The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-18
VISITORS BACK
TO HOMES TODAY
Crowds at Grounds Fall OF
as Result.
Daredevil Mart Campbell Fea-
ture of TOday's Program.
IT'S MOST SUCCESSFUL FAIR
Last Half of Week Brought At
tendance Up.
GordOn's "Hawaiian Nights
Amusement Hit of Fair.

The great 1920 Kansas Free Fair
closed today.
The Free Fair this year was the
most successful ever held in Kansas.
It was estimated that the total at
tendance approximated $4,000 per-
sons. which is a gain of $4,000 over
the attendance last year. The weather
man has succeeded in holding the ele-
ments in check and every day has
been fair and warm.
There was a notable falling off in
the attendance today. as thousands of
Kansans already had returned to their
home, but it was believed the num-
Der of visitors will equal if not exceed
Saturday of last years fair. Thursday
was the banner day. when 10000 per-
sons visited the grounds This was the
largest attendance for one day in the
history of the Free Fair association.
Fridays Attendance, $4,000.
The number of visitors Friday was
estimated at $1,000. The number of
visitors up to Friday night officials
said, equalled the number attending
during the entire six days last year.
or $4,000
There will not be a performance in
front of the grandstand tonight The
big Gordon shows. after the perform
ance Friday night. began to pack up
and were loading OUT early this
morning. Most of the exhibits were
also being moved today. altko owing
to the great quantity of stuff on the
grounds. there will be plenty to see
this afternoon.
Best Fair on Record.
Taken from all angles, the Free Fair
this year has been the most success
full ever held in Topeka. The exhibits
in all departments have been more eX-
tensive and attractive. More prizes
Z
greater: the races were more interest
ing: the amusements were better and
there was more general satisfaction
expressed by visitors than ever before
with the exception of the first day.
when the track was heavy because OF
rain the night before. the horse races
were a success from start TO fln1sh:
The additional stakes of $4,000 raised
bv Topeka merchants brought some OF
the best horseflesh in the west to the
Topeka oval. The auto races were. an
in all. the best ever seen on the local
track. with some of the best known
dirt track pilots in the country COM
Many Attend Night Show.
It IS probab the big night show IN
terested more persons than anYtnihs
else. J. Saunders Gordon's Hawaiian
NIGHTS vas the amusement hit Of the
week approximately 800 persons
were in the cast. including a regular
troupe of Hawaiian dancing girls The
scenery, costing more than S2O,0OO'
was set along a stage soc feet long
and 500 feet wide. Hundreds OF dol
lars worth of fireworks were burned
nightly for the amusement of Free
Fair visitors.
Even the most careful critics of
vaudeville had to admit that the acting
Of the Lunette Sisters and the Leach
Ouinlin trio on the east platform every
afternoon and night was far above
par The MOdocs, Topeka's famous
vocal club, were better than ever, and
Of course MarshaH's band and the S.
B. A band were there in the same old
form
The Workman shows draw a tremen-
dous patronage. The big travelling
Coney Island" lived up TO its advance
agents claims There were many new
features and they seemed to be of
higher class than the averaE Ee attrac-
tions of a similar nature. Col. D. A
AToss's wild west show was another
amusement that gave satisfaction for
the money.
Concessions Are Better.
Perhaps the standard of concessions
is growing higher; perhaps it was the
health offisers-anyway it seemed
that the lunch and drink stands and
the amusement stands were Just lit
tie cleaner and better than usual EX-
cept in isolated instances. Whlch can
not be avoided, when such a huge
number is assembled. there were no
reports of "prOfiteering." excessive
charges or CROOKED work"
Topeka Housed Visitors.
In spite of the huge number of
visitors in the city during the week.
everyone seemed to be able to get
lodging The Chamber of Commerce
has received much praise for the man
ner in which it handled the lodging
situation, for altho the hotels were
filled the first day, there were hun
dreds of rooms listed with the Cham
Der of Commerce. which assigned the
thousands OF applicants to the best
, advantage
The number of motor cars driven
20 Topeka this year far exceeded any
previous occasion. On most occasions
it was impossible to park inside the
grounds. In the afternoons and even
ings the lines of cars parked along the