Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-30
CENTRAL maine FAIR OPENS AT WATERvILtE

grounds there is on the right check
ing station, where many people left
their coats and the ever present
troublesome bundle. At the left there
is the office building in which are
the public telephones. Straight ahead
is the wonderland of the Midway
The merry 60 round, with its usual
comrade, the steam piano, was going
full blast yesterday, with the children
crowded around it clamoring for their
turn to mount the galloping beasts
and be- whirled around a willie. This
Midway this year is said to be about
the best one the fair people have ever
secured. The ]. G. Ferari shows are
the chief attraction, and they have
reason for so being. There are many
novelties the like of which were never
seen at the Central Maine fair before
this year. The usual whip and the
ferris wheel maintain their hold on
the affections of the children, and the
old folks too, but they are getting
strong competition. There is one es-
Establishment which goes by the name
of the "twster" GU go in one door,
and come out another, after an inter
val of a few minutes. 1t would be a
shame to give away the management
and tell what is between those two
doors but it is some trip. Also there
is a. hybrid machine known as the
aero swing. You get into diminu-
tive airplane, four of you, a man. pulls
a lever, and you are off. swinging in
gradually widening circles. until you
soar around far above the heads of
the crowd beneath These little air
planes are hung on strong steel cables
and you don't go so very fast, but 1t
is strange sensation.
Plenty of Eats
Down through the Midway is
strung the greater part Of the eating
establishments. The ever present hot
dog man is there, with his usual bal
lyhoo. He is getting plenty of bus
mess. but there is a lot of it going
to the places under the erandstand
Here are the eating places of the
more elite. bedecked with bunting
strung around in more distinct decor
alive shcemes 70 the square inch than
would be thought possible.
AS we continue down the Midway,
on the left there is real old hair
pants wild west show in full opera
ton. The banging of blank cortridges
ves with the wild shreks of the cap
tives within the canvas enclosure. 1t
really carries you back to the time
when you saw Buffalo Bill. To the
rear of this show is a delicate pas
time. You take three baseballs, for a
dime. and you throw them at target
about a foot across and about 20 feet
away. If you hit the target you de-
post a blushing young lady in bath
ing suit in a tub of water. She is
. sitting up in the air on a seat. and
when the target is struck the seat
falls So does the lady. She seemed
to be rather cold when last seen.
Automobile Show
At the foot of the Midway. where
the amusements string out into the
Arabian nights and a few other shows.
there is the automobile show. in a
couple of tents Of it's own. Car deal
ers from all over the State of Maine
got together and sent up the pick of
the cars to the fair, that they might
be exhibited 1t is said that S55,000
is represented in the cars in that tent.
They look it Many Waterville firms
are represented in this display, not
able among them being the Waterville
Motor Co. with a display of seven
brand new Studebakers. There are
also Wintons. Packards, Bucks, Reos,
mention the many different breeds of
trucks which are to be seen.
Big Showing of Horses
And within n few steps of this
show of the worlds best in the line
of automobiles, as we have predicted.
is Dobbin, placid. eternal. The horse
stalls are right in back of the auto
tents. 1t is hardly fair to call these
horses Dobbin, for these are the pick
of the State. here for the races, blan-
keted, handaged, guarded. Their army
OF keepers. trainers, hostIers and
drivers is there, too. 1t is strange,
but nowhere in the world, among no
other class of men, are found the many
queer devices used by these men. In
front of every stall where there are
men living is some sore of an odd
arrangement for heating water or for
cooking, or for some purpose which
cannot be determined There is fire
everywhere, built in water pals, or
In funny little stoves made of water
pals. Nowhere else but at a horse
stalls are crowded with horses groom