ten o'clock
And even had they been killed , the death of men is but a detail , not considered of great importance in that astonishing country of America . Naturally the excitement became more intense as one approached the finishing line near Milwaukee . There were assembled the most curious , the most interested ; and there the passions of the moment were unchained . By ten o'clock it was evident , that the first prize , twenty thousand dollars , lay between five machines , two American , two French , and one English . Imagine , therefore , the fury with which bets were being made under the influence of national pride . The regular book makers could scarcely meet the demands of those who wished to wager . Offers and amounts were hurled from lip to lip with feverish rapidity .