up above the city like an
cient sentinels guardingthe approach;
| while the 25O, 900 bushel elevator white
and beautiful speaks of Ellis county
prosperity. The hum of the 1000 bar
rel mill can be distinctly heard.
The fair grounds have 10 acres of
perfectly level sod dotted here and
there by stock barns, administration
building, the Fort Hays Normal build
ing, a grand stand that will seat 800
people and a half mile track that is not
surpassed west of the Mississippi.
The fair is now on. Thousands upon
thousands of people are pouring through
the gates, dressed in gala attire,
all wearing smiles of good cheer, ali
with pockets full of coin to spend, as
they pass down the Golden Belt Mid
way.
If you are a student OF human nature,
you have your chance to study the
psychology of the crowd. The boys
like the duck pond, the girls the ner-
ry-go-round [what would county fair
be without a honking, squeaking, hum
ming merry-go-round?]- land the old
men spend their time discussing cattle,
hogs, farm machinery, wheat and the
pumpkin display-each according to in
terest and taste.
But if you want to go where things
are doing, where each exhibit has on
its finest dress and is most appealing
to the elmer man. as well as to his
love for the beautiful, just spend an
hour in the culinary department. 1t
truly would be gratifying to know that
all E'good eats" were always as invit-
ing as the display at this fair But
never again win the good women of
the county go back to poor cooking
since this weeks showing. No more
burnt bread, tough steaks, poorly pre-
pared canned stuff; no more poor cakes,
and heavy doughnuts. The fair has
"opened our eyes" and the men are re
joicing as never before because of this
cooking display and its inspiration to
the housewife.
Il If you are interested in tatting, quilt
ing, Though beng a mere man, we
never could see any sense in crochet
ingJ-and other fine fummadoodles,
/ then go to the domestic art section and
! you viii weep for joy.
Any old eastern .'rube" who thinks
i the west has no bea1sifIl tradi-
tions-old things, worn out things, but
most valuable because of ancient asso-
Citations, would have been lawfully
fooled if he had spent an hour rum
maging about the fine art department
! This department also includes china
and mural paintings and flowers. 1t
was ''thing of beauty and a joy
forever"
/ NOTES
What would the fair be without the
everlasting toot, whistle, jangle and
whirr of the old rrygo-rcund?
Most people ike the crazy thing, but