HORSE RACING ON THE COMSTOCK

#3 8-19-2012 BET YOU NEVER KNEW THIS ! By. . . Olnus S. Nunus,. . . thank you very much!

Another popular sporting event on the Comstock besides Camels these days, was that of horse racing.  So you ask, where would you race horses around here.  Well, actually they were raced at the formal horse racing track that existed out at Lousetown.  Little is known about the community of Lousetown which was located in the general area of what is today the intersection of Cartwright and Lousetown, around the fire station area.  It was actually a quite formal setting.  There was a large, covered, grandstand that may have seated as much as a couple of hundred spectators.  On Sunday, August 6th, 1876 there was a match race held for a $200 purse.  The distance run was a quarter of a mile.  The horses to run that day were Bob, who was entered by Dick Allen and the Dayton Mare, entered by a Mr. Cook.  Another set of races was also held for any and all horses in the state.  It was expected it would be a lively time and all horsemen in the area were encouraged to be on hand.

 

The race track was also used quite often by the three Nevada National Guard units housed in Virginia City for training.  The cavalry unit would train with their horses and the infantry unit and the cannoneers would also train from time to time.  Very few photos exist of the location but some of the Guard units show the grandstand in the background.

 

On August 4th of 1876 it was reported that the local Police were beginning to gather in stray cows as they are found about town after 12 o'clock.  (don't know if that is noon or midnight).  What they did with the cows was not reported but one policeman was observed driving off four of the bovines.  Just think, 135 years ago it was a cow problem.  Today it is a horse problem. . .and the Sheriff is still driving them off.

 

August 4, 1881 at about 2am at a saloon near the corner of D and Union Streets, Frank Kelly, bell boy as the International Hotel was severely cut by Henry Pierre, a Spaniard commonly known as Muchacho.  It appears that Kelly, Pierre and another young man were together when Pierre refused to give the others a cigarette, saying the one he was smoking was all he had.  This, the others disputed, and a row and a scuffle ensued, during the course of which Muchacho used his knife on Kelly inflicting a wound in the left side a little below the heart.  Though of painful nature the wound was not dangerous,  Pierre was arrested and lodged in jail.  (guess Muchacho got away so lets arrest the guy that didn't do it)

 

In August of 1886, Mr. Browder of Virginia City received a letter from his sister, Ms. Browder, of Downeyville, Nye County, who wrote to him asking him to send 50 rounds of ammunition to her as indians in their neighborhood were getting very insolent.  There were not over a half dozen people living in Downeyville at the time and they are far removed from other settlements.  Better safe than sorry.  Wonder if he sent the ammunition.

 

 

Guess that's it for now . . .