Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-11
THE PATCREN HORsfS.

The exhibition of four colts of this celebrated
stock at the Fourth National Horse Show will
give interes: to what follows relating to their
history The trotting horse Geo. NJ. Patchen,
now owned by VIM. Waltermire, of New York,
and kept near that city, was sired by Csssius
Clay. horse Of high fame at the First Ma
tioual Horse Show. John Bulkley, Of Borden
town, New Jersey, purchased the Patchen horse
when three years old, Of George NJ. Patchen,
and named him after his first owner. Soon
after the purchase, the colt was taken sick
with a distemper, which left thickness OF the
throat, from which it did not recover for sew
eral years. On account of this thickness, Mr..
Bulkley rarely drove him hard, and it was re-
ported that Patchen had no bottom. During
all this time Patchen was standing at the
stable Of Bulkley, at SIS services, and doing
but little business. The first proof of his en-
durance and speed was thus accidentally dis
covered His owner, who always insisted that
he was a wonderful horse, had occasion to seek
the services Of Mr.. Hunrhries, q celebrated
animal painter of Camden, for likeness Of
his favOrite. The artist decided that the horse
would look best in motion, and suggested that
he become excited and pressed to the top Of
his speed. Mr.. Bulkley sssented, AID mount
ing him bare backed, rode of to wake him up.
Greatly to the surprise Of the artist, the horse
on his return shst by like an arrow, rendering
1t almost impossible to get a sketch, and
obliging his owner to ride him back and forth
several times before Mr.. Humphries could
transfer him 10 paper. During all this exer-
else of many miles, the horse showed no indi-
cations of fatigue or signs Of distress, and from
that moment sis reputation began. Well do
we remember the first picture Of this slashing
stallion and his owner at the hOrse-show rooms
in this city, and Mr.. Bulkley's letter to the
secretary of 1858, that his "New Jersey nag
would show Ethan Allen some time an awful
gait" The result of this prophecy is we'll
known. Of the stock Of Patchen, % fve-year
oids and few more Of four years, are all of
the oldest that can be traced. A characters
tic of these animals is slow maturity, heavy
bone, disposed to coarssness unless crossed with
fine mares, and a strong, lengthy stride, indi-
eating speed for long distance. Ii is said
that none of these horses interfere in trotting.
Their size, constitution and disposition are un-
usually good, and their color pretty uniformly
blood bay. They are sought for at high fg-
ures BY men who appreciate speed, and two
have recently changed hands in Philadelphia,
one at $1,000 and the other at 81 200. Mr..
Mcdonald, Of Baltimore, the owner of Flora
Temple, has purchased enc named Burlington
that is considered fast. C. w. Bathgate Co..
of Fordham, n. Y, own four Of the fve-year-
olds, among which are the we'll known horses,
New Jersey and Major Low, exhibited at our
late fair. Both seem destined to do credit to
the old horse; and for New Jersey it is claimed
that he is the best bred and handsomest oi
stock horses. L. B Brown, of New York, the
well-remembered owner and protector Of the
Century team" Is associated with Mr.. Bath
gate in breeding this family of horses; and
though bis winter quarters are Florida, he ID
evidently expecting to renew his horse-shou
aoquaintapcs here with q younger team
Springfield Republican