The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-25
Saltair Bull Fights
Refined, Thrilling
Vivid Contrast Between Bloody Spanish Spectacles
and Exhibitions of Skill and Daring Here.

human skill and daring, as If 1t were
seen in sunny Spain. An escape from
the polished horns of furious toTro
lis every BIT as thrilling rs II would he
we're the banderillos barbed or the mata-
dor armed with murderous sword.
Some Features Missing,
or course. at Saltalr one misses many
Of the most characteristic and interest
ing features OF T. bull fight OH its native
heath. Tho gathering OF the crowd. the
polite and peculiar salutations OF friends.
the mrsica. chatter OF the dark eyed
women. the babbie OF banter from the
peon fans the solemn arrival OF armed
troopers the statonlng Of white -clad fire
mon with buckets. the entrance Of ar
mored picadorcs with lance like gonds.
and the tinkle OF bells ON the gaily caPari-
soncd mules that are used to drag the
dead from sight; none OF these is found
at Saltair but for all that II is far
OF this land. since the bloody brutality
is eliminated al the same time.
Combats between men and bulls for
public entertainment were common In
early Greece. particularly Thessaly, ana
in Rome under the cmperors. Al pres
cnt they remain popular pastime only
in Spanish speaking countries. 1t has
long been q tradition OF the ring that
none but Spaniards are capable of achiev
Ing dis stinction as first-cia matadors.
Felix Robert is probably the only excep-
ton 10 the rule.
Recalls First Experience.
/ remember well the first time / ever
saw this French mntador. II was in a
corrida in the old Plaza de Torros in Mex
leo City on the 10Th OF February, 1907.
/ have one Of the handbills now, II |
am not mistaken IL Roberts first
appearance before Mexican audience.
He was assisted by Alexandra Alvarado.
known to the public as "Alvaradito," and
Francisco Palomar. whose pet name was
hermanos bravos torros"-slx beautiful
and savage bulls-out OF business.
The plcadorcs were Manuel Martinez.
Pedro Ortego. Jose Vega, Antonio Fer
illeros were Jose Moyano. Joaquin Perez,
Jose Traverse, Eduardo Margeli and Man
uel Noguerol. The puntillero was Benito
Leal. the ring master Fernando Cutter
nitary. was Ramon Lopez
Los precios de entrada." or rates OF
admission, ranged from $50, Mexican, for
boxes. and SO general admission on the
shady side, to rs cents for poems on the
sunny side OF the ring.
Besides the five bulls drawn from the
and Tepeyahualco. near Tlaxcala, the
was one direct from Ia Ganaderia Es-
pamela" In old Spain, IT was also an
nounced that there were four bulls held
In reserve in case any Of the six bulls
proved unsatisfactory,
Nota bles Witness Contest
remember this fight because the
French colony of Mexico was out in full
force. occupying many OF the boxes and
most OF the reserved seats. Hundreds Of
American tourists were present and the
rest of the crowd of 5000 or more was
made up OF Mexicans. The fans were out
TO find fault, but Felix Robert did his
work so well and dispatched the two bulls
which fell to him with such neatness that
he became quite a favorite with the Mex
lean public. notwithstanding his success
full invasion OF a field generally claimed
by Spaniards as their exclusive domain
bull fight in which there is no real
fighting or killing Of bulls may be like
the play of Hamlet with the character
OF Hamlet left out, but the melancholy
Dane is an unsatisfactory sort OF hero
anyhow, and the presence of carcasses in
bull ring adds nothing TO our American
enjoyment of the antics OF torros and
toreadors.
II any killing is done let It be the
one who deliberately brings it on him
tion and no escape from whatever fate
may have been arranged for him.