New Britain herald., 1917-09-11
Berlin FAIR SCENE
OF Big GATHERING
It's Farmers Day" But the City
Folk Are There As Well
Especial to the Herald.)

State Fair Grounds, Berlin, Sept.
1l.-Again favored with weather con-
ditions that could not be improved
upon, the annual Berlin fair, which
opened here so auspiciously yesterday,
was today the mecca for thousands
of men, women and children and al
though the day was officially desig-
mated as Farmers Day, the proverbial
bewhiskered, straw chewing denlzens
of the outlying districts did not pre-
dominate any more than those from
other walks of life. The farmers OK
hibits were at their best however, and
attracted the admiration and interest
of all visitors, farm dweller and city
resident as we'll. Judging from the
appearance of the farmers here today
the age of the leather booted, car
pet-bag agriculturist has passed. IN
stead, there appeared a class Of scien-
tific farmers, men who by studying
and learning have developed the
farming industry until today 1t is
recognized as one of the greatest in
the world and may ultimately prove
to be the savior of the world for de-
mocracy. The wonderful exhibits
prove conclusively what modern
farming means and shows without
doubt that there is no limit to what
can be raised on Connecticut fertile
soil If the proper methods are fol-
lowed. And it Is to this end that the
Berlin Fair tends, as we'll as to simply
show what has been done. Under the
direction Of the Connecticut Agrtcul-
tural college and the State Commit
tee on Food Supply, cooperating
with the State Council of Defense and
other allied organizations there are
numerous places about the grounds
where skilled men and women are
ready and anxious to tell how it is
done that others may profit another
year. There are numer( US exhibits
showing how these resuh is are ac-
complished and there is also a plen-
tiful supply of printed matter that
can be read at home to advantage.
Although the day has been Farmers
Day, the exhibits and demonstrations
have been such as to appeal to every
body.
This afternoon the first of four
days series of sensational horse races
began. Temporary bleachers have
been erected in place of the old grand
stand. opposite the judges stand, and
large crowd gathered, there this
afternoon to see the races. There were
two, a 2:11 pace and a 2:19 trot. AL
though the final races had not been
run at press time, the initial heats
were in progress assuring the lovers
of this sport of some exciting finishes.
George Greene, who is in charge OF
the racing card, has taken care That
none but the best in their respective
classes are entered and some more
sensational spurts are expected tomor-
row, Thursday and Friday.
Can't Keep Off Midway.
The vast crowds that throng to the
Playground every afternoon and even
ing Just can't keep off the midway.
Larger than it has ever been before.
this year the midway offers more at
fractions and causes more fun than
ever. Elmer Stearns, who has ham
died this part of the fair so success
fully for many years, has again shown
his master hand. An idea of the ex-
tent of the midway may be obtained
from the fact that this morning Man.
aser Stearns had signed contracts for
1923 individual concessionists and at
that time had just four feet OF availa-
BILE land that had not been rented.
Everything is included on the midway,
from the ever present snake chaTner,
the fortune teller, the wild man from
Borneo, the human pin cushion, the
dancing girls, the hoop la game, shoot-
ing galleries, pop corn. ice-cream, soda
water, cider, hot dog and vandy vend-
ers to the more quiet resorts where a
real turkey dinner and all the hxin's
may be secured. The front line
trenches in France, while the noise
NAV be of a differenut variety. is GER
tainlv no less boisterous than the Ber-
lin Fair midway Every concession
ist seems to have a fog-horn voice and
bellows instead of lungs. They never
get tired and vie with one another as
to who can make the most noise. The
fortune tellers promise to please, the
proprietors of the game Of chance
nromise that you will win, the restau-
rant keepers put tempting morsels in
front of the visitor and the wild man
emits blood curdling bowls. All the
while the crowd, which seems to be
money-spending aggregation, promo
nades up and down, back and forth,
now stopping to take a chance on
"ringing'' a watch, now buying tick
ct on a blanket, stopping here to get
| weighed, rushing over there to buy
an ear OF GOTH duu tIlel appear
creased from ear to ear, peeking down
| into the den where the wild man
| gnaws at bone, shuddering as 1t
looks intimately at the beating heart
! of the man who claims to have been so
+. injured eighteen years ago that his
chest was split open and has been
| thus ever since-in short it is crowd
| of merry makers that throngs the
midway.
| Every afternoon the vaudeville per-
| Torrance pleases the audience. The
! performers are good at the respective
| stunts and the band concert also
| please those who like music At night
| the fireworks are an added attraction
| and many prefer to visit the fair at
| night and to walk down this maze of