The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-06-14
RUNNING FOR LIFE
TWO DAYS OF EXCITING AND STIR
RING RACE.

Texas Coursing Company WIZ Give Sixteen
Jack Rabbit and wild Deer Races al
the Fair Grounds on Monday and Tues
day Afternoon-They VIII be Races for
Dear Life and no JOckeying VIII be
Witnessed - Spectators viii Have an
Opportunity OF Seeing the Entire Race
Especially the Close.
By the efforts of certain Wichita par
ties the great Texas Coursing associa-
ton has been secured for two Gays eX-
hibttion at the State Fair grounds and
the people will be given an opportunity
OF witnessing each dey sixteen or the
most exciting races ever seen upon the
face of the earth.
One-haif mile OF the racing track has
been fenced in with wire netting and at
the tower end OF the grand stand Is
placed what is called the home base and
If the rabbit succeeds in reaching this
goal IT is safe for that day
On the course yesterday there were
500 Texas Jack Rabbits VINO were learn
ing the ropes. The company have a
y
the rabbits chase. One rabbit is
turned loose at each race and IL is sell
dom thatmore than three outof ten reach
the home goal. There is not an idle
moment from the time the race begins
until it ends. There IS no scoring, but
il is a race for life from the first jump.
Aside from the company's pack Of
hounds the following parties have
agreed to allow their dogs to enter a
portion Of the races: Sam Hoover, three;
Pat McDermft, two; Lee Gateway, two;
Tom Mahan, one.
These rabbits are caught in Texas
where they are very thick and often as
high as LOO are caught at one time.
The plan for catching the rabbits Is by
placing a quarter OF mile of wire fence
at one corner of piece OF land, and
then extending another piece of fence Of
The same kind and length in such a
position as to form a chute. At the
angle of the chute thus formed IS plac-
ed a big net. When the signal is given
the horSemen and dogs line along the
outside OF the territory to be secured
and come toward the two lines of fence
OF course hundreds Of rabbits are thus
scared up and the only open direction is
towards the two lines of fence. When
the rabbits reach the wire fence they
follow along until they come TO the op-
ening through the angle and Of course
lend into the net.
Not only will those who attend be Civ
en- an opportunity TO see fifteen of the
most exciting races they ever beheld in
their life but the afternoons exhibition
Will close with a genuine wild deer
chase which will be a scene Of excite
ment probably never witnessed by the
majority of the people in Wichita.
This is no tame halfIhearted affair
but is one of life and death from the
first jump. The deer viii be turned
loose in the fair grounds which is sur
rounded by an eight foot board fence
and given 100 yards start of the hounds
when they are turned loose In all
probability the deer viii scale the fence
and if he does the dogs will follow as
well as the men on horseback. II the
deer can be roped by the men on horses
he will he saved from the dogs, but this
IS not often the case and the coursing
company have lost Their deer each time.
Ray Oliver in speaking OF the racing
for Monday and Tuesday said: ''I have
seen plenty Of racing but I would not
miss seeing this jack rabbit and deer
races for anything. Why it Is so ex-
citing that a man almost goes wild with
JOY. I remember I took my dogs out
on the prairie not long after Gerald Volk
came to Wichita. Now Gerald Is an
old hunter. but he had never seen a jack
rabbit race. All at once the dogs scar
ed UP a. jack and for two miles we had
the prettiest race one could seee any
place outside of a regular racing like the
Texa Racing Course company have pre-
pared. OF course in the race on the
-,
are lost which Is not the case in the reg
ular cOuTSing race. Well, when this
rabbit race began I never saw such an
excited man as Gerald. He was per-
fectly Wild with delight and it is the
same with every person who has ever
witnessed a race Of this kind"
This company was at Guthrie on June
4, and 6, and everybody was perfectly
carried away with the sight. Men yell
ed until they We're hoarse; tears stream
ed down their cheeks; they threw their
hats in 70 the air and acted as though
beside themselves with delight. Ladies
at first waved their hsndkerchiefs. then
they cheered, and as the race became
mora exciting they laughed and cried
at the same time.
# there is anything on earth that
viii make a man, woman child forget
all care and grow young II is jack
rabbit race with grey hounds. Per-
sons who have once seen racing Of this
kind upon a regular racing course where
every exciting feature can be caught.
especially the grand closing climax,
would not miss one of these races for a
weeks wages.
II il q race for life between the cele-
brated Texas jack rabbit and the only
thing alive that can catch IL. There IS
no grandeT sight than to see the Texas
Jack. with is long ears laid fat on its
back with every muscle drawn to its
fullest tension. with nothing but Ques-
tion of physical endurance between
death and liberty. with the greyhound
stretched out ike a flying meteor. just
close enough behind for the hounds
hot breath TO strike Il every jump. The
people so Wild The excitement Of a
horse race is mild in comparison. The
deer and rabbit races are TO take place
at the fair grounds. Monday and Tues
day, June Is and 16. $50 .. m.