Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-07-09

There was quite crowd in town by
nine o'clock, and the people present had
plenty of time to walk around the streets,
wonder when anybody was going to be
gin to do anything, and wipe the perspi-
ra ton from their faces as they contiden-
! tally made remarks to each other on the
subject of the weather. In fact there
was altogether too much weather, and
every body seemed sensible of that fact
1t continued hot and sultry all day, so
much so, indeed. that it was almost inn
possible to enjoy the day or any of its
occurrences.
1t was ABOUT II o'clock when the cele
bration was formally opened with the
procession of horribles. 1t was in truth
horrible procession, and, for the num-
ber of participants, was ahead of any
thing the writer had ever before seen.
The carriages, carryalls, one-hoss shays.
etc. were not only remarkable and
unique, but were entitled to the pancake,
and took it. The Middlebury band, in
most fantastic costumes, headed the pro-
cession. and in truck team in the line
there was a drum-corps. seated among
whom was a very handsome old individ-
ual of the colored kind. The procession
paraded the principal streets for about an
hour, and was followed by the race of
horribles, on the fair grounds. There
were three entries for the race of horri-
bes, and all three drove the same rigs in
which they had appered in the procession.
j. X. Piper and Charles \. Chapman of
Middlebury and an unknown entered for
the fun. 1t was mile race on very
dusty track. before "A large and perspir
| ing crowd. The unknown came in first
with flying discolorS, Charley Chapman
taking the second money.
At half-past one the sports of the day
We're to be maugurated on the fair
ground. but it was fully two o'clock when
the lOO-yard race. the first of the events.
wa, started. Col. \. :. Tracy was the
Judge in all the contests, and his part of
the work was well done.
For the l0O-yard foot race there were
five entries, as follows: Leger Panton of
Nergenne> and W. G. Spillngs. Jerry
Mulligan. James Forrest and Will Powers
of Middlebury. Young Forrest won the
race as he liked. while Panton got the
second money. Forrest has both bottom
and speed. and it was evident that with
proper training he could be made to rank
up among the best of the ShOrt-distance
flyers. No time was taken for the race.
Next came the running high Jump. In
this contest there were four entries,
namely. Will c. Spillings, James Forrest
and Peter Donnelley of Middlebury and
Carlos Plude of Nergennes. Plude, af-
ter three trials at the first altitude, was
able to get over the line without touching
it with his feet or hands. Spillings had
apparently hard work at the first trial.
the height being / - feet. he needing
his whole three trials to get clearly over
the line. After that the three remaining
competitors went easily and gracefully
over the rope at successive rises until it
had been raised TO ) feet inch. All went
over it very handsomely at that altitude,
but when the string was put up to > feet
inches, Forrest and Donnelley, after
eXhausting their chances, failed to clear
the line. Spillings went over it quite
easily and apparently could have done Il
couple of inches more if it had been nee
essary in order to win. But it wasn't.
\ sack race, distance 100 feet. came
next There were three contestants and
all of them were from Nergennes, viz,
Carlos Plude, Johnny LaBow and Henry
January. The race was very uninter-
esting one. January won and every one
was glad when ii was over with.
The sack race was followed by a wheel
barrow race. The entries were La Bow
of Nergennes and Forrest and Spilings
of Middlebury, and the race was at a
quarter of a mile, best two heats in three.
The race was procession in the two
heats necessary, young Forrest leading
all the time and winning first money,
with Spillings second in both heats and
winning second prize. The bicycle race
failod up for lack of entries.
Immediately after the sports on the
fair grounds came the game of baseball
on the college grounds, between nine
players picked up in town, reinforced by
Capt. Ross of the college nine, and the
college nine, reinforced by the pitcher of
the Panton club. There were some nice
points made in the five innings played,
and the picked nine won by a score of
II toll.
Professor Whatshisname, who was adj
vertised to jump over the falls, performed
the feat at about o'clock in the evening.
The band marched down to the bridge
and played, and dummy figure was pro
jected out of the top-story window of the
marble mill into the river. The dummy
was clad in red, and at late hour at