Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-08-07
sPoKANE's NATIVITY.

A Decision As to Where the Flyer was Born.
Some days ago a very lively, and
what at the time appeared to be very
foolish discussion, arose among horse
admirers here in regard to the truth of
the claim that Spokane was a Mon
tsna colt to the extent of his having
been foaled iu this territory. Long
odds we've given against the claim and
so earnest were the betters on this side
that conviction spread and In a few
hours scarcely anyone could be fonnd
who would back the previously re-
ceived idea that the horse was Mon
tana born. Later in the same day .
report was spread that telegram had
been received from person in Helena
interested In the horse, TO the effect
that the colt was dropped at Twin
Bridges In this territory. This stiff
fened the backs Of those holding that
belief and they went forth to gather in
the disbelievers and actually succeed
ed in betting them to q standstill at
even money. Here the matter rested
until an authoritative decision could be
bad, and by common consent the
Spirit Of the Times was written to for
. decision. This decision is In the
issue OF August 3rd, and is a. follows:
CIV. A.-Milss City, Mont: Where was spo.
kane foaled Answer: At Gsnl. Row ,tts, in Mi.
nois.
inssmuch rs the reply is not ss def
mite or detailed as one might expect
from so high authority, thereby indi-
eating lack of full information, and
q possibility Of error. the parties hav.
ing stakes up have declined to &C.
uuesce In a surrender Of them until
further convinced. The only author.
ity beyond the esprit" il "Bruce's
Stud Book" the author Of which Is
also editor Of the Turf, Field and
Farm" This latter publication ha'
been written 10. and in due time the
final decision will he ammo need.
IL Is impossible to say now where oi
frou whose statement the belief ORR
z;uated in Montana, but II Is clear in
the memory Of everyone who read the
story OF the winning OF the Kentucky
Derby in June last, that all account,
sgresd rs to the fact that the horse
frat saw daylight at Noah Armstrong;
farm at T~in Bridges, Montana, and
II It were not so, one would certainly
have looked for a contradiction at ibs
time. Spokane, before winning tb,
Kentucky Derby, was Of no more ac-
count to the world st large than any
one Of hundred other well bred and
likely youngsters unknown to fame,
but with his great achievement came
q demand from the public 70 know
every fact and detail Of his birth and
lineage. That this demand was re-
spopded to fully and truthfully the
reading public had no reason to doubt,
but II II should prove otherwise o. TO
the point here at issue, the course Of
those informed in permitting 30 i'm
uortant fact to be mis-stated, will be
commented on severely by those who
hacked the statement that he was
Montana born. There could bs no
reason for supprtssing the truth and
allowing q mis-statement to gain cur
rency exec pt to put the horse forth ss
Montana born and bred and even this
seems q senseless proceedin1. ~ no
matter where he was born, his Mon
tana breeding 10 what has made him
the horse he Is, and the mere accident
Of bis having been dropped elsewhere
would not rob our climate Of the rspu-
tation It has earned 10 developing
him. For the present aad until Bruce
IA heard from. II looks a. II the owners
Of Spokane have been somewhat child-
Ish in allowing TO be claimed for their
horss q relAti rely Insignificant point
that could never be established.
while on this subject We would like
10 know Why II 10 that the majority oi
hosss men. whether educated or int