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THE LATE W. 0B. MACDONOUGH. Commenting on the deatli of W. OB. Macdouough, the San Francisco Breeder and Sportsman says: "The deceased achieved a world-wide reputation as an ardent sportsman, a great lover of thoroughbreds, a deep student of bloodlines, and in this was considered oue of the best qualified in American or England. He inherited a love for horses from his father, the late Joseph Macdouough, who always kept good ones, and when this young man was sent to Ireand to complete his studies it was a difficult matter to keep him from attending the hunts and the Curragh of Kildare meetings, where the finest of English and Irish horses compete. On returning to California he purchased a farm back of Menlo Park, adjacent to the La Siesta Stock Farm and far-famed Palo Alto. He bought the stallions St. Carlos, Sinfax, the Australian stallion Suwarrow, and n few good mares, and started on a modest scale. The more lie studied the breeding problem the more lie became convinced that our American thoroughbreds needed more of the best English blood to blend with that which flowed in their veins. It had met other currents which had not Improved it. He coucluded that he must secure the best stallion money could buy: for the thoroughbred interests in California were then taking on a new lease of life. Tills was in 1S02. On November 1 of that voar Mr. Macdouough astonished everybody by sending 30,000 by cable to the Tattersals, agents for Senor Bocau of Buenos Ayres. for Ormonde, unde-featable race horse and winner of the Derby, Two Thousand and St-. Legcr Stakes, the greatest of Eng-insli classic events. And this price was 5,000 more than ever was paid for a horse before, the trotter Aarion liaving sold for 25,000 and the thorough-hied St. Blaise for 00,000. "1 never forgot an interview I had with him at this time at the Old Bay District, when I heard lie had bought this great horse. He was in a remarkably pleasant frame of mind and said, after I had congratulated him on his purchase: Yes, I have mirchased Ormonde. I saw an item in the Breeder and Sportsman, takeji from the New York Spirit of the Times, telling of the departure of Charles Reed, owner of St. Blaise, for Buenos Ayres. whither he went to purchase Ormonde. I then decided to buy the great liorso. If possible, and at once opened negotiations by cable looking to his purchase, with the Tattcrsalls of London. Then I sent Dr. W. G. Boss as fast as steam could carry him to the English metropolis. The success of the doctor you now know, and the bargain was clinched I just one day before Tattcrsalls option expired. Doubtless several parties would have given this amount for Ormonde, but my agent certainly outgeneraled them. To Dr. Ross belongs all the credit tor engineering this sale and you will please state this in your paper. " Will you bring Ormonde to America at once? I asked. " No, he replied, it would hardly do, as the horse has just completed a heavy season in the stud at Buenos Ayres. Dr. Boss will take Ormonde lo England. There about ten gilt-edged mares will be purchased and mated with this horse, and all the animals will not be brought to this country until next June. I consider Ormonde a bargain at 50,-000. He has been held at 00,000 for some time; 1 have figured a great deal on what his progeny wil bring at auction. "The following June, Ormonde and the mare selected came to California. Ormonde unfortunately proved a shy breeder; in fact, he was almost impotent. Although bred to the best matrons on Mr. Macdonoughs Menlo Park farm and also on tht Haggin farm lie only sired a few, but every oni proved valuable either on the track or in the stud Ormonde, however, only lived a few years after com mg here. No one ever heard Mr. Macdonough sa. how disappointed he undoubtedly was. He was tin gamcst or men, and wore a smile and was ever read with a pleasant ami encouraging- word. He war never known to belittlcuuy-veS-lbrodttiluIlion ownen by others; he told the truth aUflUt them when askei and always added: Well, he might sire speed the only way to find this out is to give him a fai. trial. Mr. Macdouough, for the small number o. mares he had, was a remarkably successful breedei of race horses. His judgment was proven correct in many an instance, and from the tarm at MenU Park he turned out the followig winners: Ruinart. Zamar II. , Brunswick. Hainault, St. Calatine, Joan. Count of Flanders, St. Cuthbert, Socialist, Carme Una. Ormondale. Orsiui. Ossary, Beau Ormonde Orellana, Rosormonde, Honiton, Ormondes Rigfit, George C. Bennett. Saraciuesca, Organdie, Orfeo, Jimmy Mailer, Orchan, Duke of Milan, Listowel, Sil Wilfred. May L. N., Oran, Bellatrix, Little Red. Nancy W.. Reformation, Woodlander, Golden Oriole. Argonaut, Middle, Osorine, Ailsa Page, Sir Ormonde. Gold Late, Kaiser, Alencon, Tres Piiios, Gold Beatci and several others racing in America and England today. "Mr. Macdonough made many trips to the east and to England, where he was at all times receiveO most cordially. His gentlemanly ways and extensive knowledge commended him to the highest class. He was remarkably simple and unassuming in niauuei and entirely approachable. The poorest ou the race track, if they knew him, were always certain to receive aid if needed: the only injunction he offered was, Please dont mention this. He loved art and the first one to give that great cartoonist, the late Homer Davenport, encouragement when the latter, without money or friends, arrived in this city from Oregon. He brought him to his farm and for six weeks employed him in making pen and ink sketches of his best horses, and these he valued highly tc the day of his death. He was one of the late C. Brace Lowes most valued friends and tendered him the use of his fine library and made his visit a most enjoyable one during bis short stay here, before leaving for England to publish his book on Breeding Race Horses by the Figure System, a standard publication. "For several years Mr. Macdonough has beer gradually closing out his band of thoroughbreds by holding sales in the east and in England, and liar not purchased any to replace them, for he saw that the demand for them was decreasing, and also that the men who were formerly interested in the breeding problem were drifting away from it. "He never married. He leaves a sister, Mrs. A. E. Agar, of New York; a brother, Joseph, oi this city, and countless friends to mourn his loss. As a member of the Pacific Union and several other clubs he was always active and now that he has gone to join the vast majority, of which all of ns must sooner or later be a part, we will miss him. Some one has said: He sleeps beneath the shadow of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine and of storm, in the windowless palace of rest. There we will leave him and go our ways, carrying naught but. the memory of his gentle manner, engaging smile. Ids winning voice, and the good he accomplished in elevating the thoroughbred interests of California."
