Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-07
STATE FAIR OPENS
GATES TOMORROW
Twelfth Annual Exhibition to Be
Unique in Many
Respects.
LARGE CROWDS EXPECTED
Increased Exhibit Space Insures
Larger and Better Fair Than
Ever Before.
LARGE CROWDS EXPECTED

With all city hotels filling rapidly
and with everything at the grounds
methodical confusion as result of
the arrival of train after train Of
horses, cattle, exhibits. show equipment
and show people. Richmond to-day is
realizing that this once more Is fair
time. and that the annual State ex-
hibition Is about to begin. The In
fux OF late arrivals began last night,
and reports from the various railroads
were to the effect that the train move
ments would continue regularly
throughout tonight, bringing into the
city scores OF cars filled with equip
ment necessary to providing interest
Ing and amusing features to patrons
of tho annual show.
After practically all OF the construc-
tion work at the grounds. made neces-
sary because of the big increase in
the size and number of the exhibits this
year. had been completed. the storm
of Friday afternoon caused consider
able damage. and yesterday several
hundred workmen were busily engaged
in making repairs. The greater part
Of this work was completed yesterday.
and the remainGer will be finished be-
fore night, insurinE all concession mon
and exhibitors tho promised space
facilities.
Confident prediction was made at
he offices OF tho Fair Association yester-
day afternoon that tho show this year
would be larger and moro Interesting
than ever before in the history Of the
organization. Not only are exhibits
moro numerous In practically every de-
partment of tho fair. but many exhibi-
tors have contracted for much larger
space. and the cooperation between
them has resulted in several staging
united exhibits that will be among tho
most handsome and attractive on tho
grounds.
GATES OPEN TO PUBLIC
TOMORROW MORNING
Tho gates will be thrown open to
tho public tomorrow morning at 8
o'clock. and within few hours the
grounds probably will be thronged.
Opening Day. as Monday always is
known, generally brings hundreds Of
persons who wish to visit all Of tho
exhibits and to study them before tho
grounds become jammed and packed
with cursory Investigators whose chief
interest in the fair lies in having a
merry time. Once the grounds become
crowded. 1t is almost impossible for
those who care to inspect the displays
carefully to succeed.
Strict orders have been issued to
gate keepers not to allow visitors into
the grounds to-day. Hundreds OF
workmen will be there arranging the
exhibits and placing the scores Of
carloads of materials and show equip
ment. and the association directors
feel that the work can be advanced
much more rapidly If the general pub
lie Is kept out Passes have been
Issued to those who have business
within the grounds. and only persons
holding them will be admitted.
Designation of days for the fair
this fall was announced last night at
the general Offices.
Monday is to be known as Opening
Day.
Tuesday is Exhibitors and Manufac-
turers' Day.
Wednesday is Richmond Day.
Thursday is Farmers and National
Army Day.
Friday is Children's and Automobile
Day.
Saturday is Farewell and Automo-
bile Day.
Every detail of the exhibition will
be ready and everything moving
easily by Tuesday morning, so that
has been given the selected designa-
tion. Wednesday. of course, always has
been, and always will be. Richmond
Day, and the farmers generally arrive
to do the fair on Thursday, while Of
ficers and men from Camp Lee will
be present also on that day. The
many. special features arranged for
children this year has caused the nam
ing Of a day for them, while the fact
that two days are to be devoted to the
auto racers has led to this special
designation.
EXHIBIT SPACE HAS BEEN
GREATLY ENLARGED
Never In the history of the State
Fair have there been so many exhibits
contracted for or such an increase
noted In the space requirements. 1t
has been necessary to Increase the
floor area considerably. and the con-
tracts show that the poultry, county.
farm. farming implements. stock,
school and woman's exhibits will be
the largest yet shown in this city.
A total of nineteen counties have
arranged exhibits of their products,
several of them going to great pains
to make the displays unusually attrac-
tive, and each showing tho best that
Is produced within their confines
Among them are: Hanover. Henrico.
Greenesville, Gloucester, Prince Ed
ward, Surry. Mecklenburg, York. Not
toway. Fairfax, Orange, Smyth. Albe-
marie. Accomac, Charlotte. Augusta.
Halifax, Craig and Fluvanna.
Due to the heavy demand for space
In the poultry department. 1t has been
necessary to provide additional tootage
In that department, and the largest
poultry show since the fair began will
result this year. One exhibitor. W. A..
Smith,. OF New York, telegraphed yes
terday morning that eight carloads OF
his birds had becn shipped here. and
1t Is conservatively estimated that n
total of about 10000 birds will be on
display in this section. They will in