The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-10-21
d SAN Francisco, August 3, 1876

SAN Francisco, August 3, 1868.
About a month since party of horsemen
were discussing the question Of the compare
tive merits of imported blooded stock and the
common California Mustangs, and the differ
ent styles Of riding, when Edward Whipple
offered to bet So 500 against 50 900 that no
man could be found to ride 300 miles In ff-
teen consecutive hours. He was at once ia
ken up by Louis Burns and John Cahill, who
named N. II. Mowery as the man to ride
The match was all agreed to upon the spo',
and since then there has been constant let
ting going on as to the result. You will see
that he must average mile every three min
utcs for fifteen consecutive hours, allowing
nothing for loss OF time in changing horses
at every second, third or fourth mile, acct
dents, 81 unaccountable delays. The general
feeling was that he could never succeed, and
in the betting the odds were decidedly against
him. - ,-..ss5a. I. .....-.
The race took place at Bay View Park, a
few miles north of the city, over mile track.
The animals, thirty in number, selected by
MIR. Mowery, were the common California
Mustangs aud half breeds, none of them full
sized. but all formed of the indomitable pluck
MIR. Mowery is an old Californian, apparently
OF about the middle age, weighs 100 pounds,
aud rode with heavy Mexican California
saddle, Spanish bit, and free rem
At $40 o'clock in the morning he sprang
into the saddle and rode the first horse four
times around the track-that is to say, four
milcs-at a dead run. Attendants stood
ready at the stand to saddle aud bring out the
loal- for fho,,,
lug around aud he changed animals rapidly,
riding none of them three miles after the first,
and few Of them more than two.
The Mexican dodge Of crushing" was con.
stautly resorted to- Attendants would ride
one fourth or one third Of the way down the
track to meet him as he came in, wheeling
his horse, ride back just lehind him yelling
xan,c. rdmos rhoopah, rdmos!! and swing
ing his hat as if frantic. This would star t
the tagging animal into redoubled exertions,
and he would come in fairly flying. A single
sharp pull on the Spanish bit would stop the
animulin a second, aud in two or three mo- c
the rider would be Oh fresh animal and OF
again. Sometimes the mile or two ridden one
way around the track. sometimes the other,
in order to relieve the rider by changes as far
as practicable. Early in the morning the race
track was crowded with people, and before
2P Al. the jam was immense Up to II NJ.
the rider refused all assistance Ill mounting
aid r.mouuting; but after that his attend
ants would occasionally give him lift, APP
parentv not SO much because he required 1t,
as for fear that he might do so before the race
was over.
AT the end ef two hundred miles rest was
taken, and placard was displayed from the
Judges stand that the two hundred miles had
been accomplished in eight hours, two minutes
and forty-eight seconds-thus beating by forty
minutes the time made by Mr. Osbaldiston
with race horses, in England. Then the start
was made on the third hundred miles. Mr.
Mcwery having had bath and otherwise re-
freshed himself, appeared good for the two
hundred more, ifrequired The bets now
changed, and large odds were offered on his
winning. with but few takers, and those of the
obstinate English bob-tail and pig-skin school
He now made mile in 2 C., and the aver
.se speed was 2 30 throughout. ,a.s
There was very heavy wind blowing
across the track at this time, and the average
speed must have been considerably unfavora
Div affected by this fact, never theless he
"kept up his lick" amid the cheering of the
crowd, never tagging for an instant. A hall
was made for second bath, AMI from time
to time an attendant would dash little watel
over Mowery's head as he rode along. At one
time friend, who was at the stand, ran for
ward and offered his own horse for ride ovel
the track. Mowery was on him in an instant
and rode not only once, but three times around
AS he came round the second time thu
owner made fruitless attempt to catch him
but only succeeded in catching fall as tn,
rider. sitting erect as bronze statue, dashed
n.st. The crowd yelled with delight at this
and, as Mowery came round the third time
shouted to him: $50 it again.; but tina
would have been carrying the joke too far
and he changed horses, while the of6ciou
friend led his own away amid the jeers ant
cheers Of the spectators.
At G:49 P. NJ just II hours and min
utes from the start, the three hundredth mil
was accomplished, and perfect roar Of APP
plause broke from the multitude as the TN
derrated horseman started once more, ssjus
for luck" The last mile was made in tw'
minutes and nine seconds, making the un
preeedented distance of three hundred ant
one miles in fourteen hours eleven minutes
and nine SECONDS, anu DcdClItS duJ mug pre-
viously accomplished in the world in thi
line.
The Judges declared the money won, ant
announced the time. The gates were funs
open. and the vast concourse, in carriages o
every description, on horseback and on foot
poured out on the road towards San Francisco
and indiscriminate race on "the devi-take
the hindmost" plan being inaugurated. A
the crowd streamed away towards the city
the most conspicuous object in it was al
Enslishman on tall, raw boned bay, with
stump tail sticking up like an. abbreyiatet
flagstaff behind, riding on pig skin, witt
short stirrups top boots. plug haitian eye glass
and a cane. His appearance was SO indies
.rbably ludicrous, by contrast with VIII; b u
inst b., ca seen. that yc!ls and roars Of laugh
t~r greeted him at every jump for miles 5
ended the great California Mustang rae
against time.
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