Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-08-22
W|NNESHIEk FAIR
BROKE ALL RECORDS coRl
Crowd Estimated at More Than
$4,000 People on the Grounds
Thursday.
RUTH LAW PROVED
A STELLAR ATTRACTION
Fair Management Already Planning
for a Big 1918 Fair. Association
Head This Year.

The Winneshiek County Fair came
to glorious end Friday night after
four days and nights of the best en-
tertainments ever put on by a coun-
ty fair in Iowa, and we think a fellow
would have to go some to find bet
ter fair in any state.
The officers of the fair this year
were G. F. Baker, president; l.. l..
Caldwell, Treas, and E. J. Curtin,
secretary, r. E. Bucknell, assistant
secretary, and Ben Bear was chair
man Of the executive committee. To
these men the people owe vote Of
thanks for the grand fair put on. Mr..
Curtin, the secretary, is no novice in
the fair business. For years he has
been an important official of the state
fair at Des Moines, and consequently
knows what good attractions are and
knows where to get them. When they
elected him secretary this year, he
was not in the city, and on his arrival
home he was notified of the fact, and
also that he was elected without pay.
Well that didn't bother Mr.. Curtin
any and he accepted the secretary
ship AID took as his assistant Mr.. R.
E. Bucknell assistant cashier of the
Citizens Savings Bank, and he prov
ed a most worthy assistant. We OBJ
served his work and must say that he
did veterans work, and was going
it day and night.
The success of the fair was COM
plete. More people attended this
year thal any other in the half CEN
tury the fair has been in existence.
Ruth Law, Americas greatest avia-
trix, was the star attraction, and COM
ment on her excellent work is not
necessary She flew and made Won
derful fights. Wednesday night,
about $50 she made trial flight.
l. Just to convince herself that she
could get up out of the shadow of the
hills. Well she did, without any ef-
fort and circled high above the city
to the delight of hundreds. On Thurs
day afternoon $4,000 people saw her
fly from the fair grounds. She went
I'D between 5000 and 1000 feet and
circled over the city, looping the loop
and doing many other daring stunts.
Several times she swooped down
close over the fair grounds and made
a bee line for the string of 1000 au-
tomobiles parked on the grounds.
When nearing them she rose grace
fully and sailed on up il the air to
high altitude That her work pleas
ed there is no doubt. Thousands or
people never saw an areoplane before
and these flights were a great revela-
ton. Miss Law, who was born in
Boston, has been flying for several
years. A few months ago she was in
France flying over the battlefields.
She was accompanied here by her
husband and two mechanics. From
Decorah she went to Memphis. Mis-
souri,, where she flys this week, and
next week she goes to the state fair
at Columbus, Ohio. A large number
of post card pictures were taken or
her while here, and are on sale at the
various galleries. That the fair man
agemelt scored big hit when they
secured Ruth Law goes without say
ing. - --r.~ti's-' ~
Miss Laws machine was SO feet
long and the main plane was % feet
The words Ruth Law" was painted
in large letters on the top and the
word Enlist" on the bottom. This
machine holds the American non-
stop record from Chicago to New
York ~;
The crowd attending the fair on
Thursday was estimated at about 49,
900 people, and it is said more than
1000 automobiles were parked on the
ground. to say nothing about the. hum
dreds parked along the streets all iaov-
er the city.
The first day crowd broke all rec
lords also. More than 1900 being on
the grounds. In fact every days rec
ord was broken. Wednesday was big
day. possibly more than 5000 attend
ing. and the last day about 5000. The
night programs were most literally
patronized and two nights the crowd
seemed nearly as large as the day
crowds. The grounds were brilliant
Ily lighted and the weather was ideal.
Not a drop of rain fell all week, and
the people could not have wished for
|any better weather. 1t was good for
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