The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-04-11
"TATER" GREEN.
HIS WONDERFUL TROTTING OK.

In March. 1859. ''TateT'' Green and
five comrades left their homes in North
ern Ohio, in the vicinity Of Findlay,
Hancock county. with the avOwed inten-
tion of making their fortunes at Pixies
peak or CherTy-creek diggings. Every
thing went all right with the party until
they crossed the Arkansas. when a feel
ing of homesickneSS began to make itself
felt among the emigrantS. Men would
become sick for a sight of civilization
and break off with the party, causing a
general divide. In this way they would
sometimes cut wa IONS in two. and even.
Green says, he once saw an OK cut in
two. Green's partner was one of the
disaffected, and, in deciding to pull up
stakes, division of property was made,
he taking one OK and the front wheels OF
the wagon, Green taking the other OK
and the hind wheels. Out of these he
made a sulky in which he drove his OK.
At Denver, diSheartening reports began
to meet him. Disguised miners pushing
for home met them every day. The tide
turned. and threats of burning St Louis
were made. Indeed, party was organ
lied for that purpose, but never consum-
mated it. Checked by the news that no
gold was to be found in the Cherry creek
diggings, ''Tater' squatted on 160
dClt AIdCl. upon WHICH,. tN the WAY.
Golden City now stands.
Denver, in the days of 1859. was pro-
badly as fast a place as amy city on the
continent. 1t was the point where civil
iZatiOn met the wilderness. The for
tunes made in bonanza mining were spent
here with an open hand. One day, as
Green was driving his OK from his home
stead into Denver, some fellows on horse
back attempted to pass him. The OK,
moved by the spirit which infested the
place. probably. quickened its steps until
1t went of in a swinging trOt. leaving
the horses behind. This was the first in
timation Green had that his bob-tailed
OK lit was bOb-tailedl could trot. The
idea then presented itself to him that if
he could only accustOm the bovine To
tTOtting a certain distance on a certain
piece of ground he could Out-trOt any
horse in the neighborhOod. There was
a gambler by the name of Randale from
Illinois, in Denver ut this period. who
owned horse that could do his mile in
2:40. Randale was quite u chum of
Green. and would occasionally drop into
his SquaTteTS and blow his horse 5 trumpet.
\ daY or two after Green : discovery OF
his oX's powers Raudale dropped in OF
him and as usual began talking horse. -
Watching his chance. Green remarked
that he had an OK that could beat Ran
dale'S horse for 300 yards. Randale
laughed al first. then got mad. and al
last offered TO bet ten To one that it could
not be done The bet was promptly
taken, and they Adjourned to the pre-
pared place. The ON was hacked up TO a
little hand-cart- half yoke put around
his neck. a couple Of saplings served as
shafts, and the whole rig was completed
Of 10
to do the scoring and control his horse
subject to the action Of his bovine adver-
sary. as Green knew very well it would
never do to trifle with his Steed. When
everything was ready, away they went
Green. with his long black-Snake. making
things lively for the OK. and Ramdale
swearing like trooper at his 2:40 nag.
Sure enough. at theen OF BOO yards. the
OK came in ahead. On the spot Randall
bought half the OK for $500. The next
day he was pitted against two horses. and
the whole city turned out to see the re-
markablc phenomenon trotting OK.
Again was he victorious, and, amid the
widest excitement, he passed the line
six lengths ahead.
Every day thereafter he defeated q
horse or two. and there soon became q
popular demand for d share in the on
-
ed with joint stock of ST. 400. being "a
shares of S1O0 each. The stock went
like hot cakes. and sold away above par
In week. during which he had wuI
several more races, the stock was quoted
on the gambling-tableS. and passed fol
81 600 a share. At last a horse sired il
san Francisco came along. and a trial OF
speed was made up between him and tn,
on. Ii the crowd of spectators had beeI
large before, it was gigantic on this day
It seemed as if the whole country turned
out. and il was estimated that there wer,
10000 people present. Everything he
ing in readiness, awaythey went. herald
ed by a thousand voices. The OK tool
the lead from the start at the lOu-yaTt
pole he was a length and a half ahead
at the $50 the distance had widened int,
five lengths. and the on still gaining
But the old saving There's many
slip 'twiXt the cup and lip" was neve
truer than in the present case. and whel
within a dozen yards of the winning pos
his OXship became tired and made up hi
mind to stop Accordingly he plaute
his front feet and refused to bulge
Moral SuaSiOn, prOfane abuse, phySica
ill-uSage, all, separate or combined, fail
ed to move him. and the horse quickl
trOtted past, aud took the race. the o
never reaching the winning post at all
That minute the stock sank from 81 90
a share down to 1-64th of the value O
the OK intTinsically as meat.
Many efforts were afterward made [
cOerce the bovine into a trot. but all el
= ticement and persuasion. gentle an
otherwise failed. and he never trotte
| again.