The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-31
A Transaction in Mustang Flesh in
Santa Rosa,
[From the Sacramento Record.l

A large crowd gathered yesterday on
Fourth street, in front OF the Court.
house, attracted by the moving through
the streets OF one of the old buildings
from John Taylor's lot. The building
was about fifty feet long, had been
mounted on four wooden truck wheels.
with pair OF wagon wheels in front, to
which team OF six stout mules was
hitched. After many tugs the old house
started, the driver yelling and the mud
flying all over the sidewalk, scattering
the crowd and bespattering the Goddess
of Liberty ON the dome Of the Court
house.
After an hours time they succeeded
in dragging the building about enc hun.
dred and fifty feet. Within few feet
of the crossing from the Recorders Of
fee TO Evans store, they stuck fast, ew-
ing to a slight rise in the street made By
the crossing. The driver shouted him.
self hoarse, the SIX big mules fioundered
about in the q but not an inch would
they nudge theVid building. The crowd
increased; and bets were made that they
would never start 1t again.
A teamster from the rodweeds, with
four mustangs, had stopped TO watch the
performance, smO0th-faced, athletic
young fellow. lie said nothing until.
reused perhaps by asplash of-Mud, he
walked to the front wiping his face on
three dollars, but Pll bet every d-u cent
of IL that my four mustangs will start
that cookery out of there's" There was
derisiye laugh from the crowd, and
half q dozen takers. "Put I'D the money y
said the. teamsler. "If / had more or
knew where to borrow any, I'D see the
last one Of you"
The bet was taken, Jerry Farmer held
stakes, the six mules We're taken of and
the four mustangs hitohed on. Mean
while the interest OF the crowd In
creased, and bets were freely made with
big odds against the teamster. When
ready to start the excitement was at a
high pitch. The little mustangs bent to
their work, but the house did not move.
He started them again; no go. Nothing
daunted, the teamster, in answer to the
crowd who were chatting him from ali
quarters, said: s1f jim Shaw was here
ia get the money and bet fifty dollars
that / could start it. 4 afn't got ,em
warmed up yet.D 'I'll bet you1iity dol
lars against one of your horses,n said a
weIl-known livery man, "tnat you can't
puIlit five feet.1 .sIps whack.U SAID
the teamster; "put up the eoin.u The
money was handed to Jerry Farmer. the
stakeholder. Another tug; the little
mustangs seemed to hump themselves
but it was no CO.. "I'H bet you another
fifty agin that mares mate you can't do
il, :" said the livery man eagerly. "Done.v
said the teamster; "l'u bet the last hoof
of 'em on it, and you may swing me to
one ofthem oaks in the plaza ii they
can't do it.0
BY this time the excitement was run
ming high among the lopkers-on, and the
bets were numerous. One offered to bet
500 he could not do il, and the teamster
got friend to take the bet FOR him.
Those who had watched the teamster
closely now noticed change in his
manner, a curious smile on his counte-
nance. He walked up to each horse suc.
cessively, tapped him on the rump with
the butt.end Of his isblack-snHke. and said
to each: "stand up there now, in your
harness."
Fer the first time be mounted the near
wheel, seized q single rein, turned his
team of "haw,v swung them back
ssgee," cracked his whip, gave q veil.
and, as they Strengthened, tie unwieldt
load rose over the obstruction like an
old hulk over swell at sea, greeIed by
burst OF applause. from the bystand-
ers. The mustangs pulled, for about
TWENTY-FIVE feet, and, he. stopped them.
ssYou see, boys,n said the teainster. AZ
he got down, s'I'm with them ali The
time, and know just what they can DO,
andv-rwith ohild-like smile--s.just
when 70 make 'em do H." As he dropped