The independent-reporter., 1909-12-09
RENOWNED NELSON
IS NO MORE
Deep Gloom Cast Over
Sunnyside Farm
Owner Of Horse GrIeves Over Ills
Loss.

The old horse Nelson Is dead. The
once King of stations, with a record
Of 209. the pride of c. Horace Nell
son, the owner. and great fayorite
with all horsemen, was. as Mr.. Nell
son told friend. laid away" The
news of the death of this renowned
animal was hushed Friday by hr.
Nelson, who refused to be interview
ed and he would say nothing except
that the old horse was injured about
one year ago and that for some time
ne had been thinking that he would
dispose of 1t. With tears in his eyes.
Mr. Nelson made this remark to a
friend, stating that grave had been
dug where the body of his favorite
horse would be laid.
The veteran horse Nelson, 2.09, was
in his 2Sth year. He was foaled June
12, 1882 He was sired by Nelson
Rolfe, 2.21A, he by Tom Rolfe, 2.33 " &.
I L
Gideon las. He was bred by C. H.
Nelson, who trained and drove him
in all his great races. He was a
great colt and attracted much atten-
ton even as 2year-old, when he
won the 2-year-old stake race for
Maine colts at the Maine State fair
at Lewiston. AS 3-year-old he won
the Maine State fair cup for the fast
est 3-year-old, also the cup for the
fastest stallion of any age, taking
record of 2.26A-the fastest half-mile
track record to that date and for sew
eral years afterward. AS 5-year-old
he won the New England stake for
5-year-olds. When seven years old
he lowered his record to 2.14h.
In 1890 he was worked at Franklin
Park, Mass, and shipped to Bangor
in August, where he started to lower
the half-mile track record, which he
did, trotting in 2.15A. From Bangor
he started on long journey to Fort
Wayne, Ind, and from there to Kan
kakee, ILL.,, where he trotted a full
mile In 2.12, which at that time was
the worlds stallion record. Two days
later he lowered the record to 2.11R.
and two days later than that at Rush
Vile, Ind, he circled the oval track
at that place in 2.11%. One week
later at Terre Haute, Ind, he cut the
record down to 2.11A and IL days
later at Cambridge City, Ind. he again
lowered it to 21O%, after which he
was shipped to Maine, when with one
weeks rest he was shipped back to
Chicago, where he was the idol of the
great horse show, after which he re-
turned to his home at the Sunnyside
farm for the winter.
In 1891 he again went West, where
he was greeted on every side with the
utmost enthusiasm. The floral trib-
utes bestowed upon him were most
profuse and elegant, and much as
prima donna might well be proud OF.
He commenced his tour, which was
nothing short OF triumphal process
sion. at Saginaw, Mich, and contin-
ued at Detroit, Grand Rapids, Free
port. Elgin, Rockport, Independence,
Iowa: Richmond and Cambridge City,
Ind At Grand Rapids he lowered his
record to 2.10 and again returned to
Maine to spend the winter
In 1892 he was driven many exhibit
ton miles on New England tracks,
and at Trenton, N. j., lowered the
half-mile track record to AIM.
In 1893 he made his present record
of 2.09 at Rigby park, Portland, since
which time he trotted exhibition miles
before large concourses of people on
different tracks in Maine, New Hamp-
stire, Vermont and st. John, N. B. He
held the worlds stallion record to
high wheels over an oval track and
probably trotted more fast miles than
any horse in the world.
The horse was the pride of all who
knew him, gentle, kind and fond OF
admiration. He was, up to year ago,
familiar figure on the streets and
persons always turned to look. when
some one mentioned There goes the
old horse Nelson" The fairs at the
Central Maine park were not complete
without the horse and as he would
trot up the course as lively as any Q.
year-old, he was always met with a
fond greeting and floral tributes
Probably none will miss the horse
as will his owner, Mr.. Nelson, who
stated Friday that he cried during the
greater part of the afternoon A
gloom was cast over the Sunnyside
farm, where the old horse had lived
the greater part of his life.