St. Paul daily globe., 1884-09-14
The RQcPS.

The Washington county fair closed its short
but eventful career yesterday afternoon in
blaze OF glory The claim was long ago made
that the Lily Lake park, Saltwater, was the
fastest this side of Milwaukee, but the fact that
the best mile ever made on it up to Friday was
2:25 seemed to give very decided negative to
the claim. Early Friday morning John Splan
drove Johnston quarter in thirty -one seconds,
. ;04 gait, and the great driver expressed the
belief that the Saltwater track was remarkably
fast one, and promised to give the good people
of Washington county some bursts of speed the
equal OF which they had never seen. On Friday
afternoon he made the circuit behind Fanny
Witherspoon in 2:1S without giving her the
whip once during the entire mile. At 2 o'clock
yesterday the wind had whipped itself into
miniature gale, and the audience and drivers
manifested their disapproval in language
more emphatic than elegant. The officers
of the association spent some time
in consultation over the recalctrant attitude as
sumed by the zephyrs, but falling to extract any
comfort from mutual condemnation of the
weather clerk, concluded to proceed with the
programme in the order printed on the card. At
3 o'clock the celebrated PAGERS,
JOHNSTON AND RIoHBALL,
were ordered to take the track Johnston, Com
modore Kittsons flyer, was driven by Splan, and
drew the inside position. Richball was driven
by his owner, John Campbell. After receiving
the vocferous congratulations of the spectators,
among whom were United States Senator d. NJ.
sabn and State senator'J. N. Castle, the horses
were sent around the track few times at good
clip to warm them up. Finally, at is, Starter
McKuslck gave them the word "go," and they
were OF. Johnston jumped length in the lead
in the first twenty rods, and Richball gave him
still more advantage by breaking.
The holders OF tickers were disappointed
at the quarter, az Johnston's time was o4%
seconds, 2:1s gait. The sturdy PAGER, how
ever, picked up his feet rapidly going down the
back stretch and made the second quarter in 33
seconds, a 2 :12 gait, Around the turn the pair
went at terrific pace, Richball gaining at every
step. Johnston covered the third quarter In
321t seconds Richball doing even better than
that and they had grand struggle down the
stretch. splan applied the whip to Johnston
from the distance home, and the wonderful horse
rushed under the wire five lengths ahead, making
the mile in 2:12, the last quarter in 81 seconds,
2:Os gate. When Starter McKusick announced
the time as the best ever made in Minnesota the
crowd sent up shout that cast the Indian war
whoop and the rebel yell in the shade forever.
Everybody shook everybodys hand, and for
twenty minutes the quarter stretch and grand
stand were vacated for lemonade all around.
The enthusiasm Of the Washington county civ
zen was ct white heat, aud be couldn't have been
more thoroughly tickled II Johnston had made
the circuit OF the track in 2:02.
MINNIE p AND FIHEBEASD.
At 4:3O Splan appeared on the track with
Minnie X and Firebrand lie had tried them for
half an hour Friday, but had 70 give up the
! fight because Minnie K insisted on running un-
der tine wire at the start. On this account not
much was expected Of the pair. but the people
/ were given q very agreeable disappointment.
/ Prom the time the sturdy John drove the team
/ IL the gate to the close Of the heat Minnie L
paced without skip suspicion OF a break.
/ They were driven around the track three or four
times TO loosen up their joints and start the per
/ spiratiOn, and then sent away Gin fine form
/ They went against the wind to the quarter pole,
1 and the time, though fast, not up TO eIpec-
I tations Minnie X did some beautiful pacing down
/ the back stretch, and the watch-hOlders began
! to feel better. The team fairly few around the
| turn came down the stretch on the wings of the
wind, and passed under the wire in 2:OsJI, over
two seconds better than they did in Minneapolis
and within two seconds Of their Chicago record.
TBoTTiss, GREEK RACE.
The green race afforded the people grea,
deal Of amusement, but the time made way OF
course very slow. Pinkerton won the frst heat
with great esse, took the second with more diff.
Guilty and surrendered the next three to Frank M
saltwater John and Kate were not fast enough
for their company, and would have been dis
/ tanced had they been given the flag
SUMMARY.
Trotting, green Washington county horses
purse 500.
A. R0hrbaek'ss. $. z. Prank M.s
James Hastings b. e. Pinkerton..,1
Jos. OlsOn'sb b. g. Saltwater John Il 4 3
Rolert 1alloy's b. IN. Kate. 8
IUSsTsG RACE, THREE-oUARTEEs or A EILE.
The three quarters Of a mile dash between
I Gov. Neptune and Firebrand was pretty race
The horses led alternately for the first balf mile
but Neptune here threw In his reserve and went
rapidly TO the front, winning by FIVE lengths il
1:21.
SUMMARY.
Running race, thEee-quarters OF mile.
Isaac Staples en-. 3. Gov. Neptune.
J. Campbelis D. &. FirebrEnd.
Time, :21.
sPLAE AND CAMPBELL.
Al the elose Of the great performance " Min.