Middletown transcript., 1871-09-02

/
became the fashionable amusement Of the
hour, and the era that then aud there
dawucl is referred to as ga golden are of
racing in the State OF South Carolina. ---
\ chroncler Of that period writes enthu-
siastienly Of the gatherings on the New
market Course. Whether we consider
the elevated character Of the gentlemen OF
the turf; the attraction that the races pos.
srs-ei at tha, lime. and for many subsc-
qucnt years, for all sorts and conditions Of
men youth anticipating its delights for
weeks beforehand the sicrnness of age re-
laNing by their approach, lovers becoming
more ardent. and Young danscs setting
their caps with greater taste aud ,lcxterity
the 2"RdB of the company in attend
oncr; the SPLENDID e1nipn.es; the liver
led ontridcrs that were to be seen daily on
the course; the gentlemen attending the
races IN fashinnably London made clothes,
bRtkSijA brCrhcs anil mp.top's, the uni
vcrsal interest purvadiug al classes, from
the judge upon the lcHci to the little
'r.unl.hoy with his snchcl Oh his back /;
the kind greetings Of the ,cwn aud coun-
try; the happy meetings Of old friend.
whose residences were at distance, af-
fording occasions Of happy Intercourse aud
iestisity; the marked absence of all carc,
except the cftc nf the horses; the total
disregard of the value oi time, except hy
the competitors % thcracc>. who lii their
best % save aal ccnnnmizc It everything
combined u r.ul T. r9c,.woll; Ia Charles
ton empha'ically the carnival cl the state,
when it waa pbyppaJy. II unt imyossiiic
90 la on; af spirit, and not % minele with
tIe elg 'hung
The liHw i. glowius cue. lut it i
not a'mplejn Uu,il we add That clrrgymen
ani leH,a.l jule 50 ,il. ly ,ilr when
the hpr Wcfl running. taxing dgtp in
;cF,st IN the contest and the anim1,cl
scene around ,hcm W. esac much of tue
style aul snol frli9s .r.erii,l nj Jerome
/ Pos. go gala days; bg' the fashions have
'iiehty changed between ll>j AMI this
ycar Of grace l>,o, In>ttal ut llr gtn-
'lrm,n appearing ou the course ia lir!i
brooches aul top-ioo'., they introduce
their servants TO tie gaping crowd ia thi-
pacnliar rqrb
The history If ,b Newmarket Course
! closes with The ytr i1aL fr ~ I192 the
South Carolina .!u,iay tiuh uul possess
Sion of the Washington Course. ,ha 81.
F lua,hE a.atigm,u icing ,hs orisiual pro-.
4 prgte: taasra, e C. Piaataay. Ggay-
rll Na,hiuston . lrion smith. Jaau
! W.lsso, llm H. .pu. William AI-iou
I II y NWiI4. bi, MHigault i,pu.
eyal s.al. tlAa 'lircheIl Cen Wadc
Hampton lae.. itaru. Captain White.
4 i, fU, telh N..fa Noulrjr, an.,.t
I M'iirr,aa, coauel N'rtrrson, Galenrt
Morris, +. F,nwick, aud William Me.
Ceol.
The Jockey Club increased in strength
as the years went by; and. up 10 TIE
breaking aat Il the war caused is ihr fr-
ing On Fort Sumter, the history II lu
I Washington Course wa~ history Of uniU-
/ lerrur;pl Success The races werp the
fashionable event Il he Year, aui the
raca-wcyG was one ef gayeiy aud royal
/ display But one meeting Was held each
year. alwal. commencing an til lirst Wtl.
naslay in February. anl continuing
throughout The week Ca Wcinf, qy
I the Juckcy club enye their annual dinner
q t.inn,r which hfanrGt ter, thtr all the
! cheiet, cfusisnl .riiil- Of tie Snie. nul
/ Ftilay evening was ST spar, f.; ,ha great
/ jockey Cllb hnil " expense was srar-
Cd in the elri 10 max rhi- ball u. sncial
,yrnt Of the season. AMI success algay>
attended the effort
immediately subsequent l. tha revalu.
/ lion racing stables were established IN
! Virginia ani Maryland ~ w,ll ~ ia
South carolina AmonE thu carly pat
ruus of the tnrf in Virginia were cal1uel
John Taylee aul the Me>srs. llaomcs.
Sclien, anl johnson l'pan the tart roll
of Nlarylaal We iinl tho uama- nf t,nycrn-
ors DIr, Eilgcly. Wright, LLOYD. and
Sprirs Racing has been truly NAMED
the "srort e king; = and wherever il has
/ ilourishrl IN America il has received the
support of our wcalhicst citizens aud most
eminent mon. Nlare than eighty years
ago rncc-clufscs were established at Pc
torslurg and Eichmonl When 'ha two
quarter naes. Twig and Polly Williams,
were rivals. aud engaged in frequent hat
ties. owing to the absence If currency. to-
haeee was freely waeergd npnn the races,
sometimes Us much as one hundred thou
sand pounds depending upon IN sin .le con
test
Although we can trace racing back To
the very infancy of our history, the turf
was no, conducted on the systematic plan
until ahou, the year 1915; n, least. rec
orls Of running prior to this date are not
authentic, The people Of View York, like
those Of the more southern States. indulg-
ed in racing before they even dreamed Of
going to war with Great Britain; but
there was little organization. and the re-
suit Of each contest was not officially re-
corded. Mr.. Herbert, better known as
Frank Forester" expressed himself very
cmphaticnlly upon this subject. :" 10
draw parallel, as nearly as | can draw
one he wrote, - regard the old Vir-
ginia turf, prior to the fifteenth year, at
least, Of the nineteenth century. as nci.
tber more nor less authentic than that Of