St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-10
BIRDS At BATTLE.

An Erciitnc CocGinG luGin in Which the
T,co cities Furnish COm6Gtants.
Almost from time immemorial the cooking
main has been q sport possessing peculiar
charms in the eyes OF the thousands. Dur
ing the past two or three years they have not
been infrequent in Minnesota. As a rule
the battles have been between game birds in
ST. Paul and Minneapolis.
IT WAS ALL on THE QUIET.
That a cock-fghting contest was to be held
was known TO but comparatively few of the
local sports until yesterday morning, when it
was mentioned very cautiously and not
above q whisper. At IL o'clock the parties
who were to witness the battles OF the games
congregatcd at n given point, and half hour
later private conveyauccs began to file across
suspension bridge. 1t was done so quietly
that not Il suspicion was aroused. few
thereiwere, however, who felt somewhat dubi-
Gus, and on the road every now and again, they
would east anxious glances toward the city
half expecting 10 see blue-coated preservers
Of the peace aud protectors OF the law on the
trail. But the preliminares had been ar
ranged with the sagScty proverbial of the
managers and no officer knew Of the cxcur-
sion. IL was something like 4 ten-mile
drive ont across hill and dale into a grove,
and Il was matter Of half hours work to
build mp the pit, and then 1t was that the
betting began. The Flour City hackers gave
odds on their bird which was the first to tread
the main. Some little delay was met with
in matching the birds. Each party wished to
have slight advantage in weight,
and each demurred to the others having any
advantage whatever. Finally all differences
OF opinion were adjusted 10 the manifest
satisfaction Of interested parties, and
TIE SPURS WE'RE CAREFULLY ADJUSTED
according to the code. The trainers stepped
quietly to the center of the pit, and the
feathers OF the two red games were rubbed
against each other for a few seconds, and
the birds were mad rs wet hen" as the
phrase goes. J'The ttme-keeper called light"
the cocks flew at each other and the battle
was fast and furious. The accepted rules
were strictly adhered 10. The st. Paul
bird proved the ''better man." aud in ten
minutes drove his spur into 4 vital part, and
the Minneapolis bird bit the dust. The Min
neapolis boys looked little blue, but were
not discouraged. Bring up another
cock they shouted, but they did not feel
inclined to place large sums Of money on
their pit There is where they made y mis-
take. The tables were turned, for the Min
neapolis bird crowed over the dead body Of
its antagonist in five minutes. The third
battle WAS won by st. Paul and the fourth
and nth BY Minneapolis.
THIS HARDEST RATTLE
OF the day was the sixth The birds were the
pride Of the breeders, sud they were so
nearly matched that the average spectator
could not distinguish (which from 'tother."
They were handsome black-breasted red
games. The ST. Paul fowl was just an
ounce the heavier aud was slightly the
stronger and maintained perceptible ad-
vantage from the drst The battle lasted
fifteen minutes and the eamy Minneapolis
bird would not quit until he fen dead in the
pit.
Here arose a dispute again as to matching
birds Each city had won three battles, aud
honors were easy. The spectators expressed
desire 70 see the main continued. There