Jan. 19, 1888. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



809 



is thoroughly an impartial outsider, and, T am convinced, 

 voices the sentiments of ninety-nine out of one-hundred of 

 the class, when he writes me: 'Are you going to the New 

 York show? Itw T ill be a poor one, I guess, owing tot-hat 

 idiotic rale about the stud book entries. What on earth got 

 into them?'— W. Wade." 



Editor Forest and stream: 



Will you please enlighten me through your paper as to 

 Rule No. 2 American Kennel Club. I have been to consid- 

 erable expense in importing from Japan some Japanese 

 spaniels, ami as I have not their pedigrees I would like to 

 know if I will be allowed to exhibit them at New York show 

 next month. I am thinking of calling on the superintend- 

 dent of the Niagara Fret; Park to suggest the idea of a sim- 

 ilar rule to No. 2, compelling every one who visits Niagara 

 next season to purchase a guide book of C. E. Lewis. 



Suspension Bridge, N. Y. 



Editor Forest a nd Stream: 



What do the members of the A. K. C. take us Yankees 

 for? If they try to drive us they will find it much like driv- 

 ing hens; we shall go in every direction but the one they 

 wish, Rule 3 would keep any dog of mine out of the shows. 



The members of the Jxew England K. C. are not the kind 

 of men to be made to support a stud book unless they wish, 

 and they have the best show in the circuit; and their stand 

 in this matter will give them even more and better entries 

 in April. The expense of dog shows is heavy enough with- 

 out adding this useless one torced by Rule 2. 



E. E. Handy. 



Essex Kennels, Andover, Mass. 



.Editor Forest and Stream: 



New Englaud and New Haven wins will count. The pro- 

 posed boycott of the Boston and New Haven shows, by re- 

 fusing to recognize wins there this year, will "peter out" 

 before the next bench show season comes around. If the 

 New England Keuuel Club and the New Haven Kennel Club 

 give thefr shows under American Kennel Club rules, all ex- 

 cept the compulsory registration clause, the A. K. C. will lie 

 compelled to recognize the prizes won there, just as they 

 recognize prizes won at other shows which were given by 

 clubs not belonging to the association. All talk to the con- 

 trary is for the express purpose of hurting the entry lists. 



Hue. 



Messrs. Craig, Niven, Tucker, Sanderson, Wade, Davey, 

 Gcyer, Barlow, Mercer, Sperry, Haldeman, Campbell, Hunt- 

 ington, Willey, Hopf, Dole, Shepherd, Alsop, Naylor, Lewis; 

 Nickerson, Newman, Partridge, and other members of the 

 New Enghtnd Kennel Club; Osborn, Hemingway, Porter, 

 and other members of the New Haven Kennel Club; Spencer 

 and other members of the Port Schuyler Club; the proprie- 

 tors of the Clifton Kennels, Wyoming Kennels and Essex 

 Kennels, and all other owners, breeders and exhibitors who 

 refuse to obey compulsory registration Rule 3, are admon- 

 ished to give heed and take notice. Mr. C. J. Peshall tells 

 you that your opposition to his dictum is "mere bosh." As 

 Mr. Peshall knows more about this than you do, you will 

 all— the thirty of you who are named, and all the rest— see the 

 propriety of putting away your "bosh" and submitting with 

 the hest grace possible. 



At a meeting of the New Jersey Kennel Club, Jan. 17, 

 after a protracted and animated discussion, it was voted 

 that the club indorse Rule 3, excepting that it instructs its 

 delegates to suggest a modifacation of it to the A. K. C, to 

 the effect that all dogs without the proper qualifications 

 (such as correct pedigree^ttc.) lor registration shall not be 

 registered. 



To tfjje Editor of the HeraM: Mr. A. C. Collins, secretary 

 of the Hartford Kennel Club, in an article published in your 

 paper of the Oth inst. , states that his club has not withdrawn 

 from membership in the American Kennel Club. I hardly 

 think the Hartford club in a position to withdraw, as its 

 delegate made the motion which has caused all the kennel 

 troubles. Mr. Mortimer, superintendent of the New York 

 show, estimates a loss of 250 dogs for his show this year on 

 account of the objectionable Rule 2. New York had about 

 750 dogs last year, so this rule will, if the proposition is car- 

 ried out, make one-third reduction to every dog show in the 

 country. If this is true, what will Hartford do when it 

 comes their turn — a club that has not paid its bills of last 

 year yet? Hartford, perhaps, foresees this. It has decided 

 not to have a show this season. It prefers to see the larger 

 clubs fight it out. 



Of all the shows which are announced for this season, 

 Utica, Hornellsville, Atlanta, Boston and San Francisco are 

 not to show under the rule which has caused all the trouble, 

 leaving only New York and Philadelphia to stagger under 

 it. The American Fox-Terrier Club have repudiated it by 

 agreeing to pav registration themselves. The Westminster 

 Club, I understand, will do likewi.se. The principle of 

 the rule, I think, may be all right, but going into effect, 

 as it does, Jan 1, 1888, just before the coining show season, 

 it hardly gives the bench show committee and exhibitors 

 time to prepare for it. Had it been made to go into effect 

 Jan. 1, 1889, I think there would not have been so much ob- 

 jection. 



The rule is defective as it stands now, as the following 

 case shows: The American Kennel Club Stud Book is pub- 

 lished quarterly, the next issue appearing April 1. I have 

 no idea of registering my dog, but am going to show him, so 

 I make my entry at New York, Philadelphia, and any other 

 shows that may be held by or before April 1. On the entry 

 blank I write "registered." How are the managers to know 

 whether the dog is registered or not ? Some might say, 

 write to the secretary of the American Kennel Club and iind 

 out. What a job if 300 or 400 of them come in marked the 

 same way: then there is hardly time to write, as the entries 

 close so near the time of opening the show. As a conse- 

 quence my dog takes prizes at both shows and has never 

 been registered. Perhaps when the American Kennel Club 

 Stud Book comes out, April 1, somebody will notice that he 

 has not been registered, but the chances are he will be for- 

 gotten after the shows. What a kick from exhibitors then! 



Because all dogs that are entered in England must be 

 registered is no reason why they should be registered in this 

 country. There is quite a difference in kennel matters in the 

 two countries. In England dog shows have been held since 

 1859, and the people better understand doggy matters, while 

 in this country the people are comparatively young at the 

 business, our first show of any importance having been held 

 in 1879. It is only of late years that they have attracted 

 much attention. 



We have in this country two stud books, the American 

 Kennel Club Stud Book, published quarterly by the Ameri- 

 can Kennel Club, and the American Kennel Register, 

 published monthly by the Forest AND STREAM. Should I 

 register a dog in the A. K. C. S. Book on Jan. 1, 1888, it 

 would be published April 1, 18S8. Should there happen to 

 be a mistake in printing (which happens in both), I notify 

 the secretary of the A. K. O, who will have the correction in 

 the issue of Aug. 1, a period of six months before I get my 

 dog properly registered. Should I register hirn the same day 

 in the America n Kennel Register it will be published in the 

 issue of Feb. 1, and should a mistake be made in that, I 

 could get it corrected by March 1, a difference of four months; 

 quite an essential point with breeders. 



Can it be wondered at that people dislike being forced into 

 registering in the A. K. C Stud Book when they get just as 



much good and in quicker time by registering in the 

 American Kennel Register? There is no one but thinks a 

 stud book a great benefit to breeders, and that it will be 

 more so in years to come, but it is not the nature of Ameri- 

 cans to be driven, though they can be led.— "uA Fancier" in 

 Boston Herald, Jan, 9, 



"AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER." 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The work of preparing the index of the America h Kennel 

 Register for 18S7 has caused unavoidable delay in issuing 

 the January nuuiber. Had last year's method of indexing 

 been followed this would not have occurred, but in order to 

 give a complete record for the year I undertook to index the 

 dog shows. This was a very great task and took a great 

 deal of time. I hope its value will render the Register more 

 appreciated, 



As some of our friends may be interested in knowing how 

 we have withstood the recent shock, 1 take pleasure in say- 

 ing that this mouth shows an increase of fifty per cent, over 

 January 1887. Au article on the English greyhound, by 

 "Merlin," Mr. M. B. Wynn on the Crown Prince pedigree, 

 and Birmingham prize list will be among the features. 



THE IiDITOE. 



New Vohk, Jan. IB. 



EASTERN GREYHOUND COURSING CLUB. 



THE circular published below explains itself. It is to be 

 hoped that it will meet with a hearty response from 

 lovers of the breed, aud that the Eastern Greyhound Cours- 

 ing Club will prove to be as successful as its most ardent 

 supporters could wish: 



The subject of coursing hares having been under discussion 

 among breeders and owners of greyhounds for some years 

 past without producing any results in the right direction, 

 the undersigned have determined to force the subject by 

 forming the Eastern Greyhound Coursing Club, and thereby 

 enjoy that most fascinating sport which is and has been for 

 many years so popular in (.treat Britain aud our West. The 

 difficulty in obtaining hares has been the great drawback in 

 years gone by, but this is now overcome by Mr. Max WenZel, 

 who has recently imported a very large number of German- 

 English hares, and has purchased a preserve of sixty-five 

 acres on which to breed tfiem. He will, by July 1, 1888, be 

 able to deliver us fifty brace of leverets (young hares). We 

 have made arrangements with a Long Island property 

 ownerwho will see that the young ones are neither disturbed, 

 shot nor trapped, but preserved for our fall sport. The ex- 

 penses attending the planting will be as follows: Fifty 

 brace of hares, at §4 per brace, $200; feed of leverets while 

 voung, $10; rent of grounds and pav of keeper, $100; total, 

 *310. 



After the first year the plant will not need replenishing 

 by more than teu brace. In order to defray all expenses, 

 etc., we propose inaugurating the Eastern Greyhound Cours- 

 ing Club with a lneinbership of 25, with initiation fee of $10; 

 dues, $5 per year. The result will be: 25 member at $10, 

 ^250; yearly dues at $5. $125. Total, $:J75. The surplus wili 

 be used for purchasing slips, blankets, flags, etc. The yearly 

 dues will be used in extending the preserves and increasing 

 the plant of the hares. The German-English hares average 

 UUbs., and, being very strong aud fast, will afford grand 

 sport. Considering the small initiation fee and yearly dues, 

 and the great pleasure afforded by the sport, we feel sure of 

 the hearty cooperation of all lovers of the greyhound, and 

 this is our reason for asking you to join us. Our first meet- 

 ing; will be held at 148 South Eighth street, Brooklyn, E. D., 

 Mondav evening, Jan. 23, at 8 o'clock, where we hope to see 

 you and enroll your name as a member of theclub." 



H. W. HUNTINGTON. 



W. E. Brown. 



E. H. GARBITT, 

 W. R, Caminoni. 

 W. J. Blackham. 



THE COLUMBUS HOLOCAUST. 



COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 13.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 The second annual show of the Ohio Poultry, Pigeon, 

 Kennel and Pet Stock Association came to a horrible end 

 yesterday morning. Before suurise the Fourteenth Regi- 

 ment armory was destroyed by lire, and in the conflagration 

 perished the entire collection of poultry and all but ten of 

 the dogs. 



The armory where the dogs were on exhibition was form- 

 erly a rink. 'It was of corrugated iron on the outside, with 

 interior finish of pine, painted and exceedingly inflammable. 

 The rafters of pine were profusely decorated with bunting, 

 evergreens and other decorations, there was a great deal of 

 sawdust and straw, the coops and benches were of wood, and 

 everything was in tiptop shape for a fearful fire. 



J. H. Ray, one of the watchmen, at 5:45 in the morning, 

 went down and fired up the furnaces. Returning he found 

 the St. Bernard Sir Charles loose, and while engaged in 

 chaining up the dog, he smelled smoke, turned and saw a 

 picture in flames; he rushed for an axe to tear the picture 

 down, but could not do this before the flames had spread to 

 the flimsy decorations, and he then gave the alarm. Before 

 any help arrived it was too late to check the flames; the 

 whole concern was a tinder box, which burned with unex- 

 ampled fury and rapidity. Ray and the other attendants 

 appear to have made some frantic attempts to unfasten the 

 dogs, but no one will ever know just what was done, and the 

 men say that even those dogs widen they did succeed in un- 

 fastening shrank back into their stalls evidently overcome 

 by terror. 



The sights and sounds that followed will never be forgotten 

 by those who gathered there powerless to rescue. As the 

 flames got under headway the poor doomed creatures set up 

 a wailing and moaning almost human in their awful 

 despair and heart-rending in the intensity of their agony. 

 Even the humming of the engines, the persistent pounding 

 of the hose stream, the loud commands of the firemen, the 

 crackling of the flames, the roar of the conflagration, the 

 crashing of glass and thud of falling timbers, all these ac- 

 customed sounds of a great fire seemed here a hundred fold 

 more terrible, when mingled with them was heard the awful 

 medly of the dogs, yelps and barks and howls and wails 

 and whines and moans and groans, in a hundred different 

 keys and a thousand degrees of frenzy, defiance, despair; 

 and with all this too the clanking of chains, the explosion 

 of box after box of cartridges and the affrighted acclama- 

 tion of the poultry. 



There were men enough there who would have gone in to 

 the rescue of some of the suffocating, roasting creatures had 

 it been possible for a man to enter that fiery furnace and 

 live but a moment. Some there were who, hearing in the 

 cries of their dogs what sounded to them as appeals and re- 

 proaches, would have made the fatal plunge in their over- 

 whelming anxiety to save their brute friends had not other 

 hands held them back. Of all the dogs in the armory only 

 one came out, the Gordon setter Royal Duke, owned by Mr. 

 Hammett, of Philadelphia. Duke came out with a rush, 

 singed and smoking, and was greeted with a cheer. The 

 other dogs saved had been taken home from the show for the 

 night, among them being Mr. S. L. Boggs's Paul Gladstone, 

 which had been taken to a hotel. 



In the absence of definite information, which I cannot 

 obtain as the records were burned, it is impossible to give a 

 correct list of the dogs lost. Among them are many that 

 are well known and their loss is well nigh irreparable. The 

 list includes the St. Bernards Sir Charles and Montrose: the 

 English setters Keystone, San Roy's Boy and Lady Rock: 



the Irish setters Bruce, Max, Begorra, Glenduff, Zella Glen- 

 duff and Lorna Doone; the pointers Bow Faust, Patti M., 

 Pap Srnizer, Rumpty and Hamlet Sleaford; the cocker 

 Spaniel Keno, the collie Roy Boy and the fox-terrier Little 

 Swell. Many well known kennels have lost nearly all of 

 their best specimens, and a largenumber of individuals have 

 lost the only dog they possessed. All with whom I have 

 conversed have expressed the deepest sympathy for the 

 owners whose losses have been so heavy and so sad. It has 

 put a damper on dog shows in this city, but a damper, I am 

 convinced, only of the most temporary nature. The show 

 was so meritorious and the management was so good that it 

 would be an aggravated calamity should our Ohio people 

 not take heart and try it again another year. 



By 7 o'clock the armory was consumed and the fire's work 

 was done. 



1'h ere has been much discussion as to the origin of the fire; 

 the generally accepted theory is that it was due to a defec- 

 tive flue. Another subject of discussion has been the 

 inadequacy of the force appointed to watch the building at 

 night. The Association invited the exhibitors to appoint a 

 committee to inquire into the Association's responsibility, 

 and Messrs. C. W. Drake and J, S. Mock, representing the 

 poultry interest, and Messrs. A. W. Hitch and S. L. Boggs, 

 representing the kennel interest, acted as such a committee, 

 with Col. A. B. Coit, representing the militia. The follow- 

 ing finding was given by the majority; after examining the 

 attendants and taking all available evidence: 



We find that at the time of fire two men were on duty and three 

 in the building in reserve. The alarm was given immediately 

 after the fire was discovered. On account of the inflammable 

 nature of the building and the musl in aud cedar decoration the 

 fire spread rapidly and in a few minutes the entire building was 

 in flames. We are of the opinion that the fire could not have been 

 subdued after discovered. We find no evidence that the fire 

 originated on account of negligence. We do not find that there 

 was negligence on the part of the association.— A. B. Corr, C. B. 

 Drake, J. S. Mock. 



Messrs. Hitch and Boggs, however, were not disposed to 

 assent to this report, and it is understood that they will 

 present their views in a minority report. Morris. 



[We hope to be able to give a full list of the dogs lost next 

 week, and would be thankful it any one having a .cata- 

 logue with the absentees marked w-ould forward it to this 

 office.] 



THE CAMDEN MASTIFF CASE. 



THE exaggerated newspaper reports of the savage dispo- 

 sition of two alleged mastiffs which attacked their 

 owner in Camden, N. J., one day last week, have prompted 

 gentlemen interested in that breed to investigate the affair. 

 The following letters tell the whole story: 



The American Mastiff Club. New York.— Jan. 13, 1888. 

 —Editor Forest and Stream: For the sake of the good 

 name of the English mastiff I feel sure you will wish to 

 publish this letter, written by a member of the club and 

 one of the foremost breeders of mastiffs in America. — RICH- 

 ARD H. Derby, Secretary. 



CAMDESF, N. J.. Jan. 12, 1888.— Secretary American Mas- 

 tiff Club: Dear Sir— As I have received a number of letters 

 from all over the country asking me to investigate the ter- 

 rible accident which has happened to my friend and brother 

 lawyer Thomas B. French, who was so terribly bitten last 

 Sunday by two dogs, and as I have been for nearly twenty 

 years a large breeder of English mastiffs and know well the 

 dogs in question, I will write a short statement to you in 

 order that the lovers of the mastiff can know that these 

 dogs were mongrels, a cross between the St. Bernard and 

 English mastiff. 



Some six or seven years ago I owned a very fine English 

 mastiff bitch Juno .and had her locked in one of my box stalls 

 l or service by my English mastiff stud dog. By accident 

 my St. Bernard dog jumped into the stall and lined her. 

 She had six mongrel pups, three short-haired and very much 

 like a mastiff and three with longer hair, resembling the 

 St. Bernard. I disposed of the bitch and all the pups. Two 

 I presented to my friend Mr. French. I understand that 

 the little child was playing with the dogs on Sunday and 

 was knocked down in the play, which frightened her so 

 much she cried for help. This brought Mrs. French to her 

 rescue, and while she was bending over the child Mr. F. 

 arrived on the scene (although up to this time neither the 

 child nor Mr. French had been hurt) and went, as he sup- 

 posed, to Mrs. French's assistance, and the moment he 

 touched Mrs. French one of the dogs took him by the arm 

 and commenced the attack. The theory is that the dogs 

 were devoted to Mrs. F. and thought the husband was about 

 to injure her, and therefore the attack to defend her. The 

 fight after this was continued by Mr. French against both 

 dogs, and Mrs. French by her nerve and pluck saved her 

 husband's life, and in so doing received the injuries she 

 sustained. My theory is that the dogs were under control 

 of Mrs; French until Mr. French rushed out, and this seems 

 to be the opinion of his partner, Chas. C. Garrison. Of 

 course it is a well-known fact amongrel of any kind is more 

 dangerous than a thorougbred. I never knew a thorough- 

 bred English mastiff to injure any one and particularly 

 children, although I have had as many as fifteen at a time; 

 my children play every day with English mastiffs and I have 

 no fear of anvthing like this taking place. Yours truly, 

 Edward Dudley. 



NEW YORK DOG SHOW. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Mr. W. E. Livingston, of New York, will judge bulldogs and 

 bull -terriers, aud Mr. A. H. Wakefield, of Providence, R. I., 

 will judge beagles. This completes our list of judges, with 

 the exception of the judge of Chesapeake Bay dogs. We will 

 make champion class for toy spaniels other than Japanese, to 

 be known as Class 125A, for champion King Charles, Blen- 

 heims, tri-colors and ruby spaniels, dogs and bitches. Prize 

 ©LO, The following special prizes, in addition to those 

 already announced, have been offered: $25 for the best field 

 spaniel, $25 for the best Irish setter, a cup for the best litter 

 of unweaned collie puppies, to consist of four, and a silver 

 medal for the best rough-coated St. Bernard bitch, the prop- 

 erty of a lady. We have received favorable replies from 

 nearly all the railroads and express companies, and as soon 

 as we have heard from the last of them we will announce it 

 in detail— J as. Mortimer, Supt. 



THE HEMPSTEAD COURSING CLUB.— The second 

 meeting of the Hempstead Coursing Club will be held at 

 the Hempstead polo grounds, Hempstead, L. I., Jan. 28. 

 There will be an open sweepstake for fox-terriers of 201bs. 

 or under at S3 each, with |20 added to winner; an open 

 sweepstake for fox-terriers of 181bs. or under at $2 each, with 

 a cup added for winner; an open sweepstake for fox-terriers 

 of lolbs. or under, with a cup added for winner, The runner 

 up in each event to receive 25 per cent, of stake. Entries 

 close Jan. 25. The secretary's address is A. Belmont, Jr., 

 36 Wall street, New York, 



PET DOGS POISONED.— Mr. Wm. H. Robinson, of 221 

 West Thirty-eighth street, this city, had the misfortune 

 last week to* lose his valuable pug bitch Gipsy and New- 

 foundland Rover. They were poisoned by strychnine, which 

 had been put on fish and thrown into the yard of Mr. Robin- 

 son's residence, when the dogs ate it Thursday night. Mr. 

 Robinson is at a loss to account for the motive which could 

 have prompted the poisoner, and he has offered a reward for 

 the detection of the scoundrel. 



