Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-05
"PUT UP THE conn.,
A Transaction with MUSTANGS In
santa Rosa,
Fron bid 9aeransntO Record.l


From the Sacramento Record
A large crowd gathered racently 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 a pair Of wagon wheels in front, to
which a team Of six stout mules were
hitched. After many tugs the old house
started, the driver yelling, and the mud
lying 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 sue
ceeded in dragging the building about
one hundred aud fifty feet Within a
few feet of the crossing from the Record
er's office to Evans store they stuck fast.
owing 10 a slight rise 10 the street made
by the crossing. The driver shouted
himself hosrse, the big six mules aoun-
dered about in the mud, but not an inch
would they bulge the old building The
crowd increased, and bets were made
that they would never start again. A
teamster from the rod weeds, with four
mustangs, had stopped to watch the per.
formsnce-a snooth-faced athletic young
fellow. He said nothing until, reused
perhaps by a splash Of mud, he walked
10 the front wiping his face on his sleeve.
and said: II amt got but three dollars,
but I'll bet every cent Of it that my four
mustnangs will start that rookery out OF
there" There was aderisive laugh from
the crowd, and a half q dozen takers.
"PRt up the money" said the teamster.
"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 nules we're taken off aud the four
mustangs hitched on. Meanwhile the
interest of the crowd increased and bets
we're freely made with big odds against
the tesmster. 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
then again; no go. Nothing daunted,
the teamster, in answer to the crowd,
who were chatting him from all quarters,
said: IF jim Shaw was here I'd get the
money and bet $50 that l could start it.
| amt got EN- warmed up yet" "Tll
bet you $50 against one OF your horses"
said a ~well-known livery man, that YOU
can't pull it FIVE feet" Its q whack."
said the teamster; put up the coin"
The money was handed to Jerry Farmer.
the stakeholder. Another tug; the little
mustangs seemed to hump themselves;
but it was no 90 I'll bet you another
fifty agin that mares mate you can't do
it" said the livery man, eagerly. Done"
said the teamster; "Ill bet the last hoof
OF EN- on i, and yoa may swing me to one
Of the oaks in the plaza if they can't do
il" By this time the excitement was
running high among the lookers-on, and
the bets were numerous. One offered
to bet 800 he could not do it, and the
teamster got a friend to take the bet for
him. Those who had watched the team
ster closely now noticed a change in his
manner, a curious smile on his coun-
tensnce. He walked up to each horse
successfully, tapped him on the rump
with the butt end Of his blacksnake, and
said to each; Stand up there now in
your harness" For the first time he
mounted the zeal wheel, seized a single
rein, turned his team of " haw," swung
them back gee" cracked his whip, gave
a yell, and, as they Strengthened, the
unwieldy load rose over the obstruction
like an old bulk over a swell at SEA,
greeted by a burst of applause from the
bystanders. The mustangs pulled for
about twenty-five feet, and be stopped
them. You see, boys said the team
ster, as he got down, "Tm With them all
the time and know just what they can
do, and"-with a child like smile" lust
when to make EN- do it," AS he dropped
the stakes in his o~veralls pocket he said;
I'D give $50 out of that ar stake if jim
Shaw had been here to see that team
pull"