The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-03-16

CHICKEN FIoHr1SG.-T The prejudice
against amusements during Lent does not
extend to the chicken fighters in town.
The regular weekly fight has been held
without any intermission for several weeks
past, and there have been good many
little ones for cent" besides. Last night
commissioner from this journal got an
invitation to attend the services, and went
early in the hope OF getting front seat.
1t would DO no pse to try to tell where
he went. He could not tn1 the place
again himself and any attempt at q de-
scription Of the route would only discour-
age the police. The payements gave out
some time before the cock pit was reached
and there was more mud than gaslight
on the last hall OF the journey, but the
conductor Of the expedition was q gentle
man OF large experience and no time was
wasted in reaching the objective point.
The ante room OF the arena, when reach
ed, was found to be well supplied with
hooks, but the reporter noticed that
nobody hung up his overcoat or asked for
a check, and accordingly kept on bis hat
and adhered to his fleece. There was on
Italian gentleman ut the door, who said
the press list had been indefinitely sus-
pended, and nothing short Of twenty-five
cents would satisfy his ayarice. The money
was nothing, however, to the advantages
1t secured. It admitted the payer 70 q
scene Of magnificence that suggested the
Arabian nights entertainments. The room
was lighted with chandelier that RECALLED
the light Of ether days by It's mellow
radiance, and the crowd inside, as some.
body suggested, was sufficient to furnish
anything from collar and elbow, up to
man slaughter" The walls were hand.
somely decorated with bags, and every
now and then Q bag would GROW In the
most unexpected and surprising manner.
The reporter got standing seat In the
parquette; out oil the range Of the hay.seed
kicked down by the occupants Of the
family circle, and two Of our most sub.
stantial citizens gave him ten dollars TO
hold on the result OF the first fight. There
was some delay after the nweighing,p one
chicken being o couple Of pennyweights
heavier than the other, but the difference
was finally adjusted, and after clipping
of superfuous feathers aud fastening a
moving machine enter to each, the birds,
two muscular reds, were brought in and
handled by two artists with their coats of,
who got the crowd to stand out OF the pit,
and then prepared for business in an en-:
ergetlo and DECIDED way. Holding the
breast high, aud close together, q |
lew savage struggles to get at one another
showed their willingness TO demolish each
other, and when turned loose at oppo.
site sides Of tho circle they closed
with . yigor that the crowd seemed
10 appreciate. Meanwhile the two
artists In their shirt sleeves danced
round as lively as the chickens. When |
the latter becomes entangled they separat-
ed them and started the fight atresh, tax.
ing advantage Of the intervals TO ireshen
up the CONTESTANTS with water and clear
hem oil loose feathers. Three times this
performance wasrepeated until the heavier |
bird weakened and the other stood oyer
hin an acknowledged victor. Then bets
we're settled up, new ones made and The
main went on, ~,
When the reporter left there was a
Iutiiclent amount oil our national medium
n circulation to satisfy Brick Pomeroy,
md the financial exchanges were mum.
rous enough TO constitute boom. And
'et there are people whosay that Wheeling
J not city Of the first class.