The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-21
BHL|hGS'S STRING IS
BEST ON AMERICAN SOIL
Great Horseman Has Spent For
tune in Getting Together the
Stable.
HE OWNED PAGER FIRST
His Father Predicted Turf Sue
cess Many Years Ago-F1is
Stable.
HE OWNED PAGER FIRST


DETROIT, Dec. O-When A. NJ. Billings,
father of c. X. @. Billings. told his son that
he would some day own the worlds fastest
trotter ne little dreamed that the holder OF
the record would occupy the long-sOught-
for two-minute goal. Away back prior to
1870 the senior Billings owned Princess. $50.
which raced from New York TO San Fran
cisco. and which later produced Happy
Medium, sire of Nancy Hanks.
IL Is related of the son that he besieged
his father with many questions concern
Ing Princess that on one afternoon ne re-
marked: MY son, you seem to take great
deal OF interest in trotters. Keep il up. and
some day you will own the champion OF the
world. The senior Billings's prophecy mas
been realized and the harness-horse world
In general Is congratulating the son on own
ing Lou Dillon. who has succeeded In SET
ting at rest all arguments advanced Tor
score Of years to whether the two-m1nute
mark could be reached by horse trotting
c. K. G. BiIlings's career with the Amer
lean trotter, has had worldwide apprecia-
ton. and because he could hold his pew In
church and yet drive trotter others be-
came enthusiasts. Probably no man, other
than the lamented Robert Bonner, has done
trotter. Enthused in his early teens by
memory Of his fathers crack Princess, he
began TO handle the reins behind fast road
sters when the stable attaches We're willing
10 intrust them to his care.
OWNED PAGER FIRST.
Yet until his fathers death he owned but
one or two fast ones that attracted ma
tionaI notice. His first PAGER. Toxic
r.. with record Of 2:lOiz. and with him
he swept Grand boulevard I'm this city, first
on the saowpath and later the summer
road, Toxic was the accepted road king
mare, with which Jack Case won three
races at Washington Park in 1895, was the
next addition to the Billings collection
Minerva, a mare that cost but $172.5O was
added, and Mr.. Billings subsequently beat
Jennie X with her and succeeded in &C
eornplishing a mile in 2:15A at Washington
Park, truly wonderful performance Tor
green mare with an amateur driver.
Mr. Billings then secured the noted
Franker, which as a four-year-old had
record OF 2:21l4 over half-mile track.
Franker was grand road horse. had speed
plenty and a heart as stout as the lion
hearted Dexter, and rarely was Mr. Bill
ings headed in his speedway fights in this this
came next and cost Mr.. Billings at auction
$40. Franker cost only 500. and today
TO a wagon. Franker has trotted miles in
New York in 2:1lA. and at Memphis dur
ing the first meeting of the Memphis Trot-
trot in 2:l0l1 10 beat him. be also won
several blue ribbons az horse shows and
has always been regarded as the favorite
horse owned by Mr.. Billings.
In 1898 Mr.. Billings began TO occupy the
position that has placed him before the ad-
over the world. He purchased the Baron
Wilkes PAGER. Bumps, 2:O4A. for something
IN the neighborhoOd OF $500. He drove
Bumps miles in several instances over
Western tracks in better than 2:06 and
then w. l.. Snow followed with the won
derful performance at Louisville by racing
ilim to wagon At Douglas Park in 2:03l4,
lowering Joe Ratchens record. Bumps was
then shipped 10 the New York speedway,
but Indictment weather caused him to re-
turn Bumps to winter quarters in Mem
phis. where ne contracted cold and died
His body was buried at Montgomery Park
and marks the solitary resting place of a
harness horse at that historic old home or
the gallopers.
1t was In 1855 that Mr. Billings added new
stars TO his rapidly growing stable. Luz
ellie. Battleton, Jimmy Hague and Arrigal
were taken to New York and the Chicagoan
swept everything before him I'm the after
noon skirmishes. The Billings stable at
tracted thousands to the speedway and DR..
bought Darrell. 2:071a the contest for honors
was feature of the fall driving.
STABLE ADDITIONS.
On the recommendation of Jack Curry
Mr.. Billings paid $500 for Hontas Crooke
2os. although he had never laid eyes on the
horse The manner in which Mr.. Billings
rated Hontas Crooke ahead OF all the New
York celebrities finally winning the ''oat'
race at Andy WEIGHS meeting, defeating
Suadrisa and pacing In 2:l0, Is well remem-
Mr. Billings allowed the trainer Amos
Rathbun. TO take Lucille 10 fit for a wagon
record and at Lexington Rathbun drove her
In 2:07-the worlds wagon record, amateur
driver, at that time. In all of his pur-
chases Mr.. Billings has never hesitated long
about buying horse that strikes his fancy.
AT Hartford several seasons ago Free Bond,
2:06A, stepped TO a half mile in one after
noon TO wagon in 1:O032. He was driven by
his trainer. but on the way to the club
house, after jogging Free Bond Mr. Bill
ing said: I'll take him." and at the re-
ported price OF $500 he secured the great
son or Simon. who toward the end of that
same week was driven by his new owner
to his record OF 2:04A.
Sunland Belle was bought for 1925. The
California trotter Elert, 21l was an
nexed for 1850. Mabel Onward was added
for $500 and Major Greer. Aggie Medium
and Dan Westland were bought in rapid
succession, all bringing handsome prices
from the man who was bent on owning
horses that could show their heels to Others
In matinee and speedway skirmishes.
OWNS MEMPHIS TRACK.
In the most important event, outside the
owning of the fastest trotter in the world.
was Mr.. Billings announcement in 1901 that
he would build a track on which he could
spend some OF his time during the cold
months He gave notice To architects and
TO Seth Griffin, the veteran builder OF the
Readeville. Nashville. Empire City and
other tracks. that he wanted TO build at
Memphis the fastest track in the world.
He gave those in charge carte blanche to
complete their task at any cost Expense
was side issue in the erection of the
Memphis course, and when the track was
completed Mr.. Billings was satisfied for
PAGERS and trotters began TO travel at a
faster clip than was ever before dreamed
Of and to-day the course holds about every
record except the worlds mile pacing and
trotting marks. MIR. Billings himself was
the first to lower a record of national inter
est when. In 1901, he drove Little Boy 10 the
worlds wagon mark of 2:01%, which was
later paced by Little Boy in 2:O1 flat
Mr.. Bfllngs's love for the horse is In
born. Ii takes four cars 10 transport his
entire stable OF horses. wagons grooms
attendants and general outfit. Many peo-
pie view the immense expenditures that. he
has made In horses and In the $500 600 plant
at Memphis. without one penny OF prof,
ever having come in. have wondered II
trotters and PAGERS were not merely a fad
with him which would end its more or less
rapid course and be cast aside and forgot
ten. He has. however. no intention of
abandoning the sport and in a recent talk
he stated that the more he INDUCED in IL the
more he became enamored I'm IL
Mr.. Billings Is a hoFseman and a sports-
man. None OF the sports" idea OF the
game appeals To him One OF the first i'm
pulses OF men OF means who dabble i'm race
horses is 20 bet on them. But with Mr.
Billings IL is different He Is "A stranger no
the betting shed He has never had that
Il dax.rfa