The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-11-25

Seth Griffin Likely to Have Charge of
Rigby Park-Great Horse Times-The
Knox FamiIy--Remarkable History of a
Vicious Young Knox Stallion-The
Curious circumstances Which Left Fine
Patchen Blood in Maine-The Hart Stable
and the Fine Young Deering Stallion
WestIand.
There is every probability that Mr..
Seth Griffin it's builder will have charge
of Rigby park next season. This will
assure as perfect a condition of the
already celebrated new Maine regulation
track as possible. The veteran has not
only constru cted some of the fastest
tracks in the country, but has had ex-
perience in the care of race tracks. He
had charge of the Narragansett track at
Providence, R.I.,s for some years and it
is needless to say that. the famous course
where Maud S. and other great trotters
made world records was never in better
condition than when under the care of
the most successful fast track builder in
the United States. There will be great
work at Rigby next year, not only the
great international horse fair during the
third week of August, but several other
important events, and it seems quite
desirable that Mr.. Griffin should look to
the full development of what he firmly
maintains to be athe fastest track in the
world"
Great Horse Families.
Great individual horses, like great in
dividuals Of the human family, found a
line, and, Maine has been very fortunate
in that direction. The Drew, Knox and
the great Nelson family were founded
in this state, and our progressive horse
breeders have always secured first-class
specimens of the best blood in the
country. The Ham bletonian, through
Rysdyke No.10,e his great sons George
Wilkes, Electioneer, Alcantara and others,
the Patchens, Pilots, ETC., are all so
strongly represented that Maine has be-
come noted for speed and beauty in
horses and it has become a great in
dustry with us, representing very large
amount of money.
For the Knox family we are indebted
to that rare individual, bred in this state,
old Gen. Knox. He was one of those
happy mbines of reliable trotting speed
with the finer grained and more enduring
qualities of the thoroughbred, his sire
beng of the Morgan family as repre-
sented by Black Hawk and the dam a
Kentucky thoroughbred. Gen. Knox was
black horse of powerful action and
such strong character that when proper
ly mated he reproduced himself in
more perfect form as to speed and
beauty. His sons and daughters were
numerous, and for many years the Knox
stock was all the ra &c in this state, and
it found such favor outside that $4,000
was paid for Gen. Knox when well adj
vanced in years to take to New York to
size up and impart his splendid action to
horses in that state. One of his swiftest
sons was Camors, bred by Mr.. Levi W.
Atwood, the oyster dealer of this city,
this horse making his mile over one of
the Boston tracks in 2.19 1-2, nearly a
quarter of century ago. Though a
gelding, $4,000 was at once paid for him
and he went to California.
AS rule the Knox family were of
gentle disposition, but most remark
able instance of change of disposition
occurred in this vicinity, it is said,
caused by playing and foolingn with
the colt. The youngster was the
property of a clergyman who resided in
Cape Elizabeth. From a eosset he
gradually became fiend in horse form.
He badly hurt several men and nearly
killed one of Portland S most experienced
and fearless horsemen. The horse was
kept as in cage, no one daring to ven
ture within his box stall, food and water
being showed IN for him. In this condi-
ton he was found in the latter part of
the seventies by Prof. Wagner, horse
tanner, who used to occasionally visit
Portland and give exhibitions of his art.
He was man of light complexion. rather
under the average size, very gentle in his
manners, but with piercing gray eye,
which spoke great determination.
The general notion was that Magner had
at last encountered something that
was unconquerable and SO he was told.
He smiled and expressed wish to see
the horse. He was driven to the Cape
and before he left the barn had the
savage horse under complete subsection
without abuse or injury. Magnerrs
methods were to take vicious horse at
such disadvantage that he did not
know his down strength, but would sup
pose that of the man to be far superior.
This was done by throwing him; catch
ing by head and tail and running round
and round until the horse became dazed.
and as point after point was given UP by
the horse he was rewarded by kind
words, caresses and tit-blts of sugar or
apples.
Remarkable to say thes clergyman's
beautiful young horse, that had SO long
been a terror, was within a few weeks
brought under such subsection and edu-
cation. that he was driven by Prof.
Wagner in fantastic Fourth of July
procession in this CITY wi thout reins or