| 169Chicago Herald 6/14
COWBOYS START OUT.
ACCOMPANIED BY HUMANE AGENTS.
Entries Fewer Than Were Expected Because
of the Opposition to the ride That Has
Been Developed- Altgeld Expresses
Official Disapprobation.
CHADRON, Neb., June 13.- The cowboy
race has begun. Nine hardy fellows started
on the ride to Chicago to-day at 5:42 p. m. An
extraordinary incident of the start was
that Humane society officers joined in the
applause which followed the signal, a pistol
shot fired from the rotunda of the Blaine
hotel. Paul Fontaine and W. W. Tatro,
representing the Humane society, were
seated with 200 others on the rotunda.
Five thousand people crowded the space
in front of the hotel. The enthusiasm was
tremendous. But the cheering was wilder
than ever when it was noticed that Fontaine and Tatro were joining in the applause. Their previous opposition had
angered the people against them, and the
most that was hoped from them was that
they would be passive.
When it was seen that they were actually
cheering the riders the people could hardly
believe their eyes. But there was no mis-
taking it. The secret of this change of front
soon leaked out. The Humane society and
cowboys' committee came to an agree-
ment before the start. Mr. Fon-
taine and W. W. Tatro arrived
this morning. The citizens called a
meeting to hear the protest of the Humane
society. Mr. Fontaine spoke over an hour,
advancing arguments against the race and
assuring the committee that it was impossi-
ble for the riders to reach Chicago, as the
Humane society has left no stone unturned
en route east of the Mississippi river and,
even if they did reach Chicago limits, would
not be able to reach their destination.
Cowboys Were Depressed.
His remarks had a depressing effect on
the cowboys and on the committee, and
it began to look as if Mr. Fon-
tained had scared them out of their
purpose. After Mr. Fontaine was
through talking, Jack Hale, a stock raiser,
took the floor and made this suggestion-
that the two Humane society men ac-
company the "registering" secretary,
they to be the judges of whether cruelty
was being inflicted on the horses.
This at once changed the situation. Both
the humane agents agreed to go with the
registering agent, taking trains form one
registering station to the other. The dis-
tance for each day's riding will probably be
limited to a reasonable extent, as the ride
is nearly one thousand miles.
Here are the names of the cowboys and
the horses they will ride:
Emmet Albright, riding Outlaw and Joe
Bush; James H. Stephens, riding General
Grant and Nick; George A. Jones, riding George
and Romeo; Doc Middleton, riding Geronimo
and Jimmie; C. W. Smith, riding Dynamite and
Red Wing; Dave Douglas, riding Monte Cristo
and Wide Awake; Joe Gillespie, riding Billie
Mack and Billi Shafer; Joe Campbell, riding
Boomerang; R. Fisher, riding Nigger Baby and
Dixie.
All the others who had entered for the
race backed out. They were scared by the
attitude of the Humane society, and had not
time to get ready when they learned the so-
ciety officers had changed their tune.
In the morning it was feared that they stiff
gale that was howling would result in the
postponement of the race to a more aus-
picious day, as it was intended to give the
boys a rousing send-off. As the day ad-
vanced the wind calmed down and when 5
o'clock, the hour for starting came, the
evening was lovely, although very warm-
94 in the shade.
People had spread along the route for
nearly a mile to cheer the boys as they
started. Sheriff Dahlman, Secretary Weir
and Messrs. Fontaine and Tatro sat to-
gether in the rotunda. The more they
learned of the race the more they became
interested in it. The cowboys started
of in a gallop, soon getting down
to a common pace, and stopping now
and then to bid friends good bye. Voices
could be heard from all sides saying, "Boys,
take your time and show yourselves human
and not beasts, as people in the east sup-
pose you are." The boys will be serenaded
as they pass Hay Springs, where the band
will be out to furnish them music as they
pass.
"Doc" Middleton, Chadron's favorite
rider and probably the most noted man
connected with the race, was the last
rider to leave the city. He was sur-
rounded by hundreds of people, all
trying to shake his hand and bid
him godspeed. His wife and two beau-
tiful little children pushed their way
through the crowd. Mr. Middleton upon
seeing them, reached down and took his
children, kissed them and then his wife.
The scene brought the tears to the eyes of
many. As he left the city he remarked:
"Boys, I am last now, but may be first at
Chicago."
When the signal to start was given Paul
Fontaine and W. W. Tatro were thoroughly
convinced after talking to the committee
and the riders that there would be no
cruelty practiced, and what has been
termed a cruel and brutal contest, promises
to develop into a splendid test of western
horsemanship and worthy of the four hundredth
anniversary of America. | 169Chicago Herald 6/14
COWBOYS START OUT.
ACCOMPANIED BY HUMANE AGENTS.
Entries Fewer Than Were Expected Because
of the Opposition to the ride That Has
Been Developed- Altgeld Expresses
Official Disapprobation.
CHADRON, Neb., June 13.- The cowboy
race has begun. Nine hardy fellows started
on the ride to Chicago to-day at 5:42 p. m. An
extraordinary incident of the start was
that Humane society officers joined in the
applause which followed the signal, a pistol
shot fired from the rotunda of the Blaine
hotel. Paul Fontaine and W. W. Tatro,
representing the Humane society, were
seated with 200 others on the rotunda.
Five thousand people crowded the space
in front of the hotel. The enthusiasm was
tremendous. But the cheering was wilder
than ever when it was noticed that Fon-
taine and Tatro were joining in the ap-
plause. Their previous opposition had
angered the people against them, and the
most that was hoped from them was that
they would be passive.
When it was seen that they were actually
cheering the riders the people could hardly
believe their eyes. But there was no mis-
taking it. The secret of this change of front
soon leaked out. The Humane society and
cowboys' committee came to an agree-
ment before the start. Mr. Fon-
taine and W. W. Tatro arrived
this morning. The citizens called a
meeting to hear the protest of the Humane
society. Mr. Fontaine spoke over an hour,
advancing arguments against the race and
assuring the committee that it was impossi-
ble for the riders to reach Chicago, as the
Humane society has left no stone unturned
en route east of the Mississippi river and,
even if they did reach Chicago limits, would
not be able to reach their destination.
Cowboys Were Depressed.
His remarks had a depressing effect on
the cowboys and on the committee, and
it began to look as if Mr. Fon-
tained had scared them out of their
purpose. After Mr. Fontaine was
through talking, Jack Hale, a stock raiser,
took the floor and made this suggestion-
that the two Humane society men ac-
company the "registering" secretary,
they to be the judges of whether cruelty
was being inflicted on the horses.
This at once changed the situation. Both
the humane agents agreed to go with the
registering agent, taking trains form one
registering station to the other. The dis-
tance for each day's riding will probably be
limited to a reasonable extent, as the ride
is nearly one thousand miles.
Here are the names of the cowboys and
the horses they will ride:
Emmet Albright, riding Outlaw and Joe
Bush; James H. Stephens, riding General
Grant and Nick; George A. Jones, riding George
and Romeo; Doc Middleton, riding Geronimo
and Jimmie; C. W. Smith, riding Dynamite and
Red Wing; Dave Douglas, riding Monte Cristo
and Wide Awake; Joe Gillespie, riding Billie
Mack and Billi Shafer; Joe Campbell, riding
Boomerang; R. Fisher, riding Nigger Baby and
Dixie.
All the others who had entered for the
race backed out. They were scared by the
attitude of the Humane society, and had not
time to get ready when they learned the so-
ciety officers had changed their tune.
In the morning it was feared that they stiff
gale that was howling would result in the
postponement of the race to a more aus-
picious day, as it was intended to give the
boys a rousing send-off. As the day ad-
vanced the wind calmed down and when 5
o'clock, the hour for starting came, the
evening was lovely, although very warm-
94 in the shade.
People had spread along the route for
nearly a mile to cheer the boys as they
started. Sheriff Dahlman, Secretary Weir
and Messrs. Fontaine and Tatro sat to-
gether in the rotunda. The more they
learned of the race the more they became
interested in it. The cowboys started
of in a gallop, soon getting down
to a common pace, and stopping now
and then to bid friends good bye. Voices
could be heard from all sides saying, "Boys,
take your time and show yourselves human
and not beasts, as people in the east sup-
pose you are." The boys will be serenaded
as they pass Hay Springs, where the band
will be out to furnish them music as they
pass.
"Doc" Middleton, Chadron's favorite
rider and probably the most noted man
connected with the race, was the last
rider to leave the city. He was sur-
rounded by hundreds of people, all
trying to shake his hand and bid
him godspeed. His wife and two beau-
tiful little children pushed their way
through the crowd. Mr. Middleton upon
seeing them, reached down and took his
children, kissed them and then his wife.
The scene brought the tears to the eyes of
many. As he left the city he remarked:
"Boys, I am last now, but may be first at
Chicago."
When the signal to start was given Paul
Fontaine and W. W. Tatro were thoroughly
convinced after talking to the committee
and the riders that there would be no
cruelty practiced, and what has been
termed a cruel and brutal contest, promises
to develop into a splendid test of western
horsemanship and worthy of the four hundredth
anniversary of America. |
