The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-10

Entertain the Pubiic-Liberal Provision
For All Breeds-A Rich Array Of Prizes.
Special Features Of the Show.
During recent years the American bench
show has become great society fad as
well as an important sporting feature
The bench show circuit provides each OF
the large cities an annual entertainment
that Is anticipated with almost as much
eagerness as in the horse show. OF these
exhibitions the best and greatest is enjoyed
by New York, when the Westminster Ken
mel club, which leads all American clubs
of its kind, holds its annual display and
contests for prizes.
This year the Westminster show will hold
possession Of Madison Square Garden,
New York during four days Of the week
beginning Feb. go In these four days all
the people Of the leisure class, all the stran
gers In the metropolis who are there to sec
the sights, and large proportion of the
busy people who can only snatch an hour
for the purpose at night, will flock to the
great garden" and see the poodles, and
the bulldogs, and the mastiffs, and hear
the baying of the bloodhound, the shrek
of the hairless dog from chihuahua, and
the snappy bark Of the fox terrier. A large
majority of these people attend the show
because they take an interest In the faith
full friends OF man here on exhibition, but
numbers of them go for other reasons. Not
q few of them positively hate dogs. but at
tend in order to see other people and to
be seen by them. Swell society folk are
moved by various motives. Some of them
have beloved four legged pets whom they
wish to sec decorated with the honors of
their classes. Then there are blase swells
who go to escape the boredom of their own
society, and it is not anywhere written
that temporary association with their
quadrupedal fellow citizens has worked
any harm to this gentry.
The rank and file, however, love the dog
and 60 to admire him and to critically
Judge him as to all his varieties and de-
veloped abilities. All such will be amply
repaid for the trouble Of attending the
coming show, for 1t is to be conducted on
q larger and better scale than ever before.
The various breeds have been more liber
ally provided for than on any previous oc
casion, the total number of classes being
266, or 90 more than last years classifica
ton. The system of classification TO be
used in the coming exhibition is a new one
that is to say, 1t Is new in America,
having never been used here. The method
In vogue in England has been adopted by
the Westminster club. Under this system
puppies and contestants that have not pre-
viously won first prize will be judged
before the competitors in the challenge
classes. This system Is warmly approved
by all the dog fanciers who have expressed
themselves on the subject. and is expected
TO give unqualified satisfaction.
The array Of prizes Is greater than ever
before. More than e16, 600 will be paid
out to the winners I'm the various classes.
Four prizes, ranging In value from $40 to
e6, will be provided in the open classes for
popular breeds, including st. Bernards
collies, fox terriers, pointers, settlers and
spaniels.
Many Of the dogs that will be on exhibi
ton will be sent from far away places,
and the confinement incidental to railroad
travel does not improve them in appear.
ance or temper, and the first day of the
show will probably be plentifully empha'
sized by howls and growls. But the beasts
are good natured, and their handlers are
patient and careful, so in little while the
journey and its effects are forgotten. And,
although there is considerable wear and
tear while on the road, the dogs usually
fare reasonably well. The only notable
exception to the rule happened last year liz
the case of Bradford Marvel the imported
pug owned by Miss W. b. Britain Of San
Francisco, who made sensation at the
New York show. This unfortunate little
thoroughbred was smothered in his cage
while en- route from ST. Louis to Philadel
phia.
Most of the prominent dog fanciers OF
the country will be exhibitors in the West
minister club show, the entries showing
that far more than the usual number OF
kennels will be represented The largest
exhibitors in fox terriers will be August
Belmont and l.. and w. Rutherford. Viii
liam Wheeler will also have a try for hon
ors in the wire haired class as will also II.
H. Hunnewell Jr., Of Boston. Other kinds
of terriers will be on hand in abundance.
l.. G. Altemus, the young Philadelphia
polo player, will show Irish terriers. Sid
ney Dillon Ripley's black and tans will
be in evidence, as will also be K. Willard
Roby's bulldog specimens.
Perhaps the best known fancier Of St
Bernards is J. Rupert, Jr., although
Richard Croker who won first with
Pandora last year, may enter into the II