The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-18
NEGRO AND MULE
MOTORS IN RACE
INCIDENT OF THE INSPECTION OF
STRENGTHENING BRIGADE.
Hot Race Around the Block in Which
the "Yaller Mule Fell by the Way
side--First-P Prize Mule and Cart
Drew Handsome Harness.
New Orleans Times-Democrat.


Before O'Clock the forces Of the
street-cleaning department began to-
gather on Elk place. One by one the
carts drove up, some of them bringing
whole families, each member of which
was absolutely certain that their mule
was the only mule, and that judges
couldn u see it any other way.
By 10 O'Clock both sides Of the square
from Canal to Tulane avenue were lined
with carts, every one freshly painted
a vivid blue, with wheels Of even a
,brighter red. The wheels were supposed
to match with the bright-red shirts worn
}bv the drivers. Then came the sprin-
king carts and the paper wagons and
the floats. Taken altogether, it was the
biggest show the street-cleaning depart
ment has ever made since the time OF
Ben Butler.
The carts were lined up in double
rows along the curbing. The drivers sat
at attention, to the intense admiration
of the assembled colored population:
drivers was so small that they scarcely
relieved the monotony Of the black,
shiny faces.
"Them there judges better not give
this here prize to white man, or
there's going to be trouble. Jest look
at my mule and at his n and see If L
ain It got him beat a block And the
white driver in between a dozen big
darkies said nothing. "",." t..
Then, talking about mules, Henry
Schneider and Joe Gleason and Council
men Dunn and Cahill inspected mules
continuously for three hours. 1t was
their first experience as mule experts,
but they seemed to enjoy, it. They
looked at their heads, and if the driver
assured them that there was no danger
of the mule exercising his divine pre-
rogative they inspected his harness.
Several of the mules whose drivers as
sured the judges were 'sure danger
ous' were given but a cursory exam
| nation and that from a safe distance.
Finally, 20 carts were picked out
from the 140 competing as being among
the number that stood a good show for
the prize. They were lined up at the
end of the square. A desplsed yellow
mule stood proudly at the end OF the
row..
"Looks like them judges don't know
that yaller mule never is no count. -
remarked the driver Of one of the rival
mules.
Then the weeding-out process began,
and continued until there were but
twelve carts left in, the line. So close
was the race that the Judges We're un-
|
! next best thing was to allow the mules
to show their trotting qualities. A
half-dozen times around the square the
dozen carts went. Some trotted and
! some loped, and some ran like, thoro'
/ bred. The crowd cheered. Every darky
was determined to win, and the affair
finally resolved itself into a mule race
bumped against another. The race
proved the downfall of that yellow
mule. With his tail on a straight per
pendicular, he started in at the head
of the race, but as one cart after an
other passed the yellow mule, it's tai
and it's driver dropped perceptlbly, and
the yellow mule failed to show up il
the line when the race was over.
81 done told you yaller mule warn .
no count ~ ...t
Then the wedding out process con
! left in line.
I The drivers of these five carts the1
announced, in chorus, for the beheft o:
the other seven:
"You niggers would bring those goat
inter competition with real mules. }
The Judges were unable to determine
which was the best mule and cart of tn,
five, and retired to the Elks home fo
consultations. The consultation consist
gu OIL putting tuc VI VIC II
carts in hat and allowing John Cahill
! q son of the councilman. to draw ou
two. Under this plan, the first priz!
, winner was cart of the secoRd ward
John Hail was the driver, and he re
, ceived handsome set of harness. whlcl
was offered by Councilman Cahill.
. The second prize, $5 gold piece
went to cart 20, of the eleventh ward
The second prize was given by Commlss
{ sioner Smith.
Before the prizes were awarded to th'
,, carts. Commissioner Smith, number O.
: other officials Of the street cleaning de
partment, and the four judges inspect
ed the street cleaners. Almost 200 O.
these, in clean, white uniforms, were OF
parade, and Mr.. Smith said that the,
made an excellent showing.
The sprirklers and all the othe
WAGONS of every description were in