Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-06-15


institute has been the scene of many IA
nous horse sales at which large num-
Der of the most noted horses of the past
fifteen wears have been brought under
the auctioneer's hammer. The institute
Is, or rather was, situated on Third
Avenue, between Sixty-third and Sixty
fourth streets, New \ ork city, and was
'just the place" for trotting-horse sale,
being sufficiently large to allow the CON
struction of an eighth of mile track in,
the main building, with space enough
besides for large number of box stalls,
and in the annex there was room for
stabling about POO head, giving. in all
accommodations for 800 head. 1t is not
necessary for me to describe the build
ing further except to mention that the
fixtures, that is, the track and stalls. had
to be built new each year at considera-
BILE expense and when the rent was adj
ded to this cost it made formidable
amount, yet no other building could be
obtained at any price so well suited to
the purpose and the undertaking, al
though at first sight appearing risky,
has proved grand success, and 1t is to
be regretted that the old building no
longer exists. The firm of Peter G..
Kellogg & Co. was the fist and only
one TO hold an auction sale III the build
ing, and, with the exception of the years
hall -,l ri
every year since 1873 to the present
time. 1t is not my intention to enumer-
ate all the sales held at the institute or
to give any particulars of sales held by
the above firm at any other place thar
the institute, but | will endeavor to re-
vive "old memories" with "A few facts of
how trutters have sold under the ham
mer in past years, commencing with the
first sale in 1873, at which the trotting-
horse world was electrified with the
fact that stallion was sold for over
$4,000 at auction.
On March y, 1873, the first sale of
trotting stock ever held in the institute,
and also the first eyer held under the
management of Peter c. Kellogg & Co.,
was commenced, and the first animal
sold was chestnut filly, three years
old, by kentucky Prince, out ofamar by
Burrs Columbus, sou of Napoleon. The
filly was then called Lady Smith, hut
was afterwards known as Daisy Darl-
ing, and trotted trial of 2:1SI for
Robert Bonner. She was sold that day
for $3.50 to j. $ Ferguson of New York
city. The sale continued for two days
and ninety-five head were sold for an
average of Sj5G.S2-an exceedingly good
average when it is remembered that the
year 1873 opened with the country in
almost as bad a state financially as 1t
has recently pas sed through. OF course
the most important item of this first
sale was the selling of Kentucky Prince
for $1,000 to Messrs. Backman q Burr,
that being at the time the largest bona
fide price ever realized for trotting
horse at auction. His dam was sold at
the same sale, and, although then seven
teen years old, brought $3.50, Joseph
Gavin of Chester, n. y, being the os-
tensible BUYER, but she was really pur-
chased for Charles Backman. Another
mare that changed hands at that time
was Lady Mingo, also seventeen years
old, for which A. b. Darling gave $50,
and it is curious to note that two re-
nowned granddaughters of this mare,
Victoria Wilkes 2:l94 and Victoria Me-
Gregor 2:I9f, were sold in the same
building in 1893 for 81 400 and $500
respectively, Lady Mlngo was possess
ed of extraordinary speed, and John
Mingo, the colored driver who broke
Dexter, spent considerable time en-
good horseman as he was, could not
control her sufficiently to race her.
Both her speed and nerve were Inherit
ed, in a great measure, by her daughter
Victoria, dam of the two race mares
mentioned above. Other animals that
sold at good figures were Beausre,
foaled 1872, by Rysdyk's Hambletonian,
dam Lady Balch, by Hiram Drew, for
So, $50 TO j. Frank Lee, Wilkes Barre,
Pa. L0adstone, a bay gelding, by Idol,
went to b. w. Bonny of New York
city for 81 $50. aud Laura Almack. by
Kissam's Young Abdallah, dam Lucy
Almack (seven of whose foals had at
that time been sold for total of
ST., S30), for $500. Robert Steel of
Philadelphia, Pa, bought Four Lines,
by Blackwood, dam Venus, by Conk-
Inns American Star, for $500, and her
dam, Venus, for $500. -Four Lines Is
now in the great brood mare list as the
dam of tour trOtters and one PAGER. The
cOnsignors to the sale were numerous
and included such well-knOwn breeders
as Gen. b. F. Tracy, a. b. Darling, c..
II. Kerner, j. ID. Willis, c. NJ. Pond,
Guy Miller, Baker q Harrlgan, Richard
Ingraham, ETC., and among buyers were
Charles Backman of Stony Ford; Carl