The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1899-06-09
SUNDAYS COCK FIGHTS
Western Montana Sports Have Day tc
Their Own Liking.
MISS0ULA BESTS PHILIPSBURG
Series of Interesting Battles in Phillips
burg's Suburbs-Feathers and Gafrs
Flying in the Air-A Number
of MissOulians Present.

An excellent days sport was enjoyed
by number of Philipsburg sportsmen
and few of their friends last Sunday.
The entertainment consisted in a
series of cock-fghts, which had been
arranged in honor Of number of
Missoula gentlemen who arrived on
Saturdays train to spend Sunday in a
real live town and enjoy the hospital
ity of the bustling mining metropolis
of Granite county.
For several days previous had ru-
mors been floating around that a real
chicken fight was to be pulled off in
this vicinity, and few knowing ones
went so far as to intimate that a
match had been arranged with the
owners of some celebrated game chick.
ems at Missoula and that a considerable
amount of money had been staked on
the contest. Nothing definite, how
ever, could be learned, and the whole
affair was shrouded in mystery. That
something was going to take place was
certain - several gentlemen who take
great interest in raising game chick
ems We're as busy as they could be.
Very little was seen of them for sew
eral days, and if for Il chance moment
one of them appeared on the streets
certain hopeful appearance Of his coun-
tenance revealed the happy anticipa-
tion of some great event which was to
take place at no distant day. The Sc
cret gradually leaked out that it was
to be a cock-fight, and when on Satur-
days train a consignment of some
twenty-five or thirty game-cocks ar
rived those who chanced to learn Of it
knew that some exciting sport was to
be INDUCED in somewhere thu next
day.
The place selected for the battle, how
ever, could not be learned. Tents had
been pitched somewhere in the hills
and few even pretended to know of
their location but when they went to
the place on Sunday no tents or any
thing else of interest could be found.
The fact OF the matter was that on
Sunday morning Il number of teams
departed from the city and disappeared
among the hills in the direction of
Granite. Others took a due easterly
course to the place where the tents had
been pitched the day before. Stakes
were pulled up and the tents were
quickly folded, loaded on the wagons
and taken to selected spot on top of
the hill, about mile east of KrOger's
brewery, where all met at the chosen
Tents were pitched and a cock pit
was arranged in the larger tent, seats
for the spectators surrounding it. The
Philipsburg birds were comfortably
housed in tent by themselves, while
another had been provided to give
shelter to the birds from Missoula.
While the pit was being prepared
the trainers busted themselves with at
taching steel gaffs to their fighting
birds A pair of counter scales had !
been brought along, upon which the |
birds were weighed before they en-
tered the ring.
Thirteen rounds in all were fought,
during which time sixteen roosters
were left dead in the arena, having
killed each other or were SO badly in.
jured during the combat that they had
TO be killed.
The result was victory for Mis-
'oula-the visitors winning the match
~ score of one. The twelfth round
vas a tie-6 to 6-and the thirteenth
vas quite exciting, as considerable
money had been staked on the result.
1t has been learned that the match
vas for $500 a side, but that by no
means indicates the amount of money
hat changed hands during the day.
over fifty guests who had been invited
witnessed the event. A splendid lunch
md suitable refreshments had been
'rought along and all present report
laving had an excellent time. The
contest was very close, each side losing
light birds. Two Of the Missoula aud
ne of the Phllipsburg birds died in
he cockpit after they had won their
ights.
The visitors had some fine birds, but
heir best fighters did not do as well as