New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-31
WORK HORSE AT PLAY.
PARADE Il PAGEANT.
Four-Horse DriUing Contest Knocks
Spots ont of Chariot Race.

The men who drive for a living and not for
pleasure had their innings yesterday in the first
annual New York work horse parade with al
most 900 entries and over 1900 horses For four
hours the horses and the glittering, newly
painted wagons rivetted the attention of 100 900
persons who packed Fifth avenue from Wash
mgton Square, the assembling place 10 the re-
viewing stand at Twenty fifth street Only at
the very end OF Il all did the human element
c.al driving competition. class 46" was held
This great event was for "all four-horse teams
and upward. to be driven around obstacles"
Such is the dry language of the programme. but
the full appreciation of II was 10 be heard in
the saloons Of West street and in all those places
where heavy listed truckmen gather 10 talk
shop 1t will be the topic of conviviaI nights in
such social hooks until next year wheels around
and the next parade comes into being AS
Marty OHare said yesterday: 1T beat the
Ben-Hur chariot race all hollow" And Marty"
who wasn't I'm the parade. once ran away from
school In Brooklyn 10 train the driver of a
scrubby grocery wagon until he could qualify as
the whip of four-ir,-hand milk company pre-
ferred. anyhow, he qualified as a critic yester-
day.
The contest was won by Matthew NJ. Sui-
van pesched on the quarterback of q white and
gold truck of the Borden Condensed Milk Com
rumbled behind four squarely built grays that
might have posed for Rosa Bonheur with full
credit. The loser was Patrick Foley. who fooled
brilliant red wagon OF the proportions OF a
freight II bore the name of the hay and
feed company OF Frank j. Lennon and was
whisked about by four iron gray Normans any
one OF them worthy 10 have borne William at
Hastings
The conditions of the affair were that the
n1pn gtear IN out and hon
ten boxes and barrels. The reward was silver
loving cup given by Mrs. James Speyer. treas
urer of the New York Work Horse Parade AS
socation- The man who gets the decision three
times is to have the cup his own. and 1t is
not necessary that he win in successive years
But It for the honor of the business and
not for piece OF silverware that tho struggle
was hammered out under the hot afternoon
sun. According to the expert hostlers who had
rooted for the winner. the cup wouldn't hold
five cents worth at the stingiest in
Brooklyn"
The spectators. who had stood, with mighty
few deserters. in the dust OF the long pageant
for four hours braced up when the contest an
nounceInent was roared out by the traffic police
men who had been sent In relays TO clear the
space of asphalt in front Of the reviewing stand
Then there thuddng OF mighty hoofs
and up from under the lee of the Flatiron Build
ing coursed the Borden entry. Matt" Sullivan
sat straight. with lines and whip held correctly
like any millionaire dilettante In the coaching
parade.
Clinging to the handrail and swinging twenty
feet above the pavement was "Matts" side
partner, Mike Lenahan. He was standing on
the second step, as footman TO the milkcart so
TO speak. Half a dozen others We're In the cav
ernous body. Their heads just peeped over the
sides. Surely "Matts" friends were there, for,
despite his waxed, yellow mustache and his
trim appearance. he has been with the COM
pany for twenty-one years, and the money that
was bet him by the other employees was
enough to have bought the entire rig.
Down through tile obstacles It went the horses
prancing heavily with their great feet, like white
stockinged singers in "Tyroean village" cafe
In and out and round about the obstacles Matt
swung them. Three times did the lead horses |
turn left face" and right face" with military
precision, just as their foam 1ecked nozZles were
within an inch of the crowded line of the curb |
But Matt" turned them properly, the hubs just |
'feathering the quakng knees Of those who |
thought they had been slated for sort of |
tuggerraut ceremony under the auspices of the |
Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty to Animals |
"Matt's' triumph hailed with mighty |
cheer, and he drew up neatly at the south side |
Of the arena. Not an obstacle had been grazed. |
and there expectation when the red hay |
wagon burst into view All alone on it's high |
seat was Pat" Foley. No friends were in his |
cart to give him support, But his jaw was set |
and between his teeth he grpped the central |
fringe of his long red mustache. No milk cart |
was going to put 1t a feed wagon If he |
knew it, shout went UP from the crowd, and |
he went at his task. His driving did not have
the snap and verve of Mats" He
careful, and at timesf when a snakelike turn was
he m pptir for
moment When he drew IL Matt" OF the milky
white monster twirled his mustaches. looked
down at the audience and smiled.
Matt" had few tricks up his sleeve or hidden
Continued third page.