Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-18
HOPE FOR Two
GOOD DAYS TO
PUT FAIR OVER
Friday and Saturday VIII See Big
Crowds In AIedo IL There Is
No More Rain.

county fair organization a chance
I to break even. If rain holds off
/ Friday and Saturday big crowds
are assured, in spite of muddy
roads
People for many miles around
had planned this year to attend
one or more days of the week and
they will yet come if possible.
Dampness put a decided damper
upon the proceedings today,
though the attendance was esti-
mated at between two and three
thousand at noon and the number
was being rapidly augmented The
afternoon crowd bid fair to come
up to somewhere near he average
of former years.
The crew looking after the main
tenance of the race track spent a
busy forenoon trying to get it in
shape for this afternoon, when the
opening races were scheduled to
take place At noon there was an
even chance of the program being
carried out, depending upon wheth-
er any more rain fell
Time hung heavy on the hands
of many of those who came to
AleSo to spend the week as eXhib-
itors, in charge of concessions, or
as spectators, since the rains start
ed, but good order has been main
tanned and surplus energies have
not vented themselves in any way
to endanger the peace of the com
munity.
Great gobs of gloom pervaded
the atmosphere of the Mercer coun-
ty fair grounds yesterday. Rain
that dreaded DOGGY of fair officials
was the program. The downpour
was steady and plentiful, bringing
with it raw, biting chill. Skies of
leaden gray promised no immedi-
ate breakup. The grounds became
a soggy mire of mud and water,
while the roads leading to the
grounds grew exceedingly slippery.
Throughout the day, with scarce
ly any cessation the drizzle con-
tinued But a scattering handful
mustered up sufficient courage to
brave the elements for a peek at
what was to have been children's
day of MERGERS biggest festival. A
few Of the young folks scampered !
from tent to tent, taking advantage
VI inc lOL luGlLlr duullSS4OulGSS udg
Performers of carnival and free |
attractions remained under cover, |
idling the time away at desultory |
games of cards. Concession men |
and women held sway at patron !
less stands, spending the time in |
specializing as to how soon the |
weather would change and Old Sol |
beam forth his drying rays upon |
a seepy. dripping landscape.
In The administration building |
fair officials hopefully waited for
the weather to clear.
Expected Record Day.
All was in readiness yesterday /
morning for one of the bumper |
days of this years fair. The en-
tries recorded Tuesday totaled /
greater than ever before in the
history of the fair association.
Ideal weather favored on entry
day, Tuesday. Tuesday night was
clear and apparently cloudless. At
6 o'clock yesterday morning the
rain began, SCATTERING hopes of /
Secretary G. c. Bowers and fair
for a new fair week rec
ord.
departments completed their tasks,
and judges books began coming in
shortly after o'clock in the aft
ernoon. Department II, covering
entries in horticulture, was the
first received. being closely follow
ed by the awards in department X,
featuring flowers and plants.
Taxis are Idle.
Yesterday the "pickin's" were
lean for the swarm of taxi drivers
who overran Aledo on the day pre-
vious. Some OF the more ambitious
yentured as far as Gilchrist, lured
there on the chance that the Rock
Island Southern might be off sched-
ule. Sure enough, it was. the stub
line operating at intervals through
out the day. Many disgruntled in
-erurban passengers solicited that
they might continue their journey
into Aledo.
Aside from the fact that there is
an abundance of liquor
In Aledo and on the fair grounds,
some offering the contraband arti-
Gle for sale at SO a quart, there
has been little in the way of law
to require the attention OF
The special officers patrolling the
grounds and city, day and night.
Fine Start Tuesday.
Tuesday, from early until late,
exhibitors aid fair officials toiled
IN recording and entering various
show displays. The fair grounds
as a thriving. busting
city. in marked contrast to its ap-
Oearance yesterday. On Tuesday
steady stream of pedestrians.
pleasure cars. trucks, wagons and
of almost every descrip-
ion wended their respective ways I
% and from the center of industry.
Many out-of-town displays came by
auto truck.
In theNhome bureau tent yester-
lay a few parents listened to the
wo lectures planned on the after
looms program; one at o'clock .
IN Infant Care" by Mrs. Fether- I
ton of the child welfare depart {
nent of the community council,
md another at 3 o'clock by DR..
Harriet o. F. Alexander OF the de-
)artment of public health. on 80
,iaI Hygiene as a Public Health I
Measure" an address touching
lpon venereaI diseases and their
control.
Swine breeders represented by
at the grounds this year
re the following:
Poland Chinas.