The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-13
RECORDS BROKEN
GROUNDS FILLED
Farm Tractors Unable TO move
Among People.
Motor Cars Parked for BLOCKS
Around Grounds.
IT IS NATIONAL DEFENSE DAY
Topeka's Free Fair KecoghiAeu
by the q. S. Government
Patriotism Runs Riot in Mon
ster Demonstration.
MILITARY SPECTACLE TONIGHT
Drill and Government Features
Begin at Dark.
Battle of Verdun Vividly FOR
trayed With Fireworks

Visitors at the Kansas Free FAR
are satisfied with elbow room
afternoon. There is recoro-pi ca
ING crowd on the grounds.
.Uvitb free gates it is hard to esu-
.+a tho crowd" said Phil Eastman;
,aqre+arv but from the lack VI
breathing space everywhere iia0.e Mav
been on the grounds To-Day l -
tbere is a greater crowd here tha!i eNet
before in the history OF -ii's. ~ Tecords
year ago today all previous S1,itII5 recol I9
were broken but 1 belieVe hoies'iS
that today has it beaten , % +,,a
4 year ago today the crowd AT tne
fair grounds was estimated at to,VVo.
Half a dozen of the farm machlnery
i.tIi+ors had to cease running their
tractors in circles soon after noon To-
dav because the crowds got IN tne
pgav The buildings housing eXh1plts
filled to overflowing. the man
nike leading thru the concessions 70
me grandstand has only standlhg
,to,,o left while the Kennedy show
enclosure is jammed to the nhlll.
The cDening of the grandstand 1or
the races helped slightly but there was
still an immense crowd just Nlsltlhs
outside. -, u....,
mobiles are parked-one behind the
sr-andstand one west OF the Secre-
tarv's office and one west OF agrlcul-
tural hall The space had all been
taken at noon. outside the grounds
,,arl,ad automobiles stretched north
on Topeka avenue for two blocks
nteenth street north or the
grounds was filled, likewise half
dozen other side streets.
With good weather every day TINS
fair would have to have more ground,
said L. NJ. Penwell. president. 'Ev-
erv foot of available space is in use
today and had it been fair weather
all week we couldn't have handled the
crowd"
Even with rain falling now and
then and clouds ever threatening
Wednesdays crowd was large. Peo
ple ducked into tents while the show
ers lasted but were out again the
minute they ceased, looking over the
exhibits or spending their money.
Hundreds sat in the grandstand for
two hours Wednesday afternoon
waiting for the track to get into con-
dition for the races.
Big Night Spectacle.
The big night program was repeated
Wednesday night, it will be to-
night and tomorrow night. 1t is real
ly one of the big features of the fair
the million dollar livestock parade
good roads pictures and a lecture by
J. Frank Smith. an exhibition by Cap
tain Hardy, champion shot of the
world; music by Marshall's band of
fifty pieces, singing by the Modoc
chorus of thirty voices with solo
numbers. al followed by the greatest
display of fireworks the fair man.
agement has ever attempted The
night program is held in the grand
stand.
Defense Program Today.
For several hours today, beginning
at 1O:31 o'clock this morning. the CEN
ter of interest has been at the PEOPLES
is in progress. National defense in all
its numerous ramifications is being
discussed by men prominent in the af-
fairs OF the state and nation Grouped
around the Peoples Pavilion arc the
tents of the numerous patriotic orga n :
izations. each of which is taking part
in the defense program, if no more
than to furnish a part of the audience
Governor Capper gave an address
on kansas and the War" Two Mil
lion Bushels of Wheat in 1918" was
the subject discussed by Dean W. NJ.
Jardine of the State Agricultural col
lege. DR.. Henry j. Waters, president
of the Agricultural college, who was
one of the speakers, is president of the.
Kansas defense council and fedora
tood administrator for Kansas. He
discussed the Food Conservation and
Food Control Act" The lieutenant
governor of Kansas discussed Canada
and the War"
A'tSiNtVS ldtIutTS ana InelF wives
from other sections numerous Tc-
pekans attended the session In -he
tent were soldiers of the United States
army, n embers of the Kansas National
Guard, the defense council. the G A.
r., the w. r. C, the Ladies If the G..
A r., the Red Cross, Sons of Vet
Grams, Spanish War Veterans, Bov
Scouts, Campfire Girls, Daughters of
the American Revolution and The
Loyal Legion. All of these orgs MIA
tions have headquarter tents ir the
patriotic circle
Good Roads Work
Wednesday the same pavilion filled
the needs of the good road enthusiasts
and under its top the Capital Highway
ASSOCIATION was formed with a pur-
tContinued Page rwo.I