The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-11-02
GUESSING A MINUTE.
johnny Nurphy's Ability to Calculate
Small Spaces of Time.
Hartford Post.

Hartford Post,
On Thursday evening, after the races of
the Breeders Meeting were over, "Johnny"
Murphy, the celebrated driver, sat at supper
In Merrilps cafe, in company with George
Frink, the trainer. A number of other gen.
tlemen were present, and while Mr.. Murphy
waited for the evening train for New York,
they gathered about the table at which he
sat, and the conversation naturally turned
upon the breed of trotters.
"How do you tell how fast you are going
In driving an exhibition miller" inquired one.
"Has anybody q split-second watch?" re-
piled Mr.. Murphy.
Mr.. Frink produced his. The driver took
it, placed it at his left ear with his right
hand, the index finger resting on the starting
pin. With his left forefnger he pointed to
the dial. "Now," he said, "l'll start the
watch at zero and stop the second hand at
sixty" All gathefed round to see this feat
accomplished. "Click" went the starting
pin and the second hand began its journey.
Its progress was watched with interest, and
when the hand reached the ffties severa!
small bets were made that the feat would or
would not be accomplished. Murphy paid
no attention to the remarks that were made,
but kept the watch close to his ear. At the
very instant when the minute was up he
pressed the pin and handed the watch to the
gentleman next to him. The secondhand
had stopped exactly at 'sixty." A second
time he started the watch and stopped 1t ex>
actly at the minute. Then somebody said:
"That's easy enough; he counts the watch
ticks"
"Try it," replied Murphy.
The gentleman tried, but was twelve Sec
onds out of the way when he stopped the
watch.
'It's not the watch BEATS" said the driver,
"slthough they assist me some. I 60 by my
general knowledge Of short spaces Of time,
which have acquired by experience. The
first time ever tried to guess time was
away back In 90, on the old Long Island
course. They had fair there one day, and
among the prizes offered was one to the man
who could drive horse mile the closest to
three minutes. entered, aud among my
competitors was an old driver named George
Nelson. He was we'll known In that section,
and everybody thought that what he didn't
know about sll kinds of horse racing wasn't
worth knowing. Just before the race he
came to me and said, Johnny, you and /
can win this race. All the rest will follow
me, and III drive the mile IS fast as / can.
You hold back and win the money 1t was
Just as he said. When the word was given
be started off at q full speed, and all the
rest followed him. He crossed under the
wire Ia 2:42. Iheld back and by calculating
the time thought must be pretty close to
three minutes when / finished. The judges
hung out 3:00t-just half second over time.
| can calculate distances pretty well, too,
and il is now 1925, and my train leaves for
New York at 1882. think have just time
to reach the depot" and bidding his auditors
good. bye the driver started for an Asylum
street car.
Murphy's skill In calculating or guessing"
time Is very remarkable. One day, q week
or two ago, at the Gentlemen's Driving Park
in New York, Mr.. David Bonner remarked
to friend that Murphy could drive his horse
within two seconds of any time between 2:25
and three minutes which might be named.
The gentleman doubted the statement, and
asked Murphy to drive mile between 2:35
and 2:37. Mr.. Bonner's horse was hitched
to sulky and Johnny" started. He drove
rapidly 10 the three-fourths quarter pole and
everybody thought him away of from the
time. In the home stretch he pulled his
horse almost 10 q standstill and then logged
under the wire In 2:36a. On other occasions
he has disployed similar knowledge Of time
and If anybody believes the calculations are
simple let him take his W stch from his pocket
and experiment by trying to guess a minute.
He will soon be convinced.