Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-10-01
SPEEDwELL.

SPEEDWELL.
THE AMERICAN rRoIrER.
Visit to speedweM Stock Farm.
The Stock Enterprise Of Lancaster County.
Under date Of Speedwer, Lancaster
county, September 20, a special cores
pondent Of the Wilmington (Del) Erery
Ecening writes the following entertaining
description Of the Hambletonian house.
hold on the Coleman estate
Lancaster county is known throughout
tho state Of Pennsylvania rs the richest
agricultural region in it. 1t is also known
throughout the country rs one Of the most
important tobacco-growing regions of the
Union, to which proud position she at
tanned by gradual but steady adj
vances. 1t is within the memory Of young
men when Lancaster tobacco was
not considered as nearly on a par with
Connecticut, and was used only for filters,
or wrappers for inferior cigars. Slowly,
but surely, this has changed, and the farm
ers Of Lancaster, with increased expert
cncc, have grown from year to year bet
ter grade of leaf, until ut the present time
their product not only equals, but is recos-
nized by manufacturers as superior to
Connecticut, and their wrappers cnvelop
some of the finest cigars consumed in this
country. One of the advantages of Lam
caster over Connecticut is that the leaf has
a darker hue, and, therefore, conforms
more closely to the taste of the smoker of
the period. The writer was recently told
by a Cuban manufacturer in your city,
that some brands ofLancaster were nearly
on a par with Havana. So much for the
tobacco industry of this region, which is
only alluded to show that Lancaster holds
4 high rank as cultivating county, and
deservedly SO.
But this is not tho subject which lcd me
to write, for all this was known by the
public long before it was known by the
writer himself. The object Of this epistle
is to inform the people, and more especially
the people of Delaware, SO close to Lancas-
ter county in location and interest, OF al
enterprise concerning which comparatively
little is known by the outside world. Near
ly every one has heard of the large stock
farms of Kentucky, where most Of the thor
Oughbred, running and much of the no
blest strained trOtting stock is raised.
Orange county, New York, is also known
throughout the United States as nursery
of trotters, many of which in tho past
have Won honor and reputation for their
ancestry and place Of nativity, and many
more of which give promise of equalling,
perhaps cxcclling their forerunners' per-
formanccs but few know what it may be
we'll for your people to knOw-that here in
Lancaster county, among the rugged hills
and fertile valleys OF Elizabeth township,
is stock farm of large and constantly in
creasing proportions, which it would be a
feast fOr any lover OF the American trotter
to visit and inspect.
Situated in almost the extreme north of
the county, Is miles from the city-of Lam
caster and five miles north of the town of
Lititz on the Reading & Columbia railroad
where the Hammer creek reaches n point
a very few miles from the line of Lebanon
county, lies tho farm bearing the name
which appears in the date line of this let
ter-the Speedwcll stock farm. It is
one of series owned by the Coleman heirs
4 family whose wealth has made it known
in metropolitan circles. OF Robert Cole
man one of these heirs, the following facts,
which appeared at the time in the news
papers all over the country, may be re-
membered Not more than two years
ago Mr.. Coleman, young man, was mar
ried to a young lady who with regard to
financial wealth, was in humble circum-
stances-the daughter Of clergyman. Mr..
Coleman had resolved that upon his mar
riagc hc would build the finest mansion rs
q residence in Pennsylvania. Accordingly
he set the artisans to work in an open field
and had expended $4,000 ON the work,
when unfortunately his wife died, and the
husband Immediately had the walls of the
structure torn down, the excavations filled
mp and the field plowcd over.
These heirs, who arc more generally
known as the Coleman heirs" are the
pOsscssOrs Of All expanse Of land embracing
some "a 900 acres in Lancaster and Lcba-
non counties, and containing within the
limits of the latter 4 number of valuable
ore banks, which in themselves are con-
tinual source of wealth. This land is di-
vidcd off into farms under the manage
ment of overseers, and the one under con-
is at the southern extremity of
tho Coleman possessions. The farm which
adjoins it on the north is partly devoted
to raising fine breeds Of cattle.
But to return to tie Specdweil farm,
which is cultivated and shorn each season
Of fine crops Of such staples as wheat, corn
and tobacco, but whose chief and most at.
tractive feature is the trOtting stock. This
farm is under the direct management of
George F. Youtz, who has subordinates in
charge of every department OF farm work.
Upon the farm are 212 head of horseflesh,
exclusive of draught horses. In the fields
are small drOves Of brood mares with
sucking colts by their sides, while in other
parts are cavalcades Of twO-year-old colts.
The three-ycar-olds arc all stabbed and
made used to the halter and curry comb.
Here and there you see a yOungster stroll
ing about with a rein made fast to 4 sur
single and looking uncomfortable these
hopefuls are taking their first lessons with
the bit, more particularly getting used to
the feeling of that article in the mouth.
At this age, also, they arc broken to har-
ness, first being hitched double and driven |
thus until they are ready for single excr- |
Else. 1t is no unusual sight to the people |
within five miles around to see team after
team Of housekeeping young noblemen or
naidens OF the Hambletonian genealogy
passing along the fine country roads.
The four-year-o olls are found in fine
stalls, mostly box stalls, carefully grcomcd
md smooth as y looking glass. Their |
nettle is being tested day after day and
great care is necessary to keep them in
proper trim. The three and four -year-oIds |
'eem to be the most numerous, as they
Ire sold Off rapidly when they enter their
fifth year. In fact there arc scarcely half
! dozen fve-years-olds on the place |
waiting sale, and a six-year. olds would be |
curiosity. The breaking, exercising and |
peeding are done by H. X. Bechtel, a
gentleman well-known in Wilmington, as |
&c has been there at several trOtting meet |
ngs. His last visit was with Harry Ford,
hi. roam animal that will doubtless be |