The record-union., 1896-09-08
Interest in theROck- Drilling
Contest
A Couple Of Amador Miners in
The Lead
Crowds Of People Enjoyed the Races
at the Park Yesterday.
Good Programme for Io-Day-The Proposed
Plan Of Public Addresses Not to
be Carried Out

Congressman James G. Mcguire was
to have delivered an address at the
Pavilion at 10 o'clock yesterday morn
ing, but the fates were unpropitious,
and what Mr.. Mcguire knows or doesn't
know about Free Silver and It's Rela-
ton to Labor remains one of the Sc
crets locked within his breast so far as
those who visit the exhibits each day
are concerned.
Mr.. Mcguire was placed in a very Pc
culiar position, too, and while his OBJ
servations on the questions of silver
and labor might have been entertaining
as well as instructive, he occupied a
back seat and watched the procession
go by.
On the 22d Of August a committee Of
three, purporting to have been ap-
pointed for the purpose by the Council
Of Federated Trades, visited the Board
of Agriculture Directors at a meeting
held that day, and asked that Mr.. Ma
guire be requested to visit the Pavilion
and deliver an address yesterday The
spokesman was H. H. Preston, and the
committee promised that touching re-
ception would be given to the cham
pion of labor''-Maguire.
AS a matter Of fact, the reception was
not touching. There were none Of the
Federated Trades people near enough
to give touching" or any other kind
of reception. Even the committee who
had requested that the invitation to
the Congressman be sent were con-
spicuous by their absence, notwith
standing that 200 tickets had been Sc
cured for the members of the different
unions
So it happened that Congressman
James G. Mcguire cooled his heels in
the directors room, when he should
have been airing his views on free sill
yer, and while he gave no outward ap-
pearance of anything except placidity
one could only guess at the thoughts
which were 'in his hearts hot cells,
shut up"
Secretary Of the Agricultural Society
Edwin f. Smith and President of the
Board Of Directors G. NJ. Chase ex
pressed their Indignation at the action
of the Federated Trades in no very
choice terms. Mr.. Smith, when the
hour set for the address arrived, called
up members of the committee by tele-
phone and asked for an explanation Of
the absence Of the promised reception
delegation. The reply was unsatisfac-
tory-according to Mr.. Smith-and
hinged upon the excuse that as 1t was
Labor Day the committee had con-
cluded that no address would be given
Thereupon Mr.. Smith expressed his
disapprobation anew. and at an in
formal meeting of the board Mr.. Ma
guire's address was declared off.
Last night the State Society took up
the matter Of the discussions billed to
take place. and owing TO the poor show
ing yesterday morning decided to call
all other attractions Of a like nature
off" AS reason therefor the di-
rectors state that there is too much
political discussion going on for visitors
tc take interest in such matters.
ROCK-DRILLING CONTEST.
AS was expected, the rock-drilling con-
test was a feature extraordinary at the
Pavilion last evening, the entries being
as follows:
First team-Frank F. Esola and A. L.
Noce Of Amador City. Second team
J. NJ Ketto and William Hancock of
Sutter Creek. Third teams. B. Har-
vey and J. Jefford, also Of Jackson, Am
ador County. Fourth team ~ James
Browan and f. Pope Of Coulterville.
The contest opened at $50 o'clock
sharp in Machinery Hall. The condi-
tions were that each team should use
the ordinary steel drill and should fur
nish their own tools, the sledges to
weigh eight pounds each.
The main hall was nearly deserted
while the contest was in progress. and
the greatest interest was evinced in it,
The sturdy miners received liberal ap-
plause at every squirt, and money was
put on the event with as much eager
ness as on any race at the track
All four teams stripped" well, and
there was apparently small choice be-
tween them, but owing to the fact that
Kitto and Harvey had carried away
first honors at the Midwinter Fair they
were considered sure winners.
Each team was to work fifteen min
utes, drill a straight-down hole and the
one going the deepest was to take $500
of the $400 hung up, the second $780,
and the third $50.
Pope and Browan of Coulterville
mounted the huge block of Folsom gran
tie to sink the first hole. and when the
watches held by Ray Falk and John
Pryer of Coulterville clicked they went
at their work like men out to win. They
made lightning changes of drills. but
struck a snarl during the last three min
utes The drill stuck badly, and when
time was called the hole measured
2S 11-16 inches in depth. Not bad work
this, when experienced miners present
said before the contest that % inches
would be big work.
, Kitto and Harvey, the crack-a-jacks
of Midwinter Fair fame. came next and
were wildly applauded. They went at
their work with vim. but were prob
ably over confident. AT any rate, their
blows seemed to lack strength, though
they fell thick and fast, and when time
was called their drills had only pene-
trated the granite % GIG inches.
Then Noce and Essola, the two boys
from Amador City. Amador County
mounted the block. They are very mod
est young fellows. and not very big, but
they have swung hammers and held
drills all their lives, and did not strike
q lick amiss Even the uninitiated could
tell that they were doing great work,
and they received hearty encourage
ment from the bystanders. They lost
q second at the finish, time when Sec