The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1950-04-27
HORSE AND
BUGGY DAYS
by
Ida 10 Martin

told you little about the amuSe-
ments that prevailed in Hagerstown
and vicinity back in the old days. |
Many of the pastimes and amuse-
ments were much the same as today.
Perhaps outstanding were horse rae
ing and cock fighting, as the follow
ing quotation indicates:
'Hagerstown enjoyed a peculiar
pre-eminence as a chicken-fghting
centre, and its game-cocks were re-
nowned all over the country, from
New York to New Orleans, for their
expertness, daring, and endurance.
Many mains were fought between
the Hagerstown cock-fighters and
the sportsmen of Virginia, while
some of the most celebrated contests
at New York and in other leading
cities were participated in by Wash
ington County chickens"
Going back to a little earlier date,
before our town went by Jonathan
Hager's name-that is, while it went
by the name he gave tive find in
an old copy of the Washington news
paper, the Spy" an account of
theatrical performances in ELIZA
beth-Town." The following is an
interesting contrast to the way news
papers advertise such things today
"This evening, Wednesday, April
IS, 1871, will be presented,
The Comedy of
THE CONTRAST
written by a citizen of the United
States, and performed with univer-
sal applause at the theatres of Phil
adelphia, New York, Baltimore,
Alexandria, Georgetown, and Fred
erickstowne.
The original prologue to be spok-
en- by Mr.. McGrath.
At the end of the Play, The New
Address to the Play House, or
Bellies Have At Ye ALL to be de-
livered by Mrs. McGrath." To which
will be added a Farce called
LIKE MASTER LIKE MAN, or,
The Wrangling Lovers.
The Spy said that these per
formances were attended by crowd
ed and respectable audiences" who
showed their appreciation.
In the 1893 issue of the "Spy'
there appeared notice addressed
''To The Curious" Below these
words appeared a large cut of {
camel, two columns wide, and II
part, this description:
"a Male Camel"
''From the deserts of Arabia. Tt
be seen at Mr.. Beltzhoover's Taverr
in Hagerstown, on Tuesday anc
Wednesday next, the 7th and Stl
instant MAY, 1880
'This stupendous animal is mos
deserving the attention of the cur
ious, being the greatest natura
curiosity ever exhibited to the pub
TIC OH lIllS COllblIlGllL. liz 10 bWSAAtJ
one hands high, his neck is fou
feet long, has large high bunch Of
his back, and another under hi
breast in the form of a pedestal, Of
which he supports himself Will
lying down. He has four joints i
his hand legs, will travel twelve t
fourteen days without drink, an
carry fifteen hundredweight. H
is remarkably docile and harmless
and will lie down and rise at com
mand"
Quite bit has been said abou
horse racing in and around HagerS
town for many generations, both fc
and against them Many of tn
early races, and the conditions, hav
been described in these column
But here is new point. Shortl
after the beginning of the 1900
there was growing sentiment again
the races. 1t was true that the taN
ern keepers were chiefly instr
mental in getting up the races, an
reaped rich harvest from then
Now the public began to take MOI
notice of the gambling, the DRUM
eness and profanity which accom-
panied the races, and they began
think of the races as fostering the:
abuses upon the community. Ar
so, in 1917, the Grand Jury, wit
David Schnebley as foreman, advise
that the races be discontinued. An
it appears that at least for a sho
time, there were no horse races
the vicinity of Hagerstown.
Going back to the Theatre:
1880 there was built "spaciol
hall" for musical and dramatic
productions, in connection with tt
building of the famous old "Balt
"If IFS Insurance