Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-25
cREscEvs MADE NEW MARk:
Broke Worlds Record for Half Mile
Track in 2:09A.


Kansas City, Mo-, Oct. 25.-Cresceus,
king of trotters, broke the worlds mile
record for a half-mile track yesterday
afternoon at the kansas City Driving
Clubs park. going the distance in 2:0sA,
and clipping just one-quarter of sec
ond off the best previous record, made
by him at Toledo two weeks ago. He
made the new record in his very first
trial. The time by quarters: :S2A.
1904. 1864 and 2:09N.
The track was fast and the weather
perfect. Fully 5000 people witnessed the
event George II. Ketcham, owner,
driver and trainer of the famous trotter,
first warmed Cresceus up for mile. Mr..
Ketcham was enthusiastic over the
showing and predicted new record.
"He did the last eighth in seventeen
seconds" said he, "and / was not fore
ing him at all.
"The weather conditions are absolute
ly perfect and the track is in as good
trim as any one of its kind ever was.
There will be no excuses along that line
to offer if the record does not go by the
board"
Then, after his jog of a mile, Mike the
pacemaker, with Tim Murnane up. went
up to the head OF the stretch. and the
scoring commenced. Three times Cres-
ceus and his running mate passed the
wire, but they were not going to suit
Ketcham. The fourth time, however. he
nodded the word and they were off.
Mike the Tramp had the pole at the
start, but Cresceus usurped that posi-
tion at the first turn, and at the quarter,
which was made in 32A seconds, he
was in the lead. Every few strides
Murname would take the runner up and
let out yell to spur the trotting Won
der on. As they turned into the stretch
the first time around the watches in the
crowd showed that he was going at a
record breaking pace, and as the trotter
and galloper passed the half-mile wire
in 1:o41ss, 2:O9 clip, onlookers burst into
cheers OF extraordinary proportions.
Murname kept up his tactics of pulling
up the running mate and shouting at
Cresceua The three-quarter pole was
passed In 1867.
AS they reached the head of the
stretch Keteham was seen to call upon
his horse for the final effort. The stall
llOl CdlHS thlu l1AS ai6u tosN oS' INV
ing like so much machinery. Ketcham
did not touch him with the whip, but
urged him on with words of encourage
ment. He passed under the wire few
lengths In advance of Mike the Tramp,
and hundreds Of spectators caught the
time as 3.09A, just as the official timers
did.
TIL hanging UP of the numbers an
nouncing the downfall of another
worlds record was the signal for tre-
menduous outburst from the spectators.
The people swarmed to the track, and
it was all that Mr.. Ketcham, the owner
and driver could do to keep them from
pulling him out of the sulky. They
crowded around Cresceus and hundreds
of hands were outstretched to pat him.
He took the ovation as an everyday
event and was less excited that the peo-
pie.
The day was most beautiful and the
sight an inspiring one. 1t proved de-
cided society event, eclipsing anything
of the kind ever witnessed in Kansas
City, many visitors attending the an
nual horse show up town. driving out
five miles to the park, In fancy vehicles
drawn by blooded horses being exhib-
tied at Convention hall. On Saturday
Cresceus will be exhibited at the horse
show.