Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-14
TR0TTER BEATS PAGER.
FAMOUS MATCH FOR $4,000 AT
A DISTANCE OF TEN MILES.

Six Miles Were Covered In Fifteen Min
utes Fifty-five and One-haIf Seconds,
Victor Made the Tenth Mile in 2:3e.
My mind wanders back through an in
teryal of years to a day in the long ago.
before the majority of the present genera
ton OF racegoers were born, and TO race
that was ut that day sensational and one
that would tomorrow draw such crowd
as would fill the Golfers of the association
giving it as they were never before filed
The race was at ten miles mot ten heats.
remember) for purse of $4,000, and the
horses that measured strides were the trot-
ter Prince, driven by the late Hiram Wood
ruff, and the PAGER Hero, handled by the
renowned George Spicer The meeting
took place on the old CentrevilIe course in
the fall of 1853 | can remember the day
quite distinctly. The weather was fine.
the atmosphere clear, cool and bracing.
Within the grounds and in the trees and
on knobs surrounding were assembled
fully 10000 persons, who came from far
and near to see the event that had been
held in lively anticipation for months
Among the throng that packed the stand
am O'SAhoNSd bHc ittWu were DOIltlclanS
Of national prominence, lawyers of great
repute, solid men of business, sporting men
pure and simple, and even clergymen, and
ladies God bless 'em). And what would
you say today to see men at the track
dressed in swallow tail coats, with wide
expanse Of shirt bosom, and cravats that
could In an emergency be used as table
covers That was the way we dressed in
1888, and the wide brimmed tiles worn then
would appear ludicrous now.
THE FIRST TWO MILES.
The race was called about o'clock. The
track was in excellent order, and the horses
appeared in superb condition, trained, as
we say now, to the minute Hero was the
favorite, and 500 to SIS was staked on him,
probably to the amount of $4,000 or $50
UOO, in those days considerable money.
The Judges called the drivers up to the
stand and stated the conditions of the race
and cautioned them in much the same
manner sometimes practiced nowadays re-
garding any violation of rules and then
they were given the start, the PAGER having
the pole and leading round the first turn.
In my minds eye can see the race as plain
ly as though it were but yesterday instead
of nearly forty years ago
On the backstretch the PAGER waited for
the trotter and let him come alongside, it
being apparent at this early stage that
Spicer did not intend to go any faster than
Hiram would make him, at the same time
keeping the latter on the outside all the
way round, thereby making him go
greater distance in the race They kept
side by side until they reached the lower
turn, when Hiram pulled in behind Hero
and waited until he reached straight work
h..b Il. IL L
the two came to the stand with the wheels
OF their sulkies as close together as it was
possible to get them without touching.
The first mile was done in 2:44
On the second mile Hiram. seeing
through Spicer's tactics, began to crowd
him. The pace of both horses now became
accelerated, and it was evident that Hiram
intended to force his adversary TO a break
down, believing presumably that his horse
would prove the better stayer Spicer
Kept the PAGER well in hand, and would not
go any fasterthan he was absolutely com
PEELED to. The trotter again fell in behind
on the lower turn, and again made brush
up the homestretch, the pair coming to the
stand head and head. The time for this
mile was 2:35
HOW THE RACE WAS WON
On the third mile Woodruff pursued the
same tactics as in the two preceding miles,
only putting on little more steam, which
compelled the PAGER TO add little more
pressure, and away they dashed around
the upper turn and down the backstretch
at killing pace. They came to the stand
on even terms in the third mile, Hiram
enchanting to friend as they passed. 1--WE
got him, sure" Time, 2:33 l-5.
The fourth and fifth miles were run in
precisely the same manner, both horses
coming to the wire like team. The time
for the fourth mile was 2:39 and the fifth
2:3a. On the sixth mile the trotter became
the favorite, any amount Of money being
offered on him, without takers. He took
she pole on the first turn, in spite of
Spicer's efforts to force the PAGER to extend
and the latter began to show
symptoms of distress He struggled brave
ly, however, but the trotter opened the
gap at every stride. At the half mile pole
he was fifty yards in front, without the
slightest abatement of his speed; but on
the lower turn Hiram let him up, and took
1t more moderately up the homestretch,
coming to the line in 2:46, having per
formed the six miles in l5:551S, an average
OF less than 240 for the six miles
When the PAGER reached the stand il was
evident he had enough, and he was stopped
at the wire. A more exciting race. as long
as it lasted, ! have never seen
The trotter was then slowed to an easy
gait, as it was unnecessary to drive him up
to his speed any longer, and he was walked
and logged the next three miles, keeping
as fresh as possible for the last mile, his
owner having wager of $500 that be
would make the tenth mile in less than
three minutes. The time of the seventh
mile was sos. the eighth 6lS and the ninth
b:l9, but be was let out on coming to the
wire and started to decide the wager. dash
ing off at an astonishing rate of speed,
which he kept up throughout the mile,
performing the distance in 2:39-the great
est feat ever known
How many horses are there in training
today that can trot six miles in less than
sixteen minutes, jog along three miles fur
Their and then wind up by doing a mile in
2:59Y Who are theyf-Judson Jay in New
York Sun.
Reading Character by the Nose.