Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-14
A Little Talk With Mr.. Gerald.

One of the successful men of Maine is
Mr.. Amos F. Gerald, of Fairfield, who
adds to level headed shrewdness, that
quality of genialty and pleasant address
which makes him an agreeable seat-mate
on railway train, or companion on an
outing excursion. He is largely inter
ested in electric lighting, is one of the
leading stockholders in the Waterville
and Fairfield street railway company, in
terested in our new Capital Park, largely
engaged in breeding fine horses, and has
numerous ''chunks' in other business en-
teprises in different parts of Maine, all of
which promise success.
Have been on to New York." he said,
as he asked Journal representative to
take seat with him. and then in answer
to question put in corner-ways as he
was talking, which would have been
an uncivil thing to do with anybody but
"Amos," or one as good natured as he is,
he said, Eyes, saw Wallace, a man who
has done more to aid the systematic
breeding of the American trotter, and to
preserve his pedigree and record than any
other man living; a pleasant faced Old
gentleman who has been fighting for his
way all his life, but who now seems to be
well fixed and enjoying things. He ridi-
cules the idea of DR.. Bailey that the limit
of speed of the trotter has been reached.
10 ,n11 10 hr Ratonv- mn
says he don't know a little bit about the
trotting horse, but all the same Or. Bal
ley is we'll posted, and is preparingto de
fend his position that it is impossible to
expect to see the trotting record lowered
any for Il hundred years to come
"What do you think of it yourself:
"Think of it, why bless your soul,
dear man, do you suppose we have
reached the limit of improvement in any
thing, no sir. Look at the Patent office,
why it is now crowded with business as
never before. In the matter of electric
lighting and electric motors, in which |
am somewhat interested, improvements
of so brief time az few months as
| tonish me. Why. they have portable
batteries now, so that farmer, when he
goes to town once a week, can put box
into his wagon as he would carry grist
to mill, get it charged for almost nothing,
carry it home, and it will light his house
and drive his sewing machine for week.
And see the street cars now driven by
electricity. 1t is a marvel; and if the
charter for our Waterville street railway
did not COMPEL us to use horses,
we should surely employ electricity
and we are going to employ electricity to
drive our cars in less than two years, now
remember what / tell you. And do you
suppose our horses are going to stop at
covering mile in 2.0s 81, no sir, not a
bit of it. | predict, and want you to
notice what | say, that inside of five years
the record will he lowered below 2.07, and
yet DIR. Bailey thinks that for a horse to
ever trot in 2.07 is impossible"
son straight track"
"Probably. You see there is great loss
! III tTOltlDg pu d nan iidth anu ptttti
time can be made on mile track, like
| the old one at Bangor where the State
fairs were formerly held, than on a halt
mile, but you see there was no fun in
it. When the horses were past the
spectators once, there was an end to it
and it was but few seconds, for the dis
lance across circle a mile in circum
ferance was so great that the race ant
s'home stretch" could not be seen well
and people who go to see horse race
want their pleasure to last for a longe
time than while the horse is just dashinS
past them once. Americans like publi'
amusement. and the trotting park will al
WAYS have its patrons from all classes o
our citizens. for this there is nothin.
so popular as half mile track
But | think before many years IT,
interest in trottng in this State will be :
great that horsemen will build straigh
mile track in some place in the centra
part of the State, for the purpose of givin
their horses record after the regula
trotting season is over. Yes, feel sur
of it.
Augusta" shouts the guard, for VIII
should brakeman be called brakema
when the Engineer with his thumb an
! finger on the Westinghouse valve, brake
up every car on his train And your T,
porter says good bye. as ''Amos" answer
"call again