The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-03
LoNG ISLAND HoLrDAYspoRrs.
A HoR-Gucsping Match TINT Made Fun for
the Babvlou fioys.

You cant come nowhere near a guess
on that ere sow, II you try till next Christmas"
said old Uncle Sol Saxon OF Babylon. to SUN
reporter on Thursday las. "Yes, look at her.
She's long enough, and broad enough, to weigh
mighty hefty. but there's u deal Of slack about
her that YOU cant calklate onto. WHAT'S her
heftf Wal, anlwhere's from 600 to s00 rounds
She's decolyer, she is. and you'll md it out"
The hos Uncle Sol was discussing was raised
by Squire Charles r. Duryea, Of the Sumnwams
House, Babylon, and was put up last Thursday
TO be guessed for. Squire Duryea has been a
Justice Of the Peace, and an Assembyman,
having presided over the Committee on salt in
1870 "sixteen quarts Of meal dav to that hog
was a mere bagatele," said the Squire with
tears in his eyes. land the corn she got away
with would have Kept fUur-horse team" Re-
fore she was ten months old the pig began to
reach pretty close to the 'Sguire's weight CIS0
ayOirduDoia), and the next time she was scaled
she could nearly discount him. Thus 1t came
to pass that the Squire resolved to fatten her
up for one OF those hOg-guessing matches so
popular throughout Long Island
Thursday was the day fixed, and before noon
thrOng from all the country round about
gathered at the Sumpwams House to guess and
drink, and talk horse and amuse themselves.
The bog was in a stable back OF the hotel, aud
thither most OF the visitors went ms soon as thUy
arrived to take her measure and speculate rs to
her weight. She was six feet three inches long
from between the ears To the root of the tail,
aud measured six feet one inch around the
middle. In addition to this great bulk she was
so fat that she could hardly stand, and her little
eyes peered out from behind two wells Of solid
grease rs " In wonder at the visitors. To one
unaccuetomed o guessing, she looked as though
she might weigh half "a ton. and some of the old
Ruessers Of BabylOn-mon who pride themselves
on knowing all the mysteries OF hog-gave heavy
estimates Of Ler weight.
Professional hog guessers measure the animal
carefully, aud then calculate automatically by a
rule which has as many variations as It has adj
herents. They multiply the length of the hog
by its glrth, but here the diherrhces begin.
some u'Vde the total 10y eight' bOlding that a
cubic pound OF pork weighs eight pounds, while
Others divide by I. ~, ~. aud on, and still
others take 81 as the diyisor. II may be said Of
measuring hog guesserh, that they are about a.
fortunate M are the gamblers, who fancy they
have what Is termed "martingale ON
rOure-et-noire or a book on faro.
At o'clock the order To Kill was given. all the
chances having been sold. and Ia ABOUT half All
hour the huge carcase was hung M Tor exhlbi.
ton, cleaned and scraped to perfection bv A. ".
Wicks. VINO Is constable AS well as butcher to the
town OF Babylon. Then the side betting began
4" say. young man." said Uncle sol. - she
cuts upa deal better II spO-ed she would. That
ere slack amt 50 bad a. II might be. Mebhe
she'll 20 over the seven hundred, but them
burned fools that's hCttin' on seven,liiy II gel
their lngcr, burnt. or l'm no IrOphet"
Uncle SoIs judgment was evidently looked
upon Jas good. foi several who overheard hin
stakcd their money IT. civ on 400 pounds. while
others were betting on 10 to 80 pounds. II va.
! dusk heforr the ctrci.c was weighed. hut The
| gue--crs waited patiently about the shed. keep.
iug ~ a running IRE IT county witticisns, nnd
! makiug additional bets. The majority bet OF
! iOl ~ over, ana just at the last moment Hemp
stetu man hacked hi- opinion Tor SO. Wnei
| the result was announced there was an almOs
! universal llok or disgust. one man, stout
| tulii. solid looking citizen. smiled cheerilv
/ but the others stood for some moments dismalll
/ gazing al the pendant porkcr.
" told ye so. said ncle sol. 81 kuOWet
| she was q dectivcr Never seen ehe thu
| varn't FOR my Part" Then this unbellever II
/ the softer sex walked home.
The weilht OF the hog was So pounds. an,
! the gentleman who smiled WIS Mr. S-lah &
Smith Of the Watson House. whose guess wa
as % a e. e. q al a.
/ than 1p pounds. The Squire himself bough
/ chances at from i51 to 30 pounds.