Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1920-10-08
VALLEY FAIR VISITED
BY 20, 900 IN TWO DA US
Cold, Raw Wind Prevails First Day, but Second Day Is
Dandy-ExceptiOnally Good Cattle Show-Midway
Attracts ThrOng-29 Racing Heats

The 1920 Valley fair passed into his
tory with the conclusion of Wednesdays
program, and the association has added
another to its long list of successes. The
days attendance, one of the largest in
the fairs history, brought the two-day
total close to if not above the 10000 mark
and promises balance on the right side
of the associations ledger in spite of
increased operating expenses. The first
days attendance was estimated at close
to 1000 and that of the second day 49,
600 or more.
and it was well after dark before traffic
officers were relieved of their task of
starting automobile visitors on their
hOmeward journey. Up to the very last
the midway was well patronized and the
conceSsonaries, many of whom came here
from the state fair in a somewhat i'm
ypecunious condition. seemed wholly salts
fled with their Brattleboro business.
A cold, raw wind that put soft drinks
at discount and oyster stews at u
premium, with now and then scud of
chilly rain, was the portion which the
weather authorities contrary to predc-
ton, served the Valley fair on its open
ing Tuesday. Uncomfortable as it
was. however. the combination failed to
daunt the spirits of crowd whose proper
tons were well up to the average of first
day attendance. To be sure, the number
was not as large as last year. but it was
big enough so that the automobiles which
brought it filled fully three quarters of the
enclosure within the track and the folks
who composed it gave the midway people
busy morning
exhibition with practically everything the
management advertised on hand and
many additional features for the enter
| talnment of the spectator. The cattle
show, considering its three-county limita-
tons, was an exceptionally good one, in
Guiding the largest asSemblage of oxen
seen at any New England fair this year.
| Show horses We're classy collection.
while poultry. vegetable and fruit de-
apartments contained wide variety of
IeXhibitS.
| The events which featured the morn
| ing'S program We're the quot pitching
contest and the classes for draft oxen
There were five entries in the quot com
petition which was won by the team rep
n. H.-MOrton and Lyman Chickering-
with score of II. Brattleboro Grange
represented by A. Il. Miller and Will
Harris, and Putney Grange, represented
by George Aplin and Fred Gassett, tie,
for second and third places, and in tn,
lpitch-off the Miller-Harris combination
ran up total of 20 points. The othel
two entries We're from Vernoasand Gull
Genuine svsiley fan Weathere-l4t,s Eins
ION which the local association built its
Reputation in the palmy day. Of the late
George W. Hooker-brought out an enor.
nous crowd for the second and closing
day of the show.
Automobiles filled practically the entire
Ienclosure within the track and many
more were parked outside the grounds
Shortly after II O'Clock the reserved seat
section of the grandstand was sold out
and hundreds were waiting in line fol
rush seats. The midway was jammeC
with spectators all the morning, Will,
the crowds that filled the aisles of til,
various exhibition buildings was so dens,
as to make progress through them almos
impossible.
Wednesdays afternoon track program
was busy one and produced a mucl
better brand of racing than the previou
day. No new records were establiShe,
but most of the heats, especially those o
the III pace, We're hard fought. Not ;
single accident occurred during the y
heats of the two days. The vaudevill
was a distinct improvement over las
year, the Valenteen aerial act being tn
best on the program. There was ppnt,
lof music Wednesday as the Springfield
(Vt.) band alternated with Leitsinger'
Local, organization in playing Throughout
the day.