The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-09
KANSAS VISITORS

Continued from Page One.D
and a half furlongs and the second at
seven furlongs.
In addition to the regular fireworks
spectacle and the trapeze work of the
clever Cuban acrobats there will be a
livestock parade at 1880 tonight.
Coming by Motor Car.
That the automobile is largely re-
! sponsible for the great success of the
Kansas Free Fair became evident this
morning when cars from all parts of
the state began pouring into Topeka
on every road at an early hour. To-
peka having had her day, the out of
town fair visitors began taking over
the grounds today and during the re-
mainder of the week they will prob
ably make up the greater part of the
crowds.
And a majority of them are coming
in their automobiles. By doing this
they can come when they please and
leave when they please and many of
them can get to the fair much more
| quickly than If they attempted to
come on trains. The automobile park
ing space was practically filled at
noon and IL was expected that ii would
be jammed with cars this afternoon.
Biggest Monday in History.
The big Kansas Free Fair has
blown up the old theory that It al
ways takes a fair two days to get into
| lull SWluB. II take
J this long-but not the great Kansas
show that is setting the pace for fairs
| the world over. Monday $4,000 per-
sons visited the grounds and the Of
| ficials rejoiced to announce that all
previous first day records were sur
passed by a large figure-the best pre-
/ vious record having been 5000, last
year.
| Despite late trains and delayed ex-
! hibits, the fair officials lived up to
i their promise to have everything in
/ readiness for the first day visitors and
/ by noonspractically every booth, corr
! cession and exhibit was open for
business" The carnival shows got
under way shortly after noon and the
| racing program with the Kansas
| Derby as a feature was run off with
| out a hitch and with a large crowd
I in the grandstand.
| Grand Night Show.
But 1t was in the evening that the
/ big turnout came. By o'clock the
grandstand was filled to capacity and
by the time the night performance be-
| gan the overflow crowd was piling
/ into the bleachers, crowding around
/ the fence and trying to squeeze in
| between the thin ones.
! The manner in which the night pro-
| gram. was received was conclusive
proof that 1t will be the most popular
single feature thruout the week. and
/ II the weather continues good, there
undoubtedly will be many who will
willingly pay the price to see it over
again. leading off with a concert by
| MarshalFs band and a number of
popular, snappy vocal selections by the
Modocs-Topeka' famous singers
the program continued from g. until
after 10 o'clock without a single mo-
ment Of drag or delay
The COrdona acrobatic act was
equal to any that can be seen on any
stage or with the greatest scircus
The daring Cubans performed all sorts
of air stunts and when they had fin
ished the Chicken Family" came out
into the track and made the grown
ups as well as the children cackle with
delight. The chicken act ended with
the Daddy Rooster getting licked by
his cockey young son who was Matched
from an egg right before the audi
ence.
And then came the fireworks.
Victory of st. MihieI.
The skyrockets and the scooting
comets were about the same as have
been seen at other fairs here. There
was nothing extraordinary about them
but the big show, Victory at st
Mihiel," was worthy of the name spec
tacle even If there was not enought of
the reality of battle to make the ex-
soldier spectators hunt for dugouts
In the battle scene of the spectacle
are shown. Then there are soldiers
OF the allies and the enemy-there are
barrages, booming cannon, bursting
shells, blowing mp of buildings
charges of infantrymen, signal dis
plays, Red Cross nurses at work-and
finally the charge of the Yankee
doughboys and the carrying of the
colors on to victory. The battle takes
place in the streets of the canvas town
and carries as much of a reality as car
be gotten into a staged performance
After taking in the entire opening
day program, an old time Topekar
said coming in on a street car Monday
night:
1T is certainly the greatest fail
ever put on in Topeka, but I believe
the greatest feature of the whole per,
/ Torrance is the night show It is toe
bad there are so many people in Kan.
sas who could not come to see the
whole thing. but those who are herr
and fail to see the night show will b,
missing more than they see, even Il
they take in everything else on tn,
grounds from the carnival Simptwist
| er to the Sunday school exhibits"
II Reserve Mayor Is Dead.