The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-03-18

rock and the sand und erneatn the CITY anu
leave the houses standing let them do SO by
all means. They will not, at all events, op-
struct and destroy Broadway as a surface road
would do. Out of all the evils give us the
least-the underground bill-fos that contem-
plates work that is not likely ever to be done.
The Death Of Hiram Woodruf-The Sports
| of the Turf in the United States.
The death of Hiram Woodruff removes from
the American turf one Of the few men who have
united with the calling Of horse trainer and
jockey the reputation of an upright, henor-
able man. It is conceded by all to whom the
Nestor of the trotting course was known that
in his sporting engagements he acted with an
integrity and fairness that would not shame
| the business transactions Of substantial raer-
chant The customary tricks and receptions
of the sporting fraternity were never practised
by him. When he made match he intended
to win it if he could, and those who lost money
| upon horse entered or driven by him felt
satisfied that they had not been made the vic
| Tins of fraud.
1t is to be regretted that we have not
greater number of men like Hiram Woodruff
| upon the turf in this country. But unfortu-
nately, among the horsemen of the United
| States swindling is the rule and honesty the
| exception. The reason of this is that our
"sports" are for the main part gamblers, poll
ticians and other "fast's men, who 60 into
horse racing as they do into politics or faro
I dealing, for the purpose Of making money.
| We have none Of that national pride in improv-
| ing the breed Of horses which marks some
European nations. The owners of our "iast
stock" are principally men who have made
fortunes suddenly, and not always by the most
unexceptionable means, and the height of
whose ambition it is to possess "two-forty"
that can "beat the world" This comprehen.
ave phrase simply means who can out trot New
York; for horse that can do that need not
fear competitors from any other part
Of the globe A fast horse, as soon
as his qualities are discovered, is at
once made a betting machine, and is
expected, by fair means or foul, to bring
money into his owners pockets. When he is
matched the struggle is not one for fame, but
for gain. The men who gather around the
winning post see nothing Of the quivering
fanks, the swelling veins, the distended nos
trils, the flashing eyes of the noble beasts, but
fir. their gaze upon the dollars involved in
the stakes and the bets. A horse is valued
only for what he can win, and few of our
young men care to cultivate and improve the
breed in blood, physique and speed purely
for the love of the animal.
OF course there are honorable exceptions
to this rule. Hiram Woodruf took pride in
the horse as an animal, and not as a mere ma
chine for betting, and some few others of our
sporting fraternity follow his example, while
many private citizens of wealth and leisure
who never bet or make matches are owners
Of animals that are credit to the nation.
Bonner's horses, for instance, are admitted to
be the fastest trotters in the world. To such
men we are principally indebted for the i'm
provement that has been made in breeding
and training during the past thirty or forty
years, and which is shown in the increased
speed Of our trotters. In 1884 there was great
excitement in sporting circles because Ned
Forrest made mile on the Centreville track
in 2:3lH, and in the match between that horse
and Daniel d Tompkins, for $4,000, in
1888, on the Hunting Park course. the time
ranged from $40 to 252. Now, with little
Flora Temples 2:l9z to harness, and Dexter's
2:l8 to saddle, such time would be laughed
at on the road.
In England and France horse racing 3 o ma
tional sport. There the rules of the turf
are stringent and are strictly enforced. The
noblemen and men of large wealth who are its
patrons covet honor rather than money, and
spend fortunes in improving the breed Of horses
and keeping up the high character Of the sport
Occasionally, Of course, some blackleg trans
action comes to light there, as well as here
but rs general rule their races are conducted
with the utmost nicely of honor, and the nation
takes pride in them. Trotting finds small
favor with Englishmen and Frenchmen, who
would look with Indifference upon the greatest
achievements Of Flora Temple and Dexter, as
compared with the running in an ordinary race.
1t would be well IL we could infnse into our
own sporting circles some of the spirit that
animates the turfmen of Europe, so as TO Sc
cure at once an Improvement in the breed Of
our horses as well as in that of their owners
but it is idle to expect that we can ever make
national sport" Of horse racing, yachting or
anything else here. The condition Of the
country and the character Of our people render
ii impracticable. We might with as good
prospect of success attempt to revise the jousts
and tournaments Of the middle ages, as some Of
the Southern chivalry did few years ago,
before they drew upon themselves the hard
knocks of actual war. We are practical, dol
lar-loving people, and the only national sport
we shall ever thoroughly enjoy is that Of making
money. Now and then, when our Yankee
yachtmen accomplish some bold achievement
or when an enterprising Yankee sportsman
wrests the laurels from the brows Of the for