Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-05-01
"Tater" Green.
His wonderful 'rrotting Ok.

of Flndlay, hancock county, wit
the avowed intention of maxim,
their fortunes at Pixies peak o
Chery-creek diggins. Every
thing went all right with the par
lty until they crossed the Arkan
sas, when a feeling of homesick
ness began to make itself fel
among the emigrants. Me-
would become sick for sigh
of civilization and break off witt
the party, causing a general di
vide. In this way they woult
sometimes cut wagons in two
land even, Green says, he one,
saw an OK cut in two. Green'l
partner was one of the disaffect
ed and in deciding to pull VI
stakes, a division Of property
was made, he taking one OK and
the front wheels of. the wagon
Green taking the other cox anc
the hind wheels. Out of these
he made sulky in which he
drove his OK. At Denver, dis
heartening 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. In
deed, a party was organized for
that purpose, but never con-
summated it. Checked by the
news that NO gold was to be found
in the Cherry-creek diggins, eta
ter" squatted on a $50 acre tract,
upon which, by the way, Golden
City now stands.
Denver, in the days of 1859,
was probably as fast a place as
any city on the continent. 1t
was the point where civilization
met the wilderness. The for
tunes made in bonanza Mining.
were spent here with an open
hand. One Gay, as Green was
driving his OK from his home
stead into Denver, some fellows
On horseback attempted to pass
him. The OK, moved by the
spirit which infested the place,
probably, quickened its steps un-
til it went off in a swinging trot,
leaving the horses behind. This
was the first intimation Green
had that his bob-tailed OK Git was
bob-tailed) could trot. The idea
then presented itself to him that
if he could only accustom the
bovine to trotting a certain dis
tance on a certain piece of
ground he could out-trot any
b orse in the neighborhood.
There was gambler by the
name of Randale, from Illinois,
in Denver at this period, who
owned a horse that could do a
mile in 2:40. Randall was quite
a chum of Green, and would oc-
casionally drop into his quarters
and blow his horses trumpet. A
day or two after Green's discov-
cry Of his ox's power Randale
dropped in OH him and, as usual,
began "talking horse" Watch
ing his chance, Green remarked
that he had an OK that could beat
Randale's horse 800 yards. Ran
dale laughed at first, then got
mad, and at last offered to bet
ten to one that it could not be
done. The bet was promptly ta-
ken, and they adjourned to the
prepared place. The OK was
backed up to a little hand-cart,
half a yoke put around his neck,
a couple of saplings served as
shafts, and the whole rig was
completed by pair of ox-hide
traces. Randall was to do the
scoring and control his horse
subject to the action Of his bo-
vine adversary, as Green knew
well it would never do to trifie
with his steed. When every
thing was ready, away they went
Green, with his long black
snake, made things lively for the
OK, and Randale swearing like a
trooper at his 2::40 nag. Sure
enough, at the end of 800 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 remarkable phenomenon-a
trotting OK. Again was he VIC
torious, and amid the widest ex-
citement, he passed the line six
lengths ahead.
Every day thereafter he de-
feated a horse or two, and there
soon became popular demand
fer a share in the OK. Accord
ingly a stock company was form
ed with a joint stock of $6,400,
being Ga shares of 500 each.
At last a horse sired in San Fran
cisco came along, and a trial of
speed was made up between him
and the OK. IF the crowd of
spectators had been large before,
it was gigantic on this day. 1t
seemed as if the whole country
turned out, and it was estimated
that there were 10000 people
present. Everything being in
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