The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-14
Never Have KansanS Been SO
Liberal With Patronage.
Fair Has Been a Great Aid in
Government War Work.
LAST MOTOR RACES TODAY
Fastest Dirt Track Speedists In
Country Out for Purse.
Big Show Tonight Ends Suc-
cessful 1918 Exposition.

1t is estimated that no less than
25O,00O persons have been to the
Kansas Free state fair this week.
Adding up the estimates of the crowds
for the first five days of the week
and basing the count today on the
morning indications it is apparent to
fair officials and lay observers alike
that at least a quarter of million
persons have entered the main gates
at the fair since the exhibits were
opened to the public Monday morning.
L. c. Hodge, the official photog-
rapher for the fair association. in a
statement issued today after a COM
parison of photographs taken in
former years with the series of photo
graphs taken this year says that never
before in the history of the fair have
such dense crowds thronged the ex-
hibits. The attendance at the races
has been good, and on two or three of
the days far above the average, but
the great mass of the people put in
their time in and out among the hun
dreds of exhibits.
this week has been the attendance at
the night show. Even when the
crowds for the afternoon races were
below normal, the stands and the
the night show and the world at
War; spectacle and fireworks display.
In fact as the word was spread abroad
concerning the quality of the night
performance-espe the realistic
battle sce4e-it has been next to i'm
possible to buy a reserved seat in the
grand stand thirty minutes after the
ticket sellers in front of the gates have
opened for business in the evening.
Biggest Fair in History.
Taken as a whole. or taken in its
separate parts, the Kansas free fair
this year has been by far the biggest
| fair of any kind that the Topeka fait
grounds have ever held. OF special
rote in the displays this year was the
predominance of regular farm cattle
| in the long list of ribbon winners in
the animal shows. In other years
| most of the exhibitors have been
| breeders who make business of ex-
| hibiting and raising show stock.
But this year the large majority of
| the prize winners were animals prf-
| vately owned-groomed a bit perhaps
| for the fair-and entered by the real
honest-to-g goodness farmer of the state.
This is especially noteworthy as it
| shows the tendency of the farmers of
Kansas to breed and raise a better
! quality of animal than ever before.
The United States government ex-
| hibit was to stay in the grounds ready
for inspection until the close of the
fair this evening. But in the other de>
/ partments today. activity reigned SUI
! preme. Most of the exhibitors at the
| free fair are this morning preparing
/ their exhibits for shipment to other
| 1dlIS III the STATE. Inc scene at the
! grounds is one of great and intensive
activity. Concessionaires are making
ready for the last hurry up rush for
the long exhibit trains leaving Topeka
this evening. and by tomorrow noon
the fair grounds will be deserted.
The program for this afternoon il
all auto races, senlivened by the ma
| neuvers 'of the crack drill company
from Fort Leavenworth. Six events
are scheduled on the race program for
this afternoon. the feature of the card
| being the match race between Tom
Alley, holder of the worlds one hum
dred mile dirt track record, and Sig
Haugdahl. One other big feature of
the card today is the final heat of the
twenty-five mile Kansas sweepstakes
for prize of 1000. Six starters are
entered for the event, and If the first
heat CT the race Thursday is any crf-
terion the event today will be replete
with thrills and exciting moments.
Night Show and Drill.
Tonight the last performance of the
World at War" fireworks spectacle
y will be presented. The state guard
with the practice of the week is an
!; nounced to be perfect in its work in
the pageant, and in the battle scene
the home boys advance like veterans
| to the attack of the burning French
village. Nothing like this show has
ever been shown in Topeka and the
! crowds which have attended the per-
formance nightly have expressed conn
J pIete satisfaction by the simple ex-
pedient of returning two or three times
for second and third views. The Leav-
enworth drill team will put on ma
neuvers and the Modocs and Marshalfs
e band will furnish, music
Parker Shows Open.
All of the Parker shows on the mid
, ! way at the Kansas Free Fair will be
e open for business tonight. according to
j an announcement today. Three spe-
| cia1 contests have been arranged for
:. the shows in the athletic arena in the
carnival
: Tonjght will be the last chance for
D the kiddies to ride the miniature
e imerry-go-round.
Thieves Stole War Medals
: i -c,l.f,1 &c cat r,eIfe,-