New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-20
THE AMERICAN TROTTER.
4n Expert Study of the Grorcth of
Great Industry.

THE TRoTILNG AND THE PAGING HORSE
forty-nine Illustrations. tAmerican Sportsman's
Library. svo PIP. x. 1853. The Macmillan Com
1t is a wide subject which the experienced
Editor Of Turf Field and Farm has compressed
into a single volume of the American Sports
mans Library; but he has succeeded in giving
history of the development OF the trotter and
the PAGER in this country-which is the country
where they were developed-that is unique In its
scope and completeness. The evolution of the
trotter occurred during the active period of the
authors life thirty-eight years OF which were
spent in close observation of the trotting horse
at racing track and breeding farm. and in re-
cording its progress in the sporting press. so
that he writes of knowledge gained at first
hand. There is perhaps a sense OF crowding
here and there. especially in the chapters devot-
ed to the records and performances Of the kings
and queens Of the track. which is doubtless due
to the desire to omit no essential fact.
The first horses imported 10 America were
those taken to Florida In 1927 from stock
brought to the West Indies in 1893 by Column
bus; but, although English ships landed horses
in Virginia in 1909, It forty-seven years
later before they made their appearance in
New-York and Massachusetts, The Southern
horses were generally bred for the running track,
when the love OF sport once aroused. while
-~--o~N~-
the horse of general utility cultivated.
The state of the roads and the limitations OF
wheelwrights conspired to make the earliest
trotting contests under saddle Tho saddle
contests" says Mr. Busbey were far from or
Derby but were keenly relished by the little
communities weighed down by monOtony and
craving excitement" They mark, indeed. the
birth OF outdoor sport In the North Atlantic
States Sharp practices prevailed and time
could not be accurately taken. 1t was not until
1918 that we have the first authentic record of
a mile run by Boston Blue at Jamaica, Long
Island in three minutes. 1t took eighty-hve
years OF breeding and racing to lower the fig
ures below the two-minute mark, and 1t was
only possible for Lou Dillon to reach this result
In 1903 by the invention OF the bicycle sulky On
1892 and by the use Of a pacemaker with n
dirt shield running in front of her. 1t was not
until 1915 that the 2:30 mark, the present
standard, was passed by Lady Suffolk (2:2915.
To-day there are over thirty thousand trotters
and PAGERS of standard speed rank.
The long road from three minutes to two min
utes through shadow as well as sunshine, but
the accomplishment was worth millions of heart
beats. because the light harness horse is recog
umphs of the industrial life OF America.
Mr. Busbey has no doubt as to the influence OF
the racetrack in building up the horse breeding
industry in the United States but he is far from
blinking its shortcomings and is strong an
advocate in his book he has been in active
life for the regulation and reformation of the
institution. He strongly opposes the accept
ance OF records made with a pacemaker and
wind shield and contributes chapter Of interest
Ing history to the controversy the subject
He considers that the POSE OF Maud s. to a
high wheel, plane axle su!ky, all things taken
into account has probably never been surpassed.
1t is q matter OF knowledge that the high wheel
su!Ay to which Lou Dillon made her 2:o5 had
pail bearing axles. He says:
Controversy the coming OF the two-mini.ts
trotter, when ragged for years. has not been
satisfactorily settled. Thoae who maintain thar
VIII iiot surrender their views until the fact is
shield. N'''
Two great foundation horses stand at the be-
ginning or American trctting stock Imported
Messenger and Justice Morgan Messenger was
brought 10 this country in 1889 to improve the
breed or running horses but crossing with our
native mares. he Bred in fact, race of trotters,
ana from his lire sprans Rysdyks Handle
tonian. the most prepotent sire in trotting an
nois' not excepting the great Morgan, the racial