The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-12
LET OFF IN A LINE
AUSTRALIAN STARTING MACHINE
TRIED AT INGLESIDE

/ Il Il
diction is Made That the Professional
Starters Occupation is Gone-Descrip-
ton of the Ingenious Device From the
Lad of the Kangaroo-DiscoveryA Again
Made of Private Wire, Which Runs
into the Ingieside Grounds This Time
| Racing Results.
! San Francisco, Feb. 1.-THE Austria
Ian system of starting was given a
| trial al Ingleside today and the result
! of the trial will be noted with consider
! able interest by racing associa tons
and turfmen throughout the country.
| If the test given today can be taken
as a criterion, it is safe TO assert that
the day Of the starter will soon be over
as the start was an unqualified sue
| cess in every particular. The fourth
race, a mile handicap, was selected for
the test and ten starters were drawn
I'D in line facing the machine The
| horses had scarcely been at the post
! forty seconds when the trigger was
! pressed and they were sent away nj
perfect alignment. 1t was the most
! perfect start ever witnessed in this sec
ton and elected thunders of applause
from the spectators. Mr.. COrrigan
was warmly congratulated upon the
success OF the new venture. Follow
ing is a description of the Australian
starting machine.
The machine consists of two bands
of strong webbing, each about four
inches in width, made fast at both ends
TO a frame which slides upward and
away from the horses at an angle of
As degrees. The lower band is about
four feet above the ground, the upper
perhaps a foot higher.
The frame to which the webbing is
attached runs to a cable attached 10
decided to discontinue all Geographic
a pully, which is about fourteen feet
higher, on a post some twelve feet be-
yond the starting post. The power to
draw this barrier is supplied by a hea-
Wy elastic band.
The frame before being released upon
it's flying Quincy is held in position by
a trigger on each side of the track, the
connection between the triggers being
a wire stretched across the track. As
soon as the horses are lined up facing
the webbing, which is perhaps about
foot away, the starter pulls lever
which releas es the triggers, sends the
webs flying instantaneOusly and noise
lessly upward and outward and the
horses are off in line.
The Pacific Coast ockey club has I'M
earthed another scheme of the down
town pool rooms TO obtain the Ingle-
side results, a wire having been surrep-
titiously run into the grounds and the
information telegraphed abroad. Some
~ h le42= 4
wires from the Western Union COM
pany, over which the results were sent
east and had the grounds patrolled
continually by armed police, but in
spite of all their precautions the pool
room men have eluded the vigilence
Of the track owners by resorting TO
such methods as mentioned above.
Commencing today the officials have
communication until they have forced
the local pool rooms to the wall. This
action shuts off the pool rooms through
out the country from obtaining the re-
suits of the Inglesides races.
Starter Caldwell gave an awful ex-
hibition of starting today, his start in
the third race nearly resulting in
riot. Caldwell gave Sir Vassar four
lengths the best of the start and left
three horses, Fullerton Lass, Daylight
and Ida Sauer. standing still. The
two former horses were heavily played
and a large crowd gathered around the
judges, clamoTing for bets to be called
off. The bets stood, however.
In the last race Hazard was also
left at the post. Three favorites, one
second choice and one outsider won
today. Weathe fine, attendance large
Summaries:
First race-Six furlongs, selling. purse
$500: Kemsin won; Lavena c, second;
Olive. third. Time 1;1452.
Second-Four furlongs. selling, purse
$500. 2-year olds.: lamar won; Ingle-
side. second; Lord Chesterfield, third.
Time :501a.
Third-Seven furlongs, selling, purse
S4G0: Sir Vassar won; Scmiter. sec
ond; LeOnville. third. Time 1:2919.
Fourth-Handicap, hurdle. mile over
four hurdles, purse $500: ST. Brandon
won; Burmah, second; Bell Ringer,
third. Time 1904.
Fifth-Seven furlongs, selling, purse
S400: Ferris Hartman won; Fortuna,
second; Tenacity, thirdl. Time 1:2s2l.