The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-04-15
COMING TO THE FRONT.
What Tennessee Has Done and Is Do
ing for the Light Harness
Horse Industry.
The Great Hal Family, and the Only
Hal Pointer.


cession of thoroughbred race horses of
the very highest caste, from the his
tOric days of Tennessee Oscar, of |
Monsieur TOuson and Sir Richard, |
and OF the immortal mare Gamma to |
those OF the present, which gave W !
Luke Blackburn, George Kinney and |
Proctor Knott, it has remained for |
the last half decade to witness the |
Inauguration of new era in the |
equine history of the state-One in |
which the swift trOtter and PAGER is
rapidly OverhAuIing his thorough
bred competitor in the race for pOpu-
lar admiration aud favor, with the
promise OF soon having the contest
won.
1t was in 1881 that Tennessee was
first brought into more than pas ing
notice In the light harness world by
the triumphal progress down the
circuit Of the PAGER Little Brown Jug
"a progress which eliminated in
those three heats in 2:lIA, 2:1124
aud 2:l21I, which for 80 long stood at
the head OF all harness records, and
were hnally only supplanted by the
still more magnificent performance
OF his own kinsman and cOmpatriOt
in 1890. In the interim had also been
furnished the turf world another
wOrld-beAter from the sunny southern
stAte-BrOwn Hal, whose 2:l2H WAS
not only the fastest record ever made
by q pacing stallion up to that date
(lSS9), but still remains the best heat,
either paced or trJIted, by an entire
horse in q split-heat contest.
The Tennessee PAGERS, as q pacing
family, are so far ahead in this one
sphere that they are well-nigh alone
in the race, and, while their numbers
and quality are constantly increas-
ing, the undisputed pre-eminence be-
longs to Hal Pointer as the most
supremacy great OF glorious race.
A marvel OF speed and cOnstancy,
the fierce light that beats about n
throne" has but brought out the full
grandeur OF a career which will, per-
'AAps, stand without q parallel, not
only in his own generation, but i'll all
those to follow.
Undisputedly first in the PrOduc-
ton OF a race OF pacing-bred PAGERS,
tennessee is fast attaining a prom
inent place as great mother of trot-
ters. Since the foundation, i'm 1885,
OF the Hermitage Stud at Nashville,
with the mighty WedgewOod at its
head, the interests of the diagOnally-
gated harness performer have been
steadily gaining impetus, until the
past year has witnessed, in every
branch OF the industry, an almost
phenomenal growth.
On the active field OF battle, while
Hal Pointer was Ringing il among
the PAGERS, the fOur-year-Old FLY,
Belle Archer 2:l514, was adding to
the laurels OF the state of her ma
tivity by showing herself the great
est race-mare OF her age ever upon
the trOtting turf, and Aline 2:l6, af-
ter a campaign OF unusual length and
severity, closed the season by win
ming the greatest race of her career
at Nashville after long being a strHng-
er and 3 pilgrim from her native
heath. 10 2:lSL aud TOsa 2:l9L
gave additional proof that the pro-
ductiOn of 2:2O trOtters in Tennessee
was becoming frequent, and BlOn-
tOniRn set the mark for three year
OIds at 2:22A on hslf-mile track.
At Nashville, where the great
breeding enterprises of the Hermit
tAge Stud, with its wealth of different
strains of the best blood prOcurable,
aud the MelrOse Farm of q. NJ. FOgg
where Gil Curry presides over the ed
ucAtion OF a score OF fast youngsters,
have laid q firm foundation to build
upon, has risen in twelve month the
most magniticently appointed trOtting
course in America. What is now the
park OF the Cumberland Fair and
RAcing Association was, less than a
wear ago, . valley surrounded by
hills through which small stream
wound its way, aud with no visible
Eign Of contemplated Improvement
OF on the same spot WAS held, last
October. one OF the most brilliant and
succ, ssIuI meetings of the year, over
n track pronounced Que of the very
fastest in America, Ornamented with
one of the most elegant Of buildings
aud ADDOintments, which are models
of their kind. To accomplish this al
expenditure Of 100000 WAS needed
while AZ the consequence OF an i'm
msnse amount Of grading, in the pro-
cess of which whole hills were Gu
Mwav and twenty five foot fills made
the entire track is now visible Iron
Muy part Of the grounds. Along the
str.tches are grand stands provided
by the hand of nature herself, while
the spacious betting-ring, club house
aud grand stand are all separate
buildings in the highest degree taste
full aud elegant Tne stableE, which
accommodate about four hundred
bnlses, are arranged in rows, upon
level spaces graded for them at diff
ferent heights upon the hills. An IN
failing spring, from which water IL
bumped to the top Of "a high hill anC
thence, by means OF pipes, distributed
to all parts of the grounds, supplies
an Inexhaustible supply OF pure, cleal
When Cumberland Park, with it.
coucomitant bOulevards aud two cleo
tric roads are fully completed it vii
be unapprOAched by any slmlla
property of the kind in the country
and will afford chance for the hust
ling north to learn n profitable lessor
from the slOw(O south.
Among the many who haV'
hrouyht about this state OF affair
none deserve more credit or nave
IynrLad harder than J. w. Russworm
the Young aud enterprising secretary
and IL nothing else, he has the salts
Faction of knowing his hard, hones
aud successful efforts nave Orouen
him q standing offer from q prom
nant banker for his services at goO'
nTice should he at any time sever hi
aonnaction with the association
which he now so ably represents. 70
the interest of the light-harness hors
i'm general, and the Cumberland Asso
citation in particular, it Is 10 be hope'
matters will be made so sAtlsiactor,
that his services Will be retained II
his present capacity lOr years L
FoTtv-seyen miles from Nashville
lies Columbia, q stirring young cit!
and the capital of Maury county, sur
rounded by the most charming an'
beautiful natural scenery and in tn
midst of section of farming land o
wonderful fertility. Here is the onl!
Kite track in the south, one which i
but entering upon its second season
hut which the echoes from the hur
wing hoof-6eats of Direct ana Ha
Painter In the fastest harness race OF
record have already left heritage o
celebrity.
In the history Of the American
tTotter no city has come to the from
with such rapidity as Columbia. A
10 reputation its already wide spread
so is its popularity among horsemen
and all through the untirlng efforts o
one man. AS the name of Independ
ence at once calAs to mind that OF G
w. Williams, so does the mention q
Columbia recall the fact that to w
q. ioS1eo alone does 1t owe its present
sthpdIne In the turf world. Essen