The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-02-07
sINGLETON's SILVER HEEL.
"REMINISCENCES IN THE LIFE OF
AN ILLINOIS CONGRESSMAN.

| How Commodore Vanderbilt Gave Single
ton Silver Heel-Great Race With
st. .Lawrence-Quarter Day
IN Old Kentucky.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-Gen. James
W. Singleton Of H., is short, stout
man. with fiorid complexion and Il frost
the eleventh district in Congress tor two
sessions. He was anxious to stay longer
but after a long and stubborn contest he
failed of denomination. He made an in
dependent race thereafter, and got left.
| Many of the boys who relish good
suppers will miss Singleton next winter
He is high liver and a prince OF enter
| tainments His motto for years has
been Er optjnans opti1nus, and it has cost
| him many rheumatic tWinge. lie was
once among the richest of Western land
owners, and is said to still possess a
handsome fortune. He has a team OF
stations in Washington, said to be
worth SO, 900, and he keeps great num-
Der of fthoroughbreds at his place near
| Quincy. He has raised some OF the
finest trotting stock in the west.
The story Of the way he came into pos
|
the greatest horse of his day, is worth
recording It was two or three years be-
fore the race Singleton was at his
zenith. He was president Of the st.
Louis and Wabash road, and he wanted
to own the finest horse in the world.
He travelled all over the country seek
ing for an equine king, and finally at
the New York State Agricultural Fair,
he came upon Silver Heel. He ascer-
tanned that the owner was Commodore
Vanderbilt The Commodore told him
that Silver Heel could not be bought for
five hundred thousand dollars. Single
ton went back home disappointed and
disgusted Not long after his return,
Wabash stock took sudden boom. He
was surprised one day to see Vanderbilt
Commodore asked bluntly, singleton,
when are YOU going to let Wabash
drop?n
Il don't know why you should ask
me such question:" was the reply OF
the General.
well, look here now" replied Van
derbilt: 'you want Silver Heel don't
your
, "Yesn
"We1, tell me when Wabash is going
to drop and the horse is yours"
Singleton paused for a moment end
then replied. ''Sell when it reaches
eighty-ive."
The Commodore departed. Wabash
went to eightyfive. Vanderbilt un-
loaded. raked in hts pile, and in due
course of time Silver Heel arrived at
Quincy in a special box car.
The General had now come into pos
session of what he considered the finest
horse in the world About this time 8
Jockey club in st. Louis bought st. Law
renee, a we'll known stallion, for SIC, 1000.
They cot up an exhibition for the fol-
. lowing summer, offering $4,000 prem
ium for the best stallion. This offer
: coming to Singleton's ears, he concluded
that he would take Silver Heel dow1
: and capture the prise. There were three
Q entries. st. Lawrence, Mambrino Chief
/; and Silver Heel Mambrino CHIEF was
. the property Of James Clay of Kentucky
: and was noted as the sire OF some very
fleet trotters. When the judges had
been appointed Gen. Singleton inquired
in what points they desired excellence
3 They responded, I'm style and action
!; Singleton had very light harness made
I and a very light sulky constructed TO-
) the occasion. and informed Abrams, hi
i trainer, that style and action, not speed
e were REQUIRED. When the horses came
on the track Silver Heel was by all odd
the favorite with the great assemblage
but the award was given st. Lawrence
) This enraged the General. He went t.
the Judges and demanded to know IL
4 what points of ''style and action st
y Lawrence was superior to Silver Heel
/ They informed him that the forme
9 showed greater speed. This exasperatet
him still further. He accused them
9 having purposely misled him, aud chal
y lenged them to trot him two days after
II ward for 900 a side. He went furthe
e and offered to put up $4,000 against
n like sum, the whole to go into the treas
ury of the club whether he won or lost
q He gave this offer publicly in the news
$. papers. and the club was forced to q
J him Justice. 1t would not accept al
L offer, but it decided to put up a cup ant
= $500, and, further, to allow the judges t
= reverse their decision if they saw tit
I The track was small circle OF one-slxtl
e of a mile, and the General knowing tn
g superiority of ssSilver Heel over st; Law
IS renee, instructed Abrams, his trainer t
IL hold up for him, and then pass him II
II front Of the stand at least four times II
p the mile. This instruction Abram ful
filled to the letter. Silver Heel was &c
clared winner amid the widest enthu
siasm. The decision Of two days befor
: was reversed, and the $4,000 premium
= was awarded to Silver Heels owner.