The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-11-30
A LARGE ATTENDANCE
At the Fair Yesterday Made Up for
the Small Crowds of the
Two First Days

Thursdays attendance at the fair
made up for the shortage of the two
previous days. People began pouring
into town right after breakfast, the
square was crowded with cars and the
sidewalks with foot passengers, the
folks lining up in force to see the in
dustrial parade.
There were many people on the
grounds before noon, but they didn't
begin really to arrive until after dim
ner, and then they almost took the
ticket sellers off their feet. There
were four thousand single tickets sold
at the gate, and with season ticket
holders, exhibitors, etc.. there must
have been six thousand people on the
grounds during the day.
The crowds today are smaller,
however, they are about as large as
usual for the fourth day of the fair.
The principal event of the day, the
parade of the canning club girls, and
awarding prizes, drew good-sized
attendance The girls representing
the canning clubs formed in column
on the public square, and. headed by
their teacher, Mrs. Moorhead, and
preceded by the carnival band, march.
ed to the fair grounds. They made a
good showing in their neat uniforms.
Commissioner of Agriculture McRae
was expected here to meet hem, but
for some reason unknown to US, he
failed to appear.
There is a considerable attendance
this afternoon, the. people watching
the races and examining the large and
interesting stock of exhibits.
The midway was swarming last
night, and the hundreds of people
seemed to be having mighty good
time. The merry-go-round was the
favorite, people fairly serambling for
places The whip had its crowds, but
was not so well patronized as last
year. The novelty has worn off. The
"Old Plantation" drew crowds, and
the other shows were patronized in
proportion. The ticket sellers ran out
of pennies, or said they did, and many
people had to pay two or three cents
extra. The show folks, however, look
ed like they needed the money, sc
nobody got huffy.
An accident yesterday marred the
usual even tenor. of the fair. A section
| of the steps up to the grandstand
right by the little porch for speakers
gave way, causing some forty or more
people TO have fall. Two-Mrs. Bit.
finger and Mrs. Blake-were quite
/ severely bruised, and others were less
severely hurt. Both the ladies are
/ obliged to keen their beds today.
/ The section of steps that gave way
were among the first built, and while
they would have stood any ordinary
load, they had too much of a strair
when considerable number of peo
pie came upon them. The accident
might easily have been worse; as i
was it came near causing panic.
It was reported around town thi:
morning that yesterdays gate re
| ceipts, over $4,000, had been stoler
from the secretary The said receipts
| however were safely banked las
| night. The cause of the report was
that Mrs Tweedv, last night. left I
small cashbox with little change il
it in her desk in her uptown office
One or more thieves broke in TIT
door and the desk and carried off tn,
box, having a good deal of trouble fo,
very little money.
The ladies of the home economic
committee had all they could do yes
terday, both at their restaurant AM
lunch counter, and they gave goo'
value for what they received.
! Gerig's drugstore had 2306 custom
ers yesterday, and very good crow