Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-31
SPORT GALORE.
A LIVELY COOKING MAIN At FULTON LAST
NIGHT.
Over Two hundred Sports See the Birds at War-A
A Gasoline Explosion Adds to the Excitement
An All Night Session.


az Fulton. and ere the shades OF night
had fallen the plans for the fight had
assumed a sufficiently tangible shape 10
put the boys on their guard. Several
well known lovers OF the birds arrived
in town yesterday from neighboring
cities, and the merits and dement's of
I the respective birds was the chief gossip
of the day at all the rendezvous about
town.
shortly after seven O'Clock hacks and
private teams conveyed large number
Of the boys 10 the scene OF war, while
the eight o'clock motor was crowded
with expectant spectatorSt There were
I fully two hundred Of the representative
sports present, including fifteen from
Parkersburg and others from Benwood,
PittSburg. Allegheny, Bellaire and some
other Ohio towns. The fight took
place in East Fulton, and the battle
ground was admirably adapted for the
purpose except that it was trifle
small Ii took place in
THE CELLAR BASEMENT
of 4 building adjoining one of the Sa-
/ looms, and the entrance 10 the coveted
enclosure was by a circuitOuS route from
the street entrance OF the saloon. Every
man on entering the basement anted up
his little tiity-ccnt piece to the door
keeper. and il the admission had been
twice that sum, the gathering would
probably have been comfortably large.
| II was one of the biggest
crowds that ever attended a cock
fight in this section. There was per-
feet Jam in the basement. and Is 1t was
only thirty feet square and twelve feet
high, the two hundred sports had to do
some tall manpuvering TO keep in view
of the ring, in consequence OF which
there was great deal of jostling, and
crowding, and edging in and out, all
accompanied with appropriately flavor
I'd remarks. The pit was twelve feet
square. and octagonal as to corners,
being formed of boards about a foot
high and upholstered with some soft
material on the inner side, the floor OF
the pit being OF tan-oark.
In one corner of this Sardine-
packed apartment was an improviSed
raw beef and cheese sandwiches and
chunks of apple and mince pie, while
in another corner diagonally
ACROSS TIE BASEMENT
a sport was whooping it up on a game
OF chance. Four burners OF gasoline
from iron pipes attached to 4 big can of
the fluid that was hung up on rafter
= -. Ff.lfr
"bloOds." A portion OF the seats In the
basement were on the Roman coliseum
plan on L small scale, but they were far
from being sufficient TO accommodate
the gathering. and were too far re-
moved from the ring to enable any one |
10 sit down and see anything. The |
heat from the gasoline amid such jam |
of people was almost intolerable. You
could cut the atmosphere in slices. But |
the gasoline burned right on, and the |
sports with all eyes riyeted on the light, |
grinned and bore il with marked COM |
placency. Some of them actually seem
"a to be- getting Il meal of the air.
The first fight was between birds rep !
reSenting Wheeling and ParkerSburg, !
the former being owned by Il well-known /
game fancier in the Eighth ward, and |
the other by that pioneer Of cock night |
ers In Petersburg who has figured in |
the ring for oyer thirty years. The |
preliminaries occupied considerable |
time. and somewhat reminded one OF |
the wierd proceedings in an amputating /
theatre. The owners Of tue birds were |
busy cutting the tail feathers, putting |
on the steel spurs. and otherwise get
ting the featherDd combatantS into |
shape. During this interval betting OF |
all kinds was being cooked up,
'Say, Gully, I'll jes' go yer flyer on |
that Wheeling chick"
Nav. Jim. I'm on ter yer Gimme !
show. old pard?" 4
Say. see here, what yer want, the |
earth? I'll make 'er i've To four. Shove |
mp your rocks"
Here's your stuff. Bet money, old |
pard. you're knocked out
keep yer shirt on"
And so the conversation went on in |
this way in lively shape all over the /
basement. As soon rs the birds were /
placed in tina ring the betting liyened up |
and for few moments the air seemed
full Of five and
TEN DOLLAR BILLS,
and silver dollars. The opening fight
between Wheeling and Parkersburg was
for 80 side, and some $500 exchanged
hands on the outside. They were both