Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-09-19
SLEPT ON The TRACK
That's What Hx-Mayor DikemAn
Says Hs Did.
NELSON'S FElIIH IlLK OF THECIIY
Everybody Lays Aside Dsssssss 60 raik
saerss" aad the Wonderful Per-
fsrmaaess Of Nelson and Aieryea
Ysstsrday-What They bay.

The hotel Hobbies and the club houses
were well filed last evening and there
was but one topic Of conyersation--the
races OF the day and the performances
OF Nelson and Aicryon in particular.
The horsemen Of the city were jubilant
over the great event at tho West Michi-
gan track for they knew that the wires
leading to every great city IN the land
wero whispering the fact that Nelson,
the monarch Of the turf, had beaten his
best record on the Grand Rapids track.
IL was impossible to tell who was most
delighted. Mr.. Nelson or Messrs. Dixie
man and Leathers. Mr.. Dikemsn's en-
thusiasm knew no bounds. Said he:
~ have slept on that track, you might
say. in order to bring it to its present
condition, and in spite Of all the pooh
pooling have believed ever since its
completion that il Was the equal Of any
course in the country. The record OF
this day bears me out in my claim"
"How was il about the timing of Nell
son; was it 2:l0 HAT or 2:093?"
How tho Record Was Given.
"I'll tell you how it was. Mr.. Leath-
ers. Mr.. Mcintyre and DR.. Brigham
each made it 1904 and caught il st
2:l0. Just before the races took pains
to test my watch and it goes exactly
with the regulator In my store. know
it is right and the other watches may
be trlfie slow. had much rather make
the time q quarter slower than quarter
faster than it really was when there Is
good reason for believing that l am
correct. Why if that horse had been
driven properly ON the last quarter OF
thel first trial he would have come
home in 200 fiat; there's not doubt OF
1t in my mind. He made the three
quarter post in 1887 and had gone the
slowest quarter OF our track in 50. Had
he come home in 80 he would have
made it in 2:l0, and the way he turned
into the home stretch satisfies me that
he would have made it in 80. 1t was a
wonderful performance and very few
of the crowd who witnessed it will ever
see it beaten"
George Robens said: II tell you
gentlemen, Nelson is wonderful horse.
With proper weights and proper driving
he can go on the track and beat Maud
SIS record any day."
Nelson VIII Return Later.
Mr.. Nelson says: off the weather
proves favorable and the horse is all
right am coming back here in October
to give him lower mark yet. ! know
that have warm friends here in Grand
Rapids and shall never forget the
kindness and courtesy that have been
shown me here. When Mr.. feathers
and others of your horsemen wrote to
the American Trotting Association say
ing: Gentlemen, ii you refuse to re-
instate Nelson, we shall refuse to JOIN
either trotting association 1t had some
weight, and l thank them for the in.
terest they took in my behalf. When
they wrote for me to come l came and
exhibited my horse under clrcum-
stances which no horse Of his record
was ever exhibited before. am CON-
ing again if l and my horse live"
Henry F. Mccormick said "1f Al
cryon had been sent over the north end
track ut the pace he went today he
would have made the mile in 2:l2 Hat
During the evening the knots OF
horsemen would gather here and there
to tell the story over and over and il
will be many year before the first
record of the West Michigan track il
forgotten.