The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-02
Canadians defeated Cavalry.
Native Sons defer ted Danes.
Irish defeated Spanish
Cavalry defeated English.

didn't know exactly what it WAS and that 1t
is nearly an equine jerk of war, but. how
ever, it is probably the one new thing under
the sun. and everybody ought to know what
it is like.
Alexander Mcneil. the inventive amuse-
ment manager, discovered il one day in New
York. He was then running lay-down-
aDd-pull tug of war. and some of the cav
airy of the New York militia were taking
great interest in il.
"Why don't you get up tug OF war on
horses?" asked Mcneil. who had never
thought of ii before.
The thing was done.
They arranged it differently from the one
at the Pavilion. Four ropes ran each way
from the center, In fan fashion, and rider
Rrasping an independent rope helped pull
for his side. Each horse and rider was in
dependent of the others, and go there was
more tug 10 it. 1t was called tug of war
because the soldiers were in it.
That style would do for the open air. but
not for the Mechanics Pavilion. where the
business would have TO be done in a long
lane, so II WAS planned for five horses along
side one rope.
Well. the prestige of the great interna-
tional tug Of war of last winter came and
thing. and then ii is a novelty anyway. so it
was not strange that 5000 people or there
abouts went to the Pavilion last night TO see
the second nights contest.
The entertainment was not over until after
IL O'clock, so that people would stay good
while for their money. They came early
and rested.
Nobody could have come within a thou
sand miles of guessing what was going to
take place if it had not been told
The inside Of the Pavilion looked like
cross between some sort of q new-fangled
racetrack and lecture-hall.
At half-past most OF the crowd was there
and the gas was burning low and dim.
The reserved seats down both sides of the
hall were well filed near the middle with
ladies and their escorts, and the reserved
seats were glowing with quiet respeeta-
biIity.
The gallery ratings were thick with
heads peering downward.
A picket tence on each side of a long
lane carpeted with shavings was lined with
more sporty looking people, and there was
amass of still more sporty looking fellows
about stage at one side, over which hung
little sign reading "COrbett & Co."
A black-mustached fellow with a voice as
strong as his brothers arm was yelling:
who wants the soldiers, against 10?
Who wants the short end against 7?
Who'll bet against 8? A good bet. Who
wants it 7?'' The voice roared; the silver
jingled and thumped. 1t was just like a
racetrack.
The people in the reserved seats made
all sorts of remarks and wondered, but the
fellows that stood around were intelligent.
ra / al
dams won't win tonight They don't sit in
the saddle right"
well, they've got new horses. They
had 'em htched to big post and they
ierked it clean out Of the ground"
mo, | don't put up a cent. How do l
know It's square ?"
So the discussions ran while the crowd
waited and the clock brought P NJ
The long lane turned at one end toward
the machinery annex. At the center was a
graduated board across the lane with a
travelling marker upon il.
AS the center of the rope went one way or
the other, that was to go TO one side or the
other.
Banners with red letters hung high over
the east end and told what teams would pull
and at which end.
The machinery annex was the stable,
where al immense amount Of saddle ex-
aminations and puttering about lot Of
horses was going Oh.
This all may have had something to do
with the waiting.
Meanwhile hundred boys got in at a
dark corner by tearing a hole 10 the build
ing before a policeman discovered it, and
when four little hoodlums worked side
door loose and dashed for crowd police
man yelled, Ali, therep There was a
little excitement over the mystery of the
racket. and when some wag yelled "a fight"
eco people sampeded for the scene.
The gaslights ali flared up as though the
orchestra was about to play. and fifteen
minutes later band did begin to earn its
money.
whistle blew.
1t was only bluff
1t blew again pretty soon. and then a
circus rider trOtted up the lane On the
biggest and awkwardest Clydesdale that
Morton, the drayman, owns.
The circus rider tried to ride on his knees
On great fat pad. and be suggested
monkey on horseback as he desperately
tried to keep from falling off.
He was the Canadians anchorman, and
that was the sort Of rig be had decided he
ought to have.
-Four other Canadians in saddles and
with collars on their horses trotted In too
on as many more Clydesdales.
The rules allow any sort of saddles and
harness. aid man may FIX up any scheme
by which TO brace himself. but he must not
be tied on and must hold TO the rope with
his hands only.
The band struck up yankee Doodle"
and the National Guard cavalry team
pranced in. They had saddles only on
their horses and their horses were rather
light, but quick and active
The long rope cable that lay along the
lane was handed to the mounted men.
They threw themselves over ON their
horses necks, braced one foot in the stirrup
and the other one against the saddle. and
liked themselves to stay aboard when the
pull came.
After good deal OF fixing things the
referees pistol went off.
What happened nobody seemed to know
al first.
The little cavalry horses made lump,
started for the door, and kept on going re-
gardless Of consequences.
The Canadian Clydesdales started. too.
but backward, and mighty quick.
They didn't like travelling that way, and
tried TO turn round.
In second every thing was in q tangled
mess.
Inc Clydesdales hadn't time to start.
drayhorse gathers his feet while and
gels ready Tor big pull when told to 90.
Ibey looked as though they were ready
TO pull whole troop of cavalry anywhere
before the pistol went off, but when II did
they looked as though they were saving,
Great Hambletonianl What's the mat.
teri" They got mixed up In second. the
riders were afraid of getting hurt, and there
wasn't semblance OF pull ON the Cana
dian side.