The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-05-22
RACING IN CECIL.
THE ANCIENT ON FOUR-TlIE MOD
ERIN ON TWO LEGS.
Details of the Pedestrian Contest at Odd
Fellows HALT Ends in a Row.

Fellows Hall--It Ends in Row
In the palmy days of the peculiar institu-
ton, when the aristocracy of this county
INDUCED in horse-racing and staked their
money freely on their favoriteS; when fair
women and brave men spent day after day
lingering around the race course and whisky
flowed freely rs water; wheA broken heads
and bloody noses We're :" thick as leaves in
N:ilambrosia," Elkton, like other "tobacca
ports " and county towns, could boast of its
race-course. This WAS Il century ago, when
the first gentlemen of the town, for the pro-
motion of good fellowship and conviviality,
organized the punch-drinking society, pro-
vidin. among other things for Il glorious
punch-drinking, when the family of either
the members WAS increased by the birth of
4 son.
Early i'll the present century the Elkton
race.course was located on the west side of
the Big Elk, on the level not far from Gil
pins bridge. 1t was at this race-course
sometime in 1902 or 5, that one of the most
bloody riots that ever disgraced the county
took place. A number of Irish laborers
from the cold feeder" then in course of
construction, attended the races and en-
gagged in Il game peculiar to that time, called
Cricket the Loop" which was being run
by stalwart negro. The game consisted
in the proprietor placing cent on the top
of an upright stick, which was driven firm
| ly into the earth, in the center of Il hole, a
foot or eighteen inches i'll diameter. The
game was played by the player, who stood
some yards distant throwing club at the
/ upright stake SO rs to strike it and cause
the cent to fall outside of the hole, in which
case the player won, otherwise the proprie-
tor. y dispute pretty soon occurred between
some of the lrishmen and the proprietor of
the game, and things waxing warm, the
latter started for the town, pursued by an
exasperated horde of the former. Tradition
says that the negro tlistanccd all of his pur
! suers, except one, who overlook him near Il
wheelwright shop which stood near the site
of Strickland's ware-h house. and that the pro-
! prietor of the shop, who was engaged hewing
an axle, looked up, and, in the surprise of the
moment, hewed the IriShman to the earth:
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| quickly as possible to a place of safety.
/ The lriShmen came on, and being foiled in
/ their attempt to wreak Vengeance Oh the
negro, threatened to sack the town, and for
a time state of terror prevailed. Suisse
! quently, and within the memory of persons
now living the track was moved to the
/ plantation now occupied by Nicholas z.
Manly, Esq. Two half-barrelS, set in Il
spring-head on Mr.. Manly's plantation,
mark the place where the sporting trater-
nifty of half II century ago enjoyed the lux
ury of a draught of the best of water in
connection with whisky that was probably
much better than the modern article of
that name.
Somehow, probably owing to the bad
effect Of the peculiar institution upon the
financial condition of the aristocracy, the
time-honored institution OF the turf fell into
disuse, and nothing was done at horse-rac-
ing in this part of the county for some
years. except once about 4 third of Il cen
! fury ago, when some of the good people Of
the 4th district, thinking it a hardship to
hold an election without some whisky, en-
tenporized a horse race at Fair Hill, and,
such being the law at that time, obtained
license to sell liquor at the race, and thus
the Democrats of the Gibraltar of Democ-
racy and all other thirsty ones had abund-
ant opportunity to quench their thirst.
Except the plucky little widow Potts, who
passed through here on wild.gooso chase
FROM, al To Nav nrlaops I'M bupt
of 81, 1000, which she never found. and two
others who walked against time, E.lkton has
never been excited by the presence of Il pro-
fessional pedestrian.
Samuel H. Miller, the gettcr-up of this
match, is Il native of Schuylkill county,
Pa, and is 26 years of age, and is Il "sprin-
ter" by profession, which means that his
profession is to engage in short races OF 100
or $50 yards. lie has been at this business
since lie was fifteen years of age, and has
travelled from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Ocean in the practice of his profession. His
first appearance as a walkist was at Mana
yunk in 1873, when he walked in Il seventy
two hours match go-as-you-please against
Robert Kay, of Manchester, England, who
beat O'I.eary at the Pomona Gardens, Man
chester. In this match Miller was victori-
Gus. In Il similar race in P;tsburg the
same year he beat Robert Burns, walking
800 miles in - hours. He also won the
third money in 4 race ut hottSyille in 1870,
and beat Samuel Mishlsr at Heading for the
State championship the same year. Mr..
Miller is proud of the fact that he received
the first complimentary benefit ever received
by professional pedestrian in the United
States, which was given to him in Odd Eel
lows Hall, Ridge Avenue; philadelphia, in
1873. AR: Milief has 4 standing challenge
to walk any person in Pennsylvania, Della
ware, or Maryland in a - hours walk heel
and toe. Any person wishing to compete
with him can learn full particulars by adj
dressing the Philadelphia fiecont.
John j. Dickinson is about 80 years of
age, a native of Philadelphia, and until re
Gently was employed in seine capacity about
the office of the philadelphia ifnics. His
first appearance rs a pedestrian was against
Hartman of Haverhill, Massachusetts, in
Il five-mile race at Concert Hall, Philade-
phia in which he was victorious, beating
his opponent by three minutes, his time be-
ing ~ minutes. Heafterwards participated
in a six days go-aS- YQU-nlease race in the
Industrial Art Building, Philadelphia, in
April, 1874, in which he proved himself the
best among ten competitors, winning the
first prize Of $500 and the champion belt of
Pennsylvania, Notwithstanding he lost eight
hours by sickness In this race he made
O'Leary match in New York, but being out
of condition, gave up the contest after walk
ing about 200 miles. He was again matched
against Charles Cope fer q hours: so-as-
you-pie:.se "a i7gger's Hall, Philadelphia,
whom he beat by % miles, Dickinson max
ing l23 miles. He has also participated in
several other matches, in which he has
shown great pluck and endurance.
Charles Cope is native Of Philadelphia,
and is about 3! years # age He is a hHck-
ster by tyaiie. and first Lesau to walk as a
from Baltimore to Philadelphia ON Il wager
of ten dollars and 4 gold medal, making the
distance, 9S miles, in 2G hours. He also had
Il ten-nile race with Conrad Shelter. of
Philadelphia, for So'5 asi,;e. wh,cl. lie won,
his eo.maF4e'itof staining after making five
| miles.
| EdWard Ii. toyie Is q native of Philadel-
phia and is 20 years of age He had never
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