Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-22
SPRING MEETING...lss9.
Hurdle Race Won by Transit-Pea'
body Purse BY Little Mack.
veIocipedestriaaismupatree


ance, general interest and huge enjoy
ment The largest crowd we ever saw on
the ground was that Of yesterday. The
vast amphitheater was not sufficient to
contain the people, and hundreds had to
to look at the various races from
the top Of the fence and other
elevated positions. People started early
and late and all the time, and ell OF them
got there on time, except those who went
on street cars. 1t is an exploded fiction,
equal to Robinson Crusoe, that the cars
are run for the convenience Of the pub
lie. This is q public misfortune, which
the patient public has to endure like
heavy taxation, smallpox, mosquitoes
and other visitations Of Providence,
without asking any questions. All
Memphis was on wheels, it seemed,
and never was a day and similar
occasion enjoyed more highly. The
officers of the Association looked hap
py, the "sports" looked happy, the
crowd smiled, the ladies, whe were
there in unusual force, smiled in their
beauty and radiant loneliness. The We
locipedes smiled. and all nature smiled
back again. Everything in creation
seemed smiling, except the unfortunates
who had been imprisoned in street cars.
The attendance, including four veleci-
pedes and two freedmen, was estimated
at twenty-five hundred and six, which is
a safe calculation.
FIRST RACE.
This was a hurdle race for the steam
boat stake of $500, and being the first
race of the kind ever witnessed on the
Course, created unusual interest. TWAS
a two mile dash, with four hurdles and
eight leaps; entrance fee, $25, play or
pay. The entries were as follows:
E. Warwick entered CHI. b. Transit, FIVE
years old, by Bleakwind; dam Prairie
Flower, bv imp. Sovereign.
Henry VanLieu entered brig. five years
old, by Captain Beard; dam imp. Sow
ereigu.
Edinboro had been entered, but was
Withdrawn by R.W. Simmons. After this,
Transit was the favorite. The four
hurdles were made, as usual, of light
brush, and were about three and half
feet high. The start was easily accom-
plished and in good order, Transit having
the inside, but Van Lieu's entry took the
lead at first; Transit soon challenged for
the front, and gained it. The first hurdle
was easily cleared by both, though not
very gracefully; the second was the
same; the third was apparently bet
ter. Van Lieu came up on Transits
flank as they went through the back
stretch. They turned the corner and
came home in fine style, clearing the
fourth hurdle without knocking it down,
and they passed the string with Transit
about length and half head.
Time-2:25, both in an easy gallop.
The second mile was made in similar
style to the first. The third hurdle was
cleared without touch, and they came
down the home stretch neck and neck,
amid the cheers and greatest excitement
of the crowd. The fourth hurdle was
partly knocked down, and then came the
tug for the string, under whip and spur.
The brown geldiHg made desperate eff
fort, but Transit won the race by half
neck-one of the closest contests of that
character on record. Time 2:25-4:30.
As hurdle race it was not much to brag
of, but es a contest it was very interest
ing. Only one hurdle was fairly cleared.
v'LosPED.
There was to have been velocipede
race Monday, but it was postponed on &C
count of thunderstorm. The v'losped
ia only afraid Of one thing, and that is
thunder. One of the brutes was killed
by lightning once, sna tke rest of them
have been scary of thunder ever since.
Being unsophisticated brutes they
think the danger is in the thunder, not
the Lightning. Those entered for Mon
day have been very iMpatient for the
race ever since, and one or two Of them,
lately captured by Yankee trapper in
Alaska, have been almost unmanageable,
and one of them had to be blocked up and
dieted on patent milk, which soon
brought him to terms of surrender.
There we're OF Grst siE entries, but only
four appeared, IS follows lthe names 81
the riders are given): George Worley,
colors, white sash; Harry L. Picker
ing, colors, blue, white and blue; J.
TrabucsS, colors, blue sash; c.
G. Oliver, cOlors. ssa sash. The
rules of the Association we're made to APP
ply TO horses and mules, but nothing is
contained therein to regulate cata-
mounts, nastadops, whales or Y'lOHpsds
80 the officers of the Association con-
cludsd to let this new accession to the
animal kingdom run around loose, and
before another meeting here the Turf
Congress may lay down set of rules
adapted to Observation-Disclosures.
Two others bad been entered, but one Of
them kicked has Oynss n tie ctopsch
last Sunday and disabled him, and no