St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-08-09
The Excursion Of the 3rd Inst,


d lousas. We do not remember to hav
8 seen one moro so. At 1910 a. Iu., th
excursion train halted at our depot
Nine passenger coaches were filed Will
9 visitors, not vacant seat was to b,
I found, and the standing room wa
jambed. It was interesting to witness
the oGtpourDg of the visitors. There
could not have been fewer than one
thousand of them. Tho ladies formed
a large fraction of them. Checrfuness
was seen in every face, and friendly
greetings heard on every hand. The
hacks, omnibuses, hnggies, gigs and
carriages private and public. were
brought ont, and rolled to and fro along
the streets, but did not suffice to carry
a fifth of the people, who, nothing
dannted, walked from the depot to the
hotels and other places prepared for
their reception.
Many repaired to the Court house and
took seats, and many not to find space
Order was called and onr fellow towns
man, john n. Ggdens the worthy Dis
trict Attorney, made Il splendid well
coming speech to the visitors. He was
followed by another fellow -townsman
W. {. Perrault, who made a short
speech in the same objection, rcmarka-
! BILE for IFS appropriateness and brcvty.
! In response to these, our former fellow
| toWnsman, John Martin, now residing
in the parish Of Lafayette, made we'll
prepared and graceful speech, which
like the two first, was listened to with
close attention. Music was discoursed
preliminary to the speeches, and after. |
The crowd then dispersed, come max |
ing observations about the town, some |
to seek refreshments, and some to greet |
old acqualntances and friends. Glad |
ness was visible on every face. The
gentlemen played the agreeable to the
ladies, and We do not think it an exag
geration to say that, during the day
full two hundred gallons of ice cream
were consumed.
At II O'Clock the cry was, "on to the
race" and "Hcre was hury'uiao to and
no." Id eager quest of means of convey
ance. Every vehicle was brought into
active service, and all went and came
rs rapidly as horses could be safeIv ~
made TO travel
From noon until and o'clock D. H..
mere must have been fully twelve or
fifteen hundred persons on the track.
ne heat was great, but cool lemonade
md Ice cream were to be had in great
Ioundance, together with lunches for
ucf as were hungry. The track was
'eW' 1t was the first use that had been =
made OF it, as a public race course, a
AS usual, there was some DELAY in tbe
nt'ies' lhere were no important q
orses, but we have good breeds here. n
hey lack training, and development.
his was but beginning,-a BEGINNING al
'hich we hope will be improved upon. q
null Opelousas may revive the noble q
10 splendid sporting of the 3O's, during "
Inch, some of the finest studs in the eli
outh were brought here. The renorts pl
their performances were annually ga
aollshed in the Spirit of tie Times. and I'll
'rongh that popular medium made
nown to the lovers of horse-racing al, 10
'er the English reading portions of the th
ooe' Letus strive to recall into active lza
'Joyment the agreeable amusemepts of I'M
at halcyon period. 70
lt Is not impracticable. Every enter ac'
lse must have beginning. We have
gun let us persist and the results us
osI oe commensurate with the efforts t'h
ade ana prudently directed. ye'
a friend has handed Us the following ran
minary, and as we find it full and ex-
no attempt at enlargement 10
'uld be pardonable: we
ne weather was rainy lust before luf
hrst race, and the track was in fair Ii
lditi0n. out
nc hrst race was for two year olds sell
II mile heats; entries were two best no
three. tiol
tobt. Chachere's sorreI colt. org
no. NJ. Ware entered his chestnut tlot
"Allen.r sur
he race was won by "Allen" in two ISL
llght heats. Time: 1:5s, 1:50. v
the race for three year ods there hop
70 only two horses entered: Mr.. Jack hou
-, and Mr.. Mel Durio's
colt. Mr.. Durio's colt was with
Wn on account of lameness.
he third race was for four year olds. Thr r
rles were Mr.. G. NJ. Thompson's sor- see
colt ETHAN" and Mr.. A. HI. Generes, imp
colt Dexter NJ
Dexter" won in straight heats Tina toM
], 3:15f. NJ
~, .., brar
lie fourth race was the event of the retu
, gold medal being offered for the bon1
est horse. The race was free for all ,J1u
ters. ed Z
nc entries were: Mr.. A. l.. Dupre's ,oM NJ
asilington Dun" Mr.. j. 0. Cha ~ NJ
IS chestnut colt "st. Elmo, and n,
NJ: Wares chestnut horse "Ethan this
d. Jr." In the toss ETHAN Allen. MI
got the pole, "St. Elmon next. and is he
aun the outside. ETHAN allen. Jru Cocf
ID stralghts and without an effort. MI
@: 800, 2:5S. after
ter the races were over the excur. R. G,
lists returned to town to amnse Mi
'selves in Terpsichorean style. Mr.. visit