Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-06-06
Tho Hor.es or New York.

The New York correspondent Of the
Troy Times thus gossips about the
famous horses of New York:
The snowy turnouts In Central Park
keep up a spirited competition, and
the Park has done much to create the
present rage for fine horses. Every
family that is ambitious of distinction
must make a show In the dashing array
of equipages, and our fast young ME
can hardly pass a half hours chat
without introducing the feats Of their
"ponies." Charles Aston Bristed has
said that twenty years ago thhre were
but three really fine teams In the city,
but Mt present you can count them up
until the list becomes wearlsome.
Since 1850 the price If not the value)
of fine horses has increased fourfold,
or, rs a merchant would say; 400 per
cent. In 1858 Flora Temple was sold,
and such was the popularity of this
famous mare that she brought what
was then considered the enormous sum
Of IS, 900; but that looks small now.
Just see how the figures advance: In
1862 California Damsel brought $1l,-
900. In 1854 Bonner astonished the
world by paying $l3, 500 for the Auburn
horse. But his subsequent prices were
Of a still nor astonishing character.
In 1866 he paid $25, 900 for Young
Pocahontas, and the next year he was
glad to become the owner of Dexter
even Mt the round sum Of $4,000. Mr..
Bonner had then over $120, 900 invested
In six animals, whose uncertain value
may be shown by the fact that the
Auburn horse died after all illness Of n
few days, while Flora Temple was
disabled by an accident.
The prices just mentioned have no
relation to precise value. When rich
men compete for anything, whether 1t
be for q book or n horse, the value OF
money Is not reckoned. Possession Is
their object, and this must be obtained
at whatever price may be required. 1t
does not make any difference to Bon
ner what he pays for a horse. He
simply gives a piece Of paper bearing
SOME figures. signed with his name,
with the addition OF a cancelled reve-
nue. stamp. This Is q very easy way
to get n horse, and whether the figure
be $33, 900 or more Is not the slightest
Importance, so long as the animal be
secured. Indeed, the owner Of Dexter
made a mistake In not asking q higher
price. Commodore Vanderbilt was
DESTROYS Of making the same purchase,
and the figure might have been $780, OO
instead of 1893, 900. Well. 1t would not
have required any more ink, after all.
From 1873, 900 to 800, 900 may seem a
large step. and yet the latter price is
demanded for the famous Handle
tonian, whose colts are now among the
best trotters In the country. .
The rivalry between Bonner and
Commodore Vanderbilt has been the
chief cause of the present enormous
prices. They have contested the dis
tinction of owning the fleetest animals
In the world, and have been ready to
bid against each other to any extent.
Thus far Bonner has been successful,
and the reason probably Is because the
Commodore did not dream that any
man had the nerve to distance his fig
ures. In this he was mistaken, and
his mistake cost him the envied pre-
eminence. He did not know Bonner.
The latter, indeed has been a constant
puzzle to the world, and has proven
himself in literature what Vanderbilt
is In Wall street, though the Commo-
dore can beat him swearing. Bonner
has the finest stud Of fast horses OH
record.