Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-04-07
The Hundred Mile Race.


The excitement manifested by all classes of ou,
citizens as to the result Of the of one hundred
miles, and which seemed to pervade the entire
community, increased toward night, and State
street was thronged with people until long aftei
sundown. All kind of rumors were put in circu-
lation, and from their contradictory character il
was Impossible to arrive at any satisfactory con-
clusion. s-...
The match was made several weeks since be.
tween Andrew Dalton and Samuel H. Taylor fol
S2,5UO, Mr. Dalton to use his own horse and Tay.
ior to have the privilege Of selecting any horse
he should see At. Mr.. T.. exercising the privilege
thus conceded to him, selected a horse owned by
Hon. Andrew Sheehan, one OF the Representatives
from New York In the present Assembly, and in
due time both horses were put in training for the
contest.
Mr.. Dalton's horse is between nine and ten
years OF age, and Is valuable on account Of his
speed, having shown 9. AZ on the track. He is
NAL The Taylor horse IS seven years Of age and
comes from blood stock, being sired by Eclipse
from Messenger mare. He was bred in West
chester country. where his then owner used him
to draw.a coal cart, and kept him at such ser
vice until he was purchased by Mr. Sheehan,
when, for the first time, he was driven to har-
ness. His greatest speed Is three minutes.
The horses started from Gallup's hotel. Wash
ington street, yesterday morning at O'Clock, ac-
cosdng to the judges time.
The start was good, both horses coming up al
the word nearly side by side. After leaving the
pavement they increased their speed the horses
very much animated a desire to travel. At 6 4
o'clock they passed through Schenet ttady, l5miles
from this city. Amsterdam, 30 miles from the
CITY, was passed at 9 O'Clock and 20 minutes
Fonda, 43 miles from this city, was passed at 1C
O'Clock, both horses in excellent condition, and
neither appearing tired from the task they had
already accomplished. Fort Plain, 60 miles from
this city was reached at 10 O'Clock and As min
utes, the horses having travelled full 10 miles per
hour up to this point. Little Falls. - miles from
this city, was passed at ~ O'Clock, and Herkimer
20 miles from this city, at l2 O'Clock and so min
utes
The horses at this time, although they showed
signs of being somewhat tired, were to all ap-
pearance in good condition to accomplish the re-
naming twenty miles, and passed Illion, 60 Y
miles from this city. at O'Clock and ten minutes
noon AFTER leaving this place the Dalton horse be-
gan to flag, and his driver noticing II, concluded
TO stay his progress, and on reaching Frankfort,
81 miles from this city, stopped and put his horse
IN the stable, where he was given everv attention
that could possibly be rendered.
MI Taylor upon observing that Mr.. Dalton had
w1thdrawn, checked the speed Of his horse, put
on his blankets and walked along the road dis
tance of eleven miles until reaching the outskirts
OF Utica, when he received information that Mr..
Dalton's horse, being much refreshed, had been
put upon tho road, and was coming along at a
good pace The blankets were removed from the
Taylor horse, and having been well rested he re-
ceived the word with spirit and started of at a
rapid pace, passing through Utica at O'Clock
and forty-tive minutes, about two miles ahead of
the Dalton house, and reached WhitesbOro' at 5
O'Clock and twenty minutes, having accomplish
ed the entire distance Of one hundred miles in
twelVe hours and twenty-five minutes After
having walked eleven miles of the distance The
Dalton horse before reaching Whitesboro' was
checked and walked nearly mile.
Both horses on reaching Whitesboro' were
properly cared for, and were in good condition,
save being tired They gave no indication Of
having sustained any injuries from the great task
they had accomplished, and We are assured by
thclr owners, are held as more valuable TODAY
than when they started upon the race. The Tay-
lor horse will probably reach this city morrow
from Utica, and although we have no positive in
formation as to the Dalton horse, we presume he
will come at the same time, when an opportunity
Will be afforded our citizens to take ia sight" at
them.
As an evidence Of the great endurance Of the
Taylor horse, we may state that the last half mile
OF the race was trotted in tt1o minutes, and be-
tween Fort Plain and Herkimer, 12X miles were
trotted inside Of an hour.
The roads were in very bad condition, and In
some places were obstructed by heavy snow drifts
The horses carried about 800 pounds eac b. and we
are assured by one Of the judges who accompanied
them that during the entire distance neither of the
horses were touched with whip.
A.party accompanying them had made arrange
ments for relays so as to travel the distance with
four horses and although they were as good as
could be found. not one Of them could keep I'D
Were watered at several points along the road as
the drivers deemed II advisable, and at no time
between this city and Herkimer were over 800
ya:ds apart. Mr.. Taylor never got out Of his sui
ky between this city and Whitesboro, and on
reaching the end OF the journey, remarked that he
felt . In condition to walk 80 miles,
AT all points along the route the greatest excite
ment was manifest. Crowds Of men, women
and children were on the road, and seemed to
partake of the interest which the contest had cre
ated. At Utica, thousands of people had assem-
bied in the streets through which the horses were
to pass, and we are informed by a gentleman from
that city he has never seen anything to equal it.
So at Whitesboro'; il appeared as though the
whole country around had come to town to
see the horses, and be present at the termination
of tho race.
The statement that there was an objection Of
fered the giving up Of the stakes, is without
foundation, AZ Mt. Dalton conceded that he had
lost the race, and the winning party was entitled
to the money.
This is the greatest race on record, nothing Of
the kind ever having been attempted before-and
the speed shown by the horses surprises every
body. Even in the hundred mile races over a
course, the time has not been equalled, and had
the same speed been kept up to the end of the
journey as was shown to Herkimer, the hundred
miles would have been trotted In little over nine
hours.