The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-09-25
BIG TR|5STk7E
FAIR Off TO A,
GLORIOUS START
Hundreds of Visitors Swarm
Grounds as Officials Pre-
dict. the Biggest and Best
Exhibition Ever Held.

25.--Aithough the opening hour OF the
thirteenth annual TrI-state fair was
announced officially as noon Saturday,
long before that hour hundreds Of eager,
enthusiastic visitors had passed through
the turnstlles. Officials freely pre-
dIcted that this would be the greatest
year Of the great fair.
Certainly In no previous year have
preparations been so extensive for
handling the crowds and providing
exhibit and attraction Saturday was ex. I
ceedins past performance.
The spirit of the fair and of the car
nival is in the air. Bunting, riot Of
color, the busy sound of hammers and
hamburgers these greeted the early
morning visitors. All was hustle and
hustle to be ready by noon.
Many Of the exhibits were completed
early Saturday morning. Others were
in the process Of completion. Every
man on the grounds, excepting the viS-
itors, seemed to have some pressing
business at hand that demanded his
immediate attention and he was about
It. The, fair sex among the workers
displayed no whit less energy. It was
in the decorating that the women shone'
brightest.
pIuhIl DOyS, dtITaClGug Dy In6 same
energy producer that gives them pep
to be present at the unloading of the
circus, literally swarmed through the
grounds. Through that mysterious
source known only to small boys, and
lost by them when they reach mars
estate, they had become possessed of
various sorts of noise producers. Wis
itors not being no much in evidence
as the workmen on the concessions.
these latter frequently were the vic
Tins OF loud pop of explosion, de-
livered by mischevious imp, who was
40 feet away before the startled one
%could collect himself and focus his gaze
on the diSturber.
Live stock exhibits rapidly were be-
ing arranged. Many of the stalls in
the cattle building and numerous pens
in the swine exhibit had been cleaned
out, and occupants moved in before the
sun was any way close to meridian.
Hundreds and hundreds of exhibition
cages containing chickens and pigeons
were ready for the thousands who will
pass through the turnstiles during the
next week
Final preparations in decorating the
new Auto SHOW building were being
made. The CARS will be moved in later
Saturday. This building, which is new
for the 1920 fair, is beautifully deco
rated.
out of the confusion which marked
the whole Friday slowly emerged order
Many Of the early visitors strolled to-.
ward the new grand stand. The stand
has been doubled in capacity over last.
Year, and has been. moved further
south. The race track has been rebuilt
! entirely and covers a half mile now.
IT formerly was mile track
Harness races are scneduied for
2 O'Clock Saturday afternoon over the
new track.
At 3 o'clock;-~the big thriller of
thrillers the Flying Circus = featuring
Daredevil Wright in an airplane chang
ing stunt eagerly was awaited. The
interest in the big air thriller is in
as we'll as among the visitors. Cur
ley Burns, Wright's business manager,
has promised stunts that will make the
watchers hair stand on enc and
everyone is on the qui vive Tor the
sensation.
Burns promised that Wright would
seand on the wing of a plane while it
lobped the loop three times, during
the engagement here. Wright holds
onto a hand rod on the plane top
while doing this stunt, but Burns de-
clares that a first view of this start
ling stunt makes q spectator feel dizzy.
The. big event of the, night will be
81 the historical pageant drama by Mrs.
Annah Robinson Watson. 1t is entitled
THE Path of Progress"
Officials on Hand Early.
President Charles A. Gerber and Vice.
early Saturday morning. Secretary
Frank Fuller continued as in former
years to be the busiest. man on the
ground. Fuller failed to stop for more
than 30 seconds during the entire morn
ing. He was here. there and everywhere
about the grounds. He was too busy
to pose for q photograpn-or erse the
fact that he twas in his shirt sleeves
with no collar and his shirt rolled in
at the neck, cooled MS aroor Tor
photo. Eugene Demontreville, in charge
of concessions, scarcely had a breath
ing spell. The entire office force in
the administration building worked at
top speed all morning. --
Among the first visitors at the fair
grounds was Judge j. Ed. Richards, of
First criminal court. The judge 'toted''
an honorary vice e-presidents pass. A
gatefnan at the auto gate stopped him
as he attempted to walk through.
''No one can go through this gate
afoot," the gentleman said.
Judge Richards simulated surprise.
''You certainly wouldn't stop an hon.
orary ce-president of this fair asso-
citation, would you?' he demanded, in
his best judicial manner
Nope, but you oughta told me who
you were," replied the. unperturbed
gateman.
The Sunday program-Sunday being
set aside for sacred concert day-will
open with sacred concert by WhKe's
band, in the grand stand at o'clock in
lne alternoon' IHe ldHBrouha gates,
y however, will open at 10 am. The Fly
s1ing Circus. with Daredevil Wright and
ahis death -defying stunts, with the ad-
dition of Miss Ruth Cody in a para
chute leap from an airplane. were to
provide the thrillers for the Sabbath.
Lieut. of Police Vince Lucarni, chief
OF the traffic squad, with detail of
ten uniformed men, took charge of the
crowds inside the fairgrounds and also
. directed traffic along East Parkway
for several blocks in front Of the fair
grounds. =,