The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-08-10
DOWN THE sIERRAS.
THR FASTEST DRIVER IN cALnoRNA.

> Ihk fASlEsI DRIVER IN CALIFORNIA.
: A short time before left Santa Bafba
ra, says correspondent OF the Lousvill
Courier-Journal, Glanced to take a few
hours ride on the stage to little towl
called Rincon, where | spent seyera
days shell-gatherins. There was on Tx
box beside the driver another man,
driver off duty few days for a hunt anC
fishing frolic. He amused me very mucl
by his stories. In speaking Of this an
ticipated fast railroad trip, be told me o
a ride he once had down the mountains
Said be, II | do say it myself, ain
known as the fastest driver ia California.
Whenever they want fast driving they
send for Charlie Crowel drove Bowen
and Richardson and all them felows
over the Sierras; but the tallest time
ever made was when wager Of ten
thousand dollars was pending between
the old California Stage Company aud
the Pioneer Stage Company. drove
for the California. The track was from
| Virginia City TO San Francisco. Old
Lent-you know Lent, one of the richest
men in the State them days well, be
telegrsphed me to drive him fifly-fYe
miles Of the way. Says he: Have your
horses and everything ready TO start at
flash. Says he: Get good ready, and
III pay the bill. | knew Lent, you
know; knew what he meant by good
ready; so | took good deal aboard.
wasn't drunk, an wasn't sober. just
bad enough to make me determine to
win the job or 90 to the devil. | strap
ped myself on to the box and Lent and
two other fellows jumped into the stage,
and | laid my whip on. There was six
horses, as fine flesh as you ever seem
Them horses was worth $4,000. ] just
laid on the whip at every jump. never
took off the whip during the whole fifty
miles. We was going down grade, down
the Sierras; tho road was pretty rocky,
and somet. .ues didn't skip the chasms
a thousand feet deep, by more lhan two
inches. Ii makes my flesh crawl now to /
think of it, but then was iust uerycd |
up to do anything, and we come down
that grade lurking. | bad sent ord |
TO Taylor (he is now superintendent oi
the Coast Line), sent woid to him 70
have his coach sn1 horse. ready, and /
when he seen me coming, i rtnlda'aI
pun up my horses 10 follow right after .
ine down tie road tiii checked up sol
Tat ior, he was al ready aud lie Ras 10 /
drive he neIl fifty mles. and be seeu me I.
a coming, aud he said he thought Of John
Gllpin, aud Jehu, aud says he, hell lo't
plszes, If | don't think Charles mad,
says he them horses can't check up tifI
they run into the Pacific Ocean, and he
starts down the road and me after him.
and we run each other five miles b fore
we could pull up aud change passengers
was black and blue an over, but made
City five miles in four hours The times (
On record or | wouldn't tell IL That.
he fastest time ever made with q siage 4
coach. The California beat by one hour
lnd twenty minutes the whole distance.
The Pioneer gained on us Ia the bay
Dur company owned an ocean steamer.
1ut she couldn't Keep up with he high +
pressure North River boat She wasnrt
1uilt for shallow water, bni loF 81 that
se landed our passengers ii Flisc5 iasi
~ hour aud twenty miunles before the
I'D Pioneer came stesmiug 10
The company gave me tbi. iiue god
watch for driving as / did that day.
says Lent, ssys be, Charlie, you saved .
ls, says be, and Lent says il. Say. he. /
leyer took such ride Half the time i
iidn't know whether was 10 Or cut 81
be coach, and was bruised lrom head }
o foot like jelly, bat asi the tim. says / Z
. The other boys, Charlie kuows what &
zee about. Says he, Hes tbe bosi whip j
n tbese dggin's, says be- Whenever !
mean business send for Charlie CroweI.
nd bell drive to The devil il waut bin
o. II
Bat, said Crowel, ,sfler a biz, wouldn't Z
axe that ride again for al tbs money 10 q
bis State. / wouder I wasn'i killed. "a
ant see what saved me | was iust full /
Bough to be fool, that's tbe truth of it ,
at toF al tnat got lhe gold watch, aud !
reputation for driving faster than the !