The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-01
/ BEA m g. 4 lied
ROW THE PLANS FAN sENTERPfstsr
ING EDITOR WE'RE UPSET

4
,rh. climax to the Great Dobbzns-t
Domino Match Race as II Develop
ed In the ONCE of One of the Metro
noIttan Afternoon DaiIfes.
81 never read OF close finish In a
big running race nowadays that I'm
not reminded of famous punctured
scoop in which figured when was
working in a New York newspaper Of
hcev said an old time telegrapher who
ts now employed in Washington.
"It was back in the days when the
great Domino was the star colt Of the
Keene stable and, with one exception.
was acknowledged as the greatest two
year-old Of the season.
1.-THE exception was Richard Croker's
fisr Dobbins. These two youngsters
finally met in the Futurtty, and, al
though the Keene colt won, with Dob.
bins third. the latter's owner vas not
satisfied with the result, and match
was speedily arranged at the Futurity
distance for $4,000 O side.
Now, the paper worked on was an
evening sheet. and it was the ambition
of the managing editors Life to beat
the opposition evening paper. and get
the news of big event like this on the
| 49, ..I- g.
street first.
lille other fellows had beaten US ON
| the Futurity story a few days before.
land the 1naDag tnS editor made no Sc
| cret of the fact that he was going to
get even.
| Accordingly he laid all of his plans
a day ahead, and. although we did not
know at the time what they were. we
| felt sure by the way he strutted around
| on the morning of the race that he had
the winning combination UP his sleeve.
| along about noondme of that day
the editor, the most nervous man !
ever met, called me into his Office and
told me that, as the match raoe was
the fifth event on the card. he wanted
me to- have one OF the other operators
take the result Of the fourth race. and
| he also wanted me to get Wire IN
| good working order and prepare to get
the result of the fifth race.
THE scheme was to have two presses
set and all ready to start One of
them was to have the big front page
headline read sDobbins Wins the Big
| Match and the other just the same.
| except that Domino's name appeared
in the place of Dobbins- The Dobbins
extra was on press No. and the Dom
inc extra en- press No. 2. Whichever
/ ~
! call out No. or No. 2. and the press
would be started in quicker time than
| it takes to tell of the arrangement.
81 couldn't help but ilwardly smile
as l watched the managing editor s.rid-
ing uervotlsly about. waiting for the
start Just like Il man who had thou
sands of dollars wasered on the chance
of one of tie racers.
:. suddenly the key of my instrument
began to click and he Quica9y stopped
and looked an1iously at me. but Il
| proved to be only the operator III the
| other end testing. Learning this. lie re-
sumel lis walk up and down the roo!c.
"Present!y the key began TO clck
again THIS time the horses We're on
their way to the post The next l got
from the other end WIS that the horses
were at tie post a v:-o;!id be OF IL =
minute This Information. inste2d CT
steadyins the mana Ging editor. only IN
creased his junlpineSs. for re ordered
the men who We're standing aroslnd &c
cease their talking and also ca.ise
downstairs half dozen times to knoS'
if everything was ready belov. In the
press room.
..ln the midst of this tie l1eT aS2i.
began to work. and l called out tb:;i
They We're off
| Tile cSckS OF TIE SA>>1
followed now told me that they Vert
moving along. nose and nose st ths
quarter At the half mile noS1bfno wa:
in the lead by nose. ana rs / an
nounced this was watching the I!is'.l
aging editors and l could soc his lip:
framing the words NO. q which WA:
} the Domino press.
} "Dobbins just managed TO shove III:
nose in front at the three-quartefs ahs
= the boss moved nearer the speak1il;
tube as made, this announcement
Coming into the stretch the two gam
colts were head and head, and the man
aging editor with the mouthplece o
the speaking tube pressed tight.
against his lips. was waiting for tn
l result.
l well, the result came along in goot
2 season. But never so long as l lfV
shall I forget the expression on tina
. EDITORS face when the key told me tina
+. the match race was q dead heat. hes
itated just a second before calling !
! out, for l could almost picture in II.
= mind what effect it would have on hin
Finally called out IN as firm voic
es / could. Dead heatT
), well, that editors knees just CAV
2 way from under him. If he had nc
oh ~