Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-02-03
OUR Agents.
SILVER HEELS.

SILVER HEELS.
Why Vanderbilt Gave a Tretter 10
n Railroad President The
story Of a Celebrated Race
Trotted in ST. Louis.
The N. Y. Sun has the following story
under the date of Washington: "Gen.
James w. Singleton of Illinois. Is a
short. stout man, with ford complex
ion aud q frosted sandy beard. he
represented tho Eleventh district in
mgr for two sessions. He was
nxiou TO stay longer, but after a long
and stubborn contest he failed oil re-
nomination. He made an independent
race and got left. Many Of the boys
who reli.h good suppers will miss
Singleton. He is o high liver aud a
prince OF entertainers. He was among
the richest OF western land owners, and
is said to still possess a handsome Tor
tune. He has q team OF stations III
Washington Said to be- worth $lOO,0OO
and he keeps q great number OF thor
0ughbreds at his place near Qulucy.
He has raised some OF the huest trotting
stock IN the west. The story OF how
he came iuto possession of the famous
stallion S liver Heels, the greatest horse
Of his day, IS worth recording. 1t was
two or three days before the race.
Singleton was at his zenith. He was
president of the st. Louis and Wabash
road. and he wanted to own tho fastest
horse In the world. He travelled all
over the country seeking for all equine
king, and at the New York State Agri-
cultural Fair he came upon Silver Heels.
He ascertained that the owner was
Commodore Vanderbilt. The Commo.
dore told him that Silver Heels could not
be bought for $50. 900. Singleton
went back home disgusted. Not long
after his return Wabash stock took a
sudden boom. He was surprised one
day to see Vanderbilt calling on him.
After a little chat the commodore asked
bluntly:
"Singleton, when are you going to
lot Wabash dropi"
81 don't know why you should ask
me such q question:" was the reply.
SWELL, look here. now" said Van
derbilt, "you want Silver Heels. don't
you :"
eyes"
Swell, tell me when Wabash 10
gong to drop and the horse is yours"
Singleton paused for a moment aud
then replied.
"Well, when it reaches 85."
The Commodore departed. Wabash
went to IS. Vanderbilt unloaded,
raked iu his pile, and in due timeSllver
Heels arrived at Quincy in Especial box
Car. The general had now come into
possession OF what he thought the finest
horse in the world. About this time
the st. Louis Jockey Club bought St.
Lawrence, a we'll known stallion, for
$40, 600, and the following summer got
up an exhibition. Singleton concluded
to take Silver Heels down and capture
the prize of $4,000 offered in prem.
iums. There were three entries, st.
Lawrence. Mambrlno Chief and Silver
Heels. Mambrino vas the property Of
James Clay oil Kentucky, and was noted
as the sire of some very fleet trotters.
When the judges had been appointed
Singleton inquired in what points they
desired excellence. They responded,
''in style and action" Singleton had q
very light harness made aud a very
light sulky constructed for the occasion.
and informed Abrahams. his trainer,
that style and action, not speed. were
required. When the horses came on
the track Silver Heels was the ~favorite
with the great ~assemblage, but the
award was given to St. Lawrence.
This outraged the general. The judges
informed him that the former (St. Law
rence) showed greater speed than Silver
Halls T1n onon-nA than oT he uin~ v~;.
led him and challenged them to trot a
. match for So 600 a side. He went
further and offered to put up $4,000
against a like sum, the whole 10 60 into
the treasury OF the club, whether he
won or lost. lie gave the offer pu plici-
ty in the newspapers and the club were
forced to do him justice. 1t would not
accept his offer, but decided to put up
q cup and $500, and further to allow the
judges to reverse the decision ii they
saw 1T. The track was a small circle
of one-sixlh of q mile and tho general
knowing the superiority of Silver Heels
over St. Lawrence, instructed Abra-
hams, his trainer, to hold up for him
and then pass him in front of the stand
at least four times IN the mile. This
instruction was fulfilled, Silver Heels
was declared the winner amid the wild.
est enthusiasm. The decision of two
days before was reversed and the S1O.-
900 premium was awarded to Silver
Heels. The general gave q breakfast on
the following morning to u select party
at one of the principal hotels. James
Clay, the owner of Mambrino Chief,
was a guest. The horse question was a
principal feature Of conversation. Clay
was especially eulogistic OF Mambrino.
He declared that the colts of the Chief
had %outfooted everything on the turf,
and that they would continue to do so.
His boasting nettled Singleton. After
standing it rs long as possible, he rip
ped out, Snow look here, Clay, l have
two colts here. They are two -year.olds
and neither has been trained. l will
take one of them, give you the whole
Mambriuo breed to select from, and l
will trot you on a day to be fixed next
summer for $4,000 u side. Clay laugh.
ed and told him 1t was sheer FOLLY to
make such . bet, as he was certain to
be beaten. The general refused to re.
celve such an answer, and they finally
settled the matter by repairing to one
of the banks and depositlng 81, OOC
apiece, the balance to be put up a week
before the race. The race came on the
folio wing summer. 1t so happened thai
Clay and SlngietoE were both elected
delegates to the national democratic
convention which was to meet at Char
lesion, and which afterwards broke W
in a row., and adjourned to meet il
Baltimore. They both resigned ant
repaired to Louisville where it hat
heen arranged that the race SHOULD
come off. Singleton declared he would
beat Clay On his W ground. When tn,
general reached Louisville he iount
that the race was an all absorbing topi'
and that C!ay's horse was a grea
favorIte. Odds of two and three to ont
were freely offered. The general opin