200 



The Driving Clubs of Greater Boston 



ciation and pleasing way in which he renders 

 the judge's decisions. 



Mr. Smith lias heen identified with many 

 of the horses that have raced at Charles River 

 Speedway, and with many that have made 

 fast records in professional races throughout 

 New England. The most prominent horse 

 with which he was connected was a half-in- 

 terest in the famous campaigner, Joe Patchen, 

 2:01 1-4. Mr. Smith resides at 34 Park St., 

 Newton, Mass. 



ALMON J. FURBUSH 

 Almon 1. Furbush was born in Lebanon, 

 Me., in 1859. He received his education in 

 the town schools of his place of birth and 

 was graduated from the Berwick High 

 School. His first work in Boston was in 

 1883, as a grocery clerk for J. H. Nute. 

 The following year he started in business 

 for himself, opening a grocery store at 321; 

 Washington Street, Brighton. He later 

 opened a sale stable, where he is still lo- 

 cated, at 200 Washington Street, Brighton. 

 He was one of the first members to join the 

 Metropolitan Driving Club, and served on 

 the board of directors and filled the office 

 of treasurer. He also belongs to the 

 Knights Templar, Knights of Pythias and 

 Golden Cross. 



So prominent has been Mr. Furbush in 

 the matinee racing at the Charles River 

 Speedway that to leave out his name, and 

 the horses that he drove, would be to 

 greatly depreciate the length of the sum- 

 maries. He has owned and sold 211 horses 

 with records from 2:031-4 to 2:30, among 

 the fastest being My Star, 2:033-4; Nathan 

 Straus, 2:03 1-2; Doris B., 2:05 3-4, the 

 holder, at one time, of the world's record to 

 ice of 2:131-4; Frank Wilson. 2:001-4, 

 the holder of a half-mile ice record (straight- 

 away) of 583-4 seconds; Claymos, 2:073-4; 

 Phoebon W., third heat in 2:183-4; Edwin 

 S.. 2:08; Chief Wilkie, 2:123-4, that de- 

 feated more than a hundred different pacers 

 and never losl to a pacer but what he, in 

 turn, defeated that same horse. He was also 

 winner of fourth money in the Si 5.000 pac- 

 ing handicap at Readville, the distance be- 

 ing one and a half miles, and was timed. 

 separately, at the rate of 2:10 for the mile. 

 Mr. Furbush resides in Brighton, Mass. 



BERT W. GOVE 

 Bert W. Gove was born in Nahant, Mass., 

 in 1875, and was graduated from the local 

 schools of his native town. His first work in 

 Boston was in 181)3 at the Quincy Market. 

 He started in business for himself, in 1896, at 

 54 Beach Street, Boston, opening a fish mar- 



ket, and is still in the same line, under the 

 firm name of Gove & Mollins, with stores at 

 156 Federal and 152 Summer Streets, Bos- 

 ton. He joined the Metropolitan Driving 

 Club in 1904, when it was organized, and has 

 served on the board of directors. He also be- 

 longs to the fraternal order of Masons. Mr. 

 Gove has been prominent in matinee circles, 

 having owned Ward M., 2:09 l_ 4 : Victor C, 

 2:10 1-4; Billy Wilkes, 2:29 1-2; Billy H., 

 2:1c 3-4; Miss Vassar, 2:17 i-_| ; Clontarf Jr., 

 2:24 1-4; B. R. C, afterwards raced in 

 Canada under the name of Prince Rupert, 

 2:191-4; Manlel. 2:151-4, and the famous 

 matinee trotter, Earl King, afterward-, owned 

 by Hollis Gallup. .Mr. Gove resides at 2^, 

 Hooker Street, Allston, Mass. 



JOHN W. ELLIS 



John W. Ellis was born in Woonsocket, 

 R. I., and joined the Metropolitan Driving- 

 Club in 191 4. He is one of the successful 

 business men of his native state, and presi- 

 dent and manager of the Providence Gas Co. 



Mr. Ellis has owned a horse having speec 

 for the past fifty years, and enjoys the sport 

 of amateur racing as well now as ever. He 

 has never raced a horse for monev or a 

 purse, owning them for their good road 

 qualities or for speedway purposes. 



In illustration of his devotion to his horse 

 is of one he purchased when a four-year-old 

 and gave a respectable burial when he was 

 twenty years old, and he always declares 

 that the hi irse was the best he ever owned. 



The season of 1914, Mr. Ellis raced the 

 prominent speedway performer, Martha G., 

 and was very successful with her in the 

 matinees at Charles River Speedway, win- 

 ning many blue ribbons, she, as always, 

 being a hard proposition to beat. In the 

 handling of this mare. Mr. Ellis showed he 

 was adept in driving. Coming to the club 

 almost a stranger, many supposed that the 

 racing part of the sport was new to him, but 

 the experience of fifty years of brush driving 

 on the road had its benefits, as was soon 

 demonstrated by the expert way he drove the 

 little black mare to repeated victories. 



Martha G. had made history at Charles 

 River Speedway in the hands of Fred G. 

 Garmon, when, in the Spring series of 1909, 

 she won the champion cup for trotters, and 

 earned a record of t :oo 3-4, the same taken 

 in the third heat of her race. When she first 

 came to the speedway she was capable of 

 showing only about a 2:40 gait, but her im- 

 provement was rapid, and it was but a short 

 time before she was capable of racing with 

 the fastest trotters in the club. Mr. Ellis re- 

 sides at Woonsocket. R. I. 



