Jamestown alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1882, 1879-07-17
EDWARD \. FOSTER, EDITOR.


Fort TorrEN, D. r., July 1lth, 1879.
DEAR ALERT:
This week has been of more interest
than usual. Fourth of July having come
and gone with it's pleasures, and alas its
pains.
AS I wrote you last week, Lieutenant
Colonel r. E. A., Crottor, has with his
family, have gone to his new regiment.
DR.. Davis left at the same time to join
General Miles, on Milk River.
Lieutenant w. w. Robinson, Post A11u.
tant and Quartermastcr, with some of the
men left for Fargo to serve as witnesses in
the prosecution of certain cases before the
United States Court Lieutenant +. D.
Garrctty is now acting as Post Adiutalt
and Qua'termaster.
During the first Of last week, the Cut
head band OF Sioux Indians who live three
miles west of the post, had sun dance of
which we were not informed until too
late to see il, for the benefit of the readers
of the ALERT
Fourth of July was assured in by well
fred salute of 3G guns, fired 6y detail
"a from Company C,~1.th Infantry, superin-
tended by Lieutenant H. j. Slocum, of
Company F, 7th Cavalry.
At 1870 A. NJ, the horse race, between
the bay pet Of Company F, 7th Cavalry,
and the black one of Company K, Of the
same regiment
The bay horse Of Company r, was that
Of Private Joyce, riden by Sergeant Burk,
and the black of Company X, was Private
Bowers, riden by Private Allen. The
race was 500 yards over the prairie sod,
merely mown few days before, and was
slightly ID hll for the last 600 yards, and
was a hard track to make a race over
All preliminaries beng settled, the
horses were fairly started. For the first
500 yards the bay. had 1t decidedly his
own way, leading by at least ~ lengths,
but from there to the finish the staying
powers came in play, and both horses
crossed the line so close, that in our opinion
there was not nine inches difference be-
tween them so close that the judges were
in doubt, and so close that when they
decided that Company F, had won, and
the $4,000 passed oyer to that Company,
that great dissatisfaction was evinced
We think the judges were honest in their
decision. 1t was most beautiful race
and we'll repaid the seeing. The time IS
given at 50 and SO seconds; good time
for so hard track
At noon, another salute Of 36 guns, was
fired. but at the third discharge, one of
the guns prematurely went off while the
rammer was being withdrawn, resulting
in Private F. H. Thomas who was acting
as No. 1, or rammer of the squad having
the little finger Of his left hand blown of
also stripping the flesh from the fingc,
next to it; the ramcr, or ram rod OF the
gun sent far out on the prairie. Privat,
Isaac Shay, who was thumbing the piece,
had by the discharge Of gas through tn,
vent of the piece, his thumb broken. the
wounds of both men, who are in hospital,
are doing we'll. Thomas Will lose TWO
fingers.
In the evening, what is called slow
1ace took place between two horses of
Company X. distance 900 yards, over the
same track for 4 purse Of $500; the loos-
ing horse, or onr to come in last, to have
the money. Time Of race IS seconds.
s.uolclan Schafer was the jockey who
naked IN the money. ...~
Two rain showers since our last letter.
Private Byron, Of Company X, 18th
Cavalry. was laid up in the hospital few
days ago by kick from horse.
On the night Of the sth, Joscgh O'Con-