The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-09-28
NANCY HANKS BEATEN.
The Worlds Fastest Trotter Is Alix.
The Record Now 2:03 "a.


selves hcarse at Galesburg, ILL.,, on
Wednesday afternoon when the great
trotting queen, Alix, beat the worlds
record by coming under the wire in
2:o39. The day was an ideal one for
such an event, and the track in good
condition. 1t was S o'clock when Alix
passed in front of the grand stand for
little preliminary work. Mcdowell
was her driver. The start was made
in splended style. Alix coming as re-
gularly and steady as clockwork, with
head down and her short, pointed ears
twitching nerviously.
When she approached the wire for
the start she seemed to be going a
little slow, but she soon increased her
speed. She was working like ma
chine, and yet SO easily and grace
fully that one would hardly imagine
that she was going at such tremen-
dous clip. When the quarter was
reached there was general exclama-
tion Thirty and half, she will
beat it, From that to the half she
seemed to fly, making it in I:oIa.
The third quarter she increase her
pace trifle, making it in I;3aa.
When she started up the home
stretch she was moving down without
apparent effort. Thus far there had
not been false step, not wabble of
any kind. She seemed to fairly fly
to get away from the horse that came
laundering just behind. AS she near
ed the wire many that glanced at their
watches said 1: "She will not make
it." The last few rods she again
seemed to increase her marvellous
speed, and as she darted under the
wire the shout went up from the
thousands "She's done it; she's
done it."
The cheering was prolonged and it
was some time before Williams could
quiet the crowd so as to make himself
heard. He then announced: "You
have witnessed the fastest heat ever
trotted by any trotter on the globe.
The first quarter was made in 3ol,
the half in I:or2, the third quarter in
l;3a3 and the mile in 2:o3a." The
crowd again cheered and thousands
rushed onto the track'as Mcdowell
came driving Alix back. Williams
introduced Mr.. Jones, the owner of
Alix, and the cheering again arose.
The performance of Alix is the talk
of all horsemen.
Driver Mcdowell said "It is a
remarkable mile. She did not seem
worried a bit by the effort, but came
out as fresh as she went in. Her
action was perfect. The whole dis
tance l never spoke to her nor raised
the whip. 1t was not necessary"
"When l reached the half mile pole
l knew that she would break the re-
cord"
"She was in the very pink Of con-
dition and SO eager to go that she
needed no urging. therefore let her
gallop her fixed gait from the hall
mile in. At the upper turn at the
end of the third quarter / found the
track trihe spongy and l gave her
second place when ! reached the
homestretch l gave her the pole
again. | was confident she could
beat the record, and l wanted her to
for Williams sake"
The Judges gave the time out as
a:o3a, although one Of the Judges
caught it shade less, and many in
the audience had it 2:o3I. Jones
was nearly smothered in congratuia-
tions. When he came ere he predict.
ed that this was the fastest track in
the world, and that Alix would beat
the record. He said: was conf
dent Alix would beat the record, I
knew what she could do. want to
say that l sold part interest in her
several years ago to Monroe Salisbury.
This is not generally known. She
came in my possession when a year.
ling.
81 bought her at a .combination
sale at Chicago ana shipped her to my
farm at David City Neb. She is now
six years old. Her first race was at
Beatrice, Neb., in June, 1890, then a
two year old, having trained her
that spring. Last year she made a re-
cord of 2:o7a. The first trotting she
did this year was in an exhibition at
Council Bluffs, where she went mile
in 2:IIl. Since then she has gone on
steadily reducing her record. shall
not start her again. | am satisfied for
the present. What ! may do cannot
say yet, but it belongs to some one
else to beat her record"
THE VERY FASTEST MILE.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Sept. H.