The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-09-25
OLD JACK WAS THE HORSE HERO
Exciting Free-for-AII Race at Cum
berland.
The Pulling of the stately
Oxen.
Other Sights and Deeds at the Farm
ers' Club.

fortunate in clear, bright morning yester-
day, but nevertheless the crowd was larger
than the day before. BY noon there was a
large attendance and the smiles grew per-
ceptibly upon the faces of President G. A.
Merrill, Secretary M. w. Pearson and Treas
urer N. M. Shaw. especially the latter. Many
Portland people were In the crowd.
The first event of the day, and one Of the
most solemn and stately events Of the fair,
was the pulling match between oxen. The
object Of the match Is to see what farmer In
all the country around has the ablest yoke OF
oxen. The OK is dlgnified beast under all
circumstances, so the pulling event is always
solemn and stately.
For the first class they loaded 1886 pounds
Of granite rocks onto drag. and hitched on
the yoke of five year olds, white faced Here
ford oxen belonging to N. Porter Of Yar-
mouth. The HereforGs were small but sol
Id. and the apples Of Mr.. Porter's eye.
When he waved the g0ad over them they
walked right off with the load as IL 1t had
been baby carriage. Mr.. Porter was much
elated at this performance Of his seven foot
oxen.
Charles Morrill, then brought forward
yoke Of big Durhams belonging to Merrill
Brothers Of Cumberland. Mr.. Morrill, is a
sober and careful man. with reputation as
a great OK teamster; but he could not get the
Durhams to do much. He finally unlocked
them with the remark that there seems TO
be something under that drag a sticking on
It,"
The committee, which consisted OF the vet
eran ox-driver, Luther Perkins Of Poland.
G. r. Loring Of North Yarmouth. and Rob
ert Leighton Of Falmouth. awarded the first
prize of S5 to Porter's yoke, and the second
of S4 to Morrill's.
The next event was for larger oxen girth-
ing about seven feet four inches. Mr.. o. w.
Rolfe of Deering brought forward yoke OF
white faced oxen with big spreading horns.
They were as dignlfed appearing beasts as
any attending the fair. When they were
hitched onto that drag with the 1886 pounds
of stone they crawled off like rats with 1t
and took the first prize Of S5. The second
prize OF S4 in this class went TO N. Packard
CT Falmouth.
The third class was rather the best. 1t
was for great oxen. seven feet eight inches
in girtb, and the weight Of stone was in
creased to 5l06 pounds. When the word
was given William Smell CT Falmouth-he
told the judges that everyone called him BIZ
brought forward a yoke of huge, deter
mined looking beasts that peram0ulated
along like dowagers. The appearance Of
the oxen, with the Benjamin franklin nose
of Smell, presaged victory. Smell shook his
goad, resounding "Hish Line! Hish
Line !" rose over the fair grounds. and those
oxen walked of with that 5l06 pounds Of
stone, winners Of the first prize as 1t after
wards turned out.
Charles III. Morrill, Of Cumberland-who
also has BENJAMIN Franklin nose-now
wear oids. Buck" and BROAD" 1t was a
splendid team, and with Morrilps reputation
as a driver, it looked as though Smell might
be beaten: But the oxen did not pull very
sroaud Ms 41 ST the moTe visorous sps Fl
naly, Morrill,, yelling Broad. .ye Devil,
| braided the faint hearted beast. Ole
"Broad" made a beautiful brace and the
LOAD went along in fine shape. But they
could get only S4. second prize.
Geo. r. Leighton Of Cumberland, hitched
on next. broke his yoke aud got the third
This ended the pulling. Some think 1t is
moderate with their beasts; and the oxen
certainly did not labor as hard as do horses in
tr0t.
CenNemen's Driving Horses.
While the pulling was going on the match
of genttlemen's driving horses took place.
There were four entries:
Bay mare Iris, owned by o. Thomes Of Cum
Brown gelding Dick Redwood, owned by j. B.
Thomes, Cumberland.
Dark bay mare. owned by Miss Annie Purinton
of Falmouth, and driven by Carl Stewart.
o. S. Thomes's Iris came In first and John
G. Munroe's horse second. But the judges
consider not only speed, but breeding. style.
ETC., and declared that on all considerations
the second Premium should go to Dick
Redwood, Iris getting first. Some Of Mr..
Munroe's friends kicked at this, but the
committee maintained their decision.
Additional Premiums.
Butter, cheese and bread-Mrs. L. II. Morrill,,
bread, LIST, bunns, LIST; Mrs Clarence Prince,
s. Blanchard, butter, list.
House plants and cut fiowers-H. F. Farrs.
Msst PoIgass 1a MIS- srrs
| Hall, Cumberland, plants, I'd; May +. Hall, dah-
las, 1st; Mrs. NJ. w. Pearson, cut flowers, list;
Cumberland, Cum % cut flowers, I'd Mrs. NJ W. Pear
son, pansIes, list; Mrs. NJ. w. Pearson, astres
| I'd; Mrs. J. w. shaw, astres, list; Miss X. Z.
| Prince, n. Yarmouth, bouquet list; Hattie Huiit,
| Poultry-Geo. A. Cleayes, Yarmouth, coop
| Mlnorcas, list; coop, seabrights. I'd; Howard
| Sklllings, trio Seabrights, "a; +. s. Blanchard
| trio Pekin ducks, I'd; 4. 3. Blanchard, TIC
| Toulouse geese, list; Wallace Merrill, trio Pekir
A ist T F. blanchard % n trio ducks, s "a; % Levi Had
| lock, trio ducks, I'd; Graclc Hadlock, white Leg
horns, list; f.. A. shaw, trio ducks, 1st, white
Bramah, I'd; Charles Young, Pekin ducks, LIST
| Howard & Richards, black HamDurgs, list and
I'd; chicks, I'd; Langshans, I'd; X. Z. w. Leg
mouth Rocks, I'd; golden Wyandottes, LIST; Crested
i Polish, LIST aud I'd; black Langshans, I'd; Ham
fIss Of aoaasns "a ans
chicks, I'd; white Leghorn chicks, I'd.
The Races.
In the judges stand yesterday Mr.. E. N
Greeley took Mr.. VIM. Irish's place as one Of
the judges, and Mr.. o. L. Rldeout Of Port
land acted as secretary. Everything looked
especially promising at the opening Of the
races. The attendance was large, the grand
stand full and many people and teams wert
crowded In the areas on both sides OF the
| track for some distance on either side OIL the
judges stand AS 1t came time to call the
first race. 1.-THE sun came out. and the clouds
that had veiled the sky all the forenoon
| rolled away.
There was, for the first heat Of the
minute class, considerable scoring by tht
five horses that appeared. G. L. NJ. bad thu
pole and being a lutte slow gettlnI
under way, the other horses woulC
come ahead of him. Finally thI
threat Of a fine caused them to get away II
fair order, @. L. NJ. at pole, st. James next
Dolly Ill. Sd, Dick M. Atm and Genera
Weaver on the outside.
On the first quarter Dolly Ii. and ST. Jane
forged ahead, General Weaver and Dick M
coming together behind, and @. 7. M. last
At the half st. James was little ahead o
Dolly a., who was making good fight TO
first place. Behind, General Weaver ant
DICK M. were having close time. unmolest
ed by Q. I. NJ, which was honestly bu
the way around, General Weaver made
dash, gaining on Dolly H., which was still
struggling in vain to head st. James. whicl
came In an easy winner.
The second heat was a fight between st
James and Dolly Ii. At the half Dolly ha,
managed to pass St. James, which broke an,
was running as they went under the wire