Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-10-06
Ssntral Sntflliasnce.
THE GREAT GOOSERACE.
Ten Thousand Spectators-Congen
Sporting for Chieagoans.

THE GREAT GOOSERACE.
Ten Thousand Spectators-COngen
Sporting for Chteagosns.
Frc-n the Chicago Tribune.
Ii the immense number of people who
lined the basin bank Thursday afternoon
may be taken as n criterion, then the goose
race which took place then and there must
be conceded to be the great sporting event
OF the season. 1t was fanny. and, better
still, il was free. Consequently crowd
numbering at least ten thousand people
were ON hand to witness the novel affair.
For two or three blocks along the east side
of Michigan avenue from Putney 10 Mort
lake, as it were-men, women, boys and
girls were densely packed, with plentiful
sprinkling of carriages further back; while
the breakwater opposite served the purpose
of Hammersmith Bridge, and afforded an
eligible outlook fci at least q thousand
more 1t was a particularly respectable
gathering too. No inconsiderable element
of the crowd was made up of merchants
and business men, while nearly hundred
stylish equipages were halted III order that
the fair occupants might see the fun.
PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS.
The race was originally made between
-uecSt ldulOHS ulSCipfcS vi ilillrlftthl. DlllN
Ems<son and Bob Hart the latter having
been engaged in great many similar at
fairs Then George Morris, the well-known
billiardist. took hand in, and, after purse
of 500 or thereabouts had been made up.
the race WAS definitely fixed for yesterday.
On the day previous eighteen full-grown
geese We're rented OF an old lady ut the
stock Yards, who required deposit or 50
each as collateral. and a similar amount for
tine service of the whole number. They
had no training whatever. further than that
conferred by nature to stick together and
go straight ahead. True to their prOverbial
unreliability, soaae of them went back on
this, oven. The terms Of the match re-
quired each of the drivers 10 sit in an ordi-
nary wash tn b, and be draw n by three pairs
of geese. Let no one infer from this that
ones self in a =, ash tnb i'm the water ones
equilibrium. are easily rendered ompatible.
1t is not the case. A mans weight will not
sink the Tub. to be sure, but let him vary so
much as the tiiousandth part of an inch
from the absolutely perfect perpendicular
ity, and he gets spilled to certainty. To
obviate this difficulty the goose drivers re-
sorted to an ingenious continuance. which
consisted OF platform of inch pine boards,
about three and half feet wide and five feet
long, In which was made circular hole
large enough 10 slip through tub. To this
Woat Was attached pole with cross bars at
the extreme end, from which were stretch
ed isteEslly tgS stout cords on either side,
between which the geese were tied by the
" -lnes, and as firmly secured as a horse
bet Seen tie shafts of a wagon. When
ready to start .he driver got III the tnb
which Was then ts,ehtiy wedged in the
the float, IN there ga> no tpPing over,
the float sluking few iieles below the
surface and ont OF sight CoAsa.ierabls de-
lay ensued in properly hanessang the
geese and arranging the tubs Bob dart
was the first to get his six-in-haLd hltched
up, and SO, while the other two George
Morris and jim Mas, of the Winter Garden,
who TOOK Emerson place, was getting ready
he turned out to exercise the team. He
got along first-rate, barring good deal OF
fiutter andhopping at first. and would have
showed off to excellent advantage but for
the embarrassment occasioned by the sew
eral hundred boats which hal been hired
by spectators. and which literally covered
the surface of the basin. In dodging about
-aong them Bob's tab worked loose from
:. =. =, at, and ne was obliged to swim back
- " ,ho M -, re and make fast again, which he
s;s :. order. and soon after three
D clock everythlI- WED :"
race.
hat sbirt nsnts and sto. >kings s-rsady to
swim. If necessary. Their 70. , -
amply justified anon. A lone ,,sr t5e
whip, with which to urge on or a ~f -
course of the geese. and paddle to W
the craft, comprised their accoutremen.
Morris drew the pole, Mas the middle,
and Hart the outside. An entirely even
send-off was effected at once, and away
they started, accompanied by the boat OF
the umpires, referee and reporters, who
were sufficiently close to enforce fair play.
Morris and Mas at once pushed for the
front, and their urging resulted In a series |
of bad breaks. Mas off-wheel goose lost
his feet wholly, turning a summersault and
coming mp facing the driver. She couldn't |
be brought TO work again, but swan back |
wards for long distance, TO the serious
impedimento of the rest of the sextette. Bob,
like an experienced jockey, took the matter
cody, simply administering an occasional
punch to q refractory goose, and
soon had gained strong lead over
both the Others But Morris was
not idle His team had weakness for the
shore, and his assiduous efforts with the
paddle, necessary to keep them in the
water, helped him to that extent that he
was enabled tooyerhaul Bob, and go TO the
front Bob saw his disadvantage, and de
clared the excessive padding to be- 'foul,
but by no means '1owl." George IL no
oooser said Bob, ''and bar his paddle"
INT there was no choice; George must
either paddle or be ignomlnlOusly towed
ashore against his will. and SO Bob's pro-
test was unavailing. Mas, whose pervert-
ed wheel goose had placed him badly IN the
rear, having somehow contnved to change
ends with the recalcitrant bird. now showed
am extraordinary burst of speed, and was
fast closing the gap. Had the remaining
distance been greater, he would have seri-
ously endangered the success OF the others
As Il was. the contest rested between Nor
ma and Hart, the former having a slight
lead. Bob called upon his white thorough
hysds for an extra effort and it was intensely
ludierous to see the earnestness With which
tkey seemed to respond They actu-
allJ sstook turns" First, the middle psis
would vigorously ply their web feet for
minute perhaps; then the leaders would
dig IN for dear life, to be in turn spelled
by tie wheelers. But all would not do.
Morris gray team were good stayers, and
ha sfeered to excellent advantage, il must
be confessed He reached the end of the
three hundred yards about four feet ahead
s1f Bob. Mas being about two lengths in
she rear. Time, seven minntes and thirty
seeosds. A hearty cheer went up from the
crowd, and the goose race was at an end.
Tbeumpires and referee then repaired te
Morris billiard ball. where, after canvass
ing the various features Of the race, they II
due tine rendered their decision as follows
r.. FRosr Baur, Chicago, Sept q, 1853 -Rac'
fo~ sxyeepstates of 5000, between sextuple goos'
tesms. dasb of 800 yards. to wash tubs:
-6e5rze Morris entrs gray goose Anna Dickinsol
End mates: s;ref by t.eir respective progenifori
:. I'd damned By ali the neighbors In the vicinif!
OF their birthplace. ......-.
F,oo HSrt enters white goose Formosa and matess
IedigSee unknown. bat believed to be disrepn-
tabic. .... 80. ss.ss -.
Jim Mas enters blue goose Queen Isabella ah1
xasses; pedigree forsottsn- =