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Fans Come Via Every Means Of Transportation to See Race Crowds Wherever One Goes Estimate 725000 Witness First Annual Derby Parade ParadeBy By JOE HIRSCH HIRSCHCHURCHILL CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville Ky May 4 Like the massive squares of the Roman legions of old tens of thousands of racing fans from every distant corner of the nation are descending on flag bedecked Louisville in streams that will swirl to a halt only as j jost ost time approaches for the 82nd running of the Kentucky Derby DerbyChurchill Churchill Downs officials believe that they will play host to one of the largest Derby crowds in history their optimistic outlook being based on a promising weather report for Saturday plus widespread in ¬ terest in what many regard as one of the most wideopen Run for the Roses in a number of years Under any conditions Louisville police department authorities estimate no fewer than 90000 to 100000 persons will jam every inch of space in Churchill Downs rambling stands and ca ¬ pacious infield infieldThe The local weather bureau at Standiford Field predicts clear weather for Friday night and Saturday with possible showers looming no earlier than Saturday evening Since good weather will insure a larger field than off going and there is an unusual variance of opinion as to the out ¬ come of the race even among the experts this could be one of the biggest wagering Derbys of all time timeAirlines Airlines Swamped SwampedVia Via car train and plane they come Air ¬ lines with offices at Lee Terminal report every incoming plane completely filled with reservations to Louisville from North East and West at a premium The Louis ¬ ville and Nashville the local railroad line likewise notes all its facilities taxed to ca ¬ pacity with extra cars assigned wherever possible possibleState State police say roads leading to Louis ¬ ville are carrying unusually heavy traffic including both passenger vehicles and commercial buses busesFor For Derby day Louisville police are mak ¬ ing their annual plea to use public trans ¬ portation and leave private autos at home At the same time a large portion of the patrol force will be on full time duty Saturday to enforce the highly effective system of oneway street traffic control that has earned this city the praise and envy of municipalities throughout the country countryPreDerby PreDerby excitement in downtown Louisville is at a new peak Horse talk can be Heard along Fourth Street and in the jammed lobbies of the Kentucky and Brown hotels headquarters for most visit ¬ ing racetrackers Local newspapers are fanning the flames with complete Derby supplements and pictures and copies of DAILY RACING FORM and The Morning Tele ¬ graph are snapped up like deeds to a uranium deposit as they arrive by plane and train trainLargest Largest Crowd Since Legion Convention ConventionThe The first in what is expected to be an annual Derby parade drew an estimated audience of 125000 spectators Thursday night largest in Louisville since the Ameri ¬ can Legion convention hijinks in 1929 The crowd stood three four and five deep the length of the route march from 18th and Broadway to Fourth and Main and cheered continuously as the colorful Derby theme floats representing many of Ken ¬ tuckys principal industries passed by in spectacular pomp and panoply panoplyThe The white uniformed 50piece Womens Air Force Band from Lackland Field San Antonio Texas added to the general color which was further highlighted by rodeo rdiers from Monroe County Indiana The University of Louisville basketball victory in the recent national invitation tourna ¬ ment was celebrated with a gigantic float on which the players tossed basketballs back and forth Whiskey horses and beau ¬ tiful women traditional products of Ken ¬ tucky were featured on many of the rolling displays displaysIn In all the parade which started at dusk was about three and a half miles long A reviewing stand at Fourth and Chestnut was packed with local and visiting officials including Louisvilles Mayor Andrew Broaddus and Addison F McGhee parade chairman Following the ceremonies Mc ¬ Ghee announced that the sweepstakes trophy for the most beautiful float was won by the Retail Merchants Association AssociationPrices Prices in Louisville are not unusually higher during this 82nd Kentucky Derby except of course for the hotels where rooms despite a sizable boost in rates are absolutely unobtainable Restaurants too are packed particularly during the dinner hour with many customers waiting as much as an hour or two for tables
