New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-09
FOND OF EAST HORSES.

are hlpW u Ouil w HIS llltll"''''''
FOND OF FAST HORSES.
ISuEnIrING THE TASTE FOR DHivING FROM HIS
FkrIiER-SoHE OF Ills BEST TROrrFRS.
Tptoa year ago William H. Vanderbilt was
familiar figure up the road. Prior to his fathers
death while he drove horses with considerable
speed and was a regular road driver. he made no
pretcncc of being of the leaders. lie nhertcd
his taste for lI, horses from his father. who. when
his wealth began to roll mp into the millions,
lou.ht fast stock literally aud always proclaimed
tina: hc " took nobody's DUST In tho Commodore'
time the ihrcc fastest teams that went up Harlem
Lane. the popular drive at that time. were those
driven by himself, Robert Bonner and Colonel
John Harper. The highest price ever PAID for
horse by the Commodore was : 1000. which he paid
tor Mountain Boy. About a year before ms death
the Commodore purchased Small Hopes. fast
horse but one that had been ruled Oh the associa-
ton track on account of the foul practices OF a
former owner. Tn. horse the Commodore when
he died. left 10 William II.
On the death Of the Commodore the son took his
fathers place on the road. He bought Lady Mae,
fact mare. to drive VITA Small Hopes and he
astonish,d the trottiug world 10y driving the team
to q top road wagon mile over the Fleetwood
Park course IN 223h. Such a feat bad not been
deemed possible. and IT was the beginning of the
present craze for fast teams. Ohcr rich men soon
followed m Mr. Naudcrbilts footsteps in purchaS-
ing IA. horses and such teams Blondne and
M.l} Boy. Edward and Dick SwIy,ler. and MaNey
Cobb and Meta Medium are the result. His next
step m the trottng orSe line WAS when he pur-
chased Maud ). from Captain Stone. Of Cleveland
The marc had just trottcd in 2:lTl2 and she was
then only four years old. The time had never nor
has it since. been cquallcd by a foury ear-od Mr.
Vanderbilt paid - 900 for her. He permitted ner
,,sI,.i D. Il .lto
secured aiecor If 2:O9al which has not been beaten
excepting by herself Lady Mac, shortly after her
great Performance with Small Hopes. went wrong
and the latter lost his speed. Mr.. Vanderbilt cast
about for another fast team aud purchased AldIne
aud Early Rose. though IN the meantime he had had
several others. among which were Leander and
Lysandcr Aldnc ard Early Rose soon after they
were purchased trottcd mile at Hartford in
2lG7i
Horsenen say that the best mile that Maud :
ever trutted was when Mr.. Vanderbilt drove her
aud Aldlne to a top road wagon mile over the
Fleetwood course in 2:l5l2. Tho time has never
been cduallcd by team even by those driven by
professionals h. skeleton wagons Maud 5, Of
course. had 10 do most Of the work rs. single,
Aldlne could not trot within three seconds OF this
time. Up to year ago Mr.. Vanderbilt always at
tended the fast trials of trotters and could be seen
on the club house steps of the Ncw-YOrk Driving
| Club when anything of interest was going on. lie
| was "A bold and fearless driver and even though lie
| WAS twice thrown from his wagon at Fleetwood 1t
did not dampen his ardor in driving. lie was a
/ great friend of Dan Maze. the trainer, and would
spend hours in his company talking about horses.
| This year he has not been seen much on the road,
/ brcause of poor health. and when lie did drive out
ne was always aCCOmpdn ell 10y ms foreman, Phelps,
who did the driving. liz rarely stopped ut any OF
! the road houses recently, simply driving mp 10
! McComp's Dam Bridge, turning around aud going
| home. ,
Robert Bonner, To whom Mr.. Vanderbilt sold
| Maud s.. said last night: q have known the
/ Vanderbilt family for over - years. William II;
did not come into prominence rs Il road driver untl
after his fathers death, though he was well known
up the road before that time. When he sold me
! Maud ;. he paid a great compliment PAID
S4O,OOO for her. He had been offered 100000.
/ however. 10y syndicate headed by Captain stone.
only few days previously. The reason why he
sold her to me was that his health WAS failing and
he did not wish be bothered by the continued i'm
portunitrs of Tom. Dick. and Harry To match her,
| nor did he wish her hlppodromcd. The reason why
/ he accepted SiO,OOO from me instead of the
100000 from the other persons ls best explained
| by what he said to my brother David "a; the time.
He said If sell her to the syndicate the public
| will .ank | still own her while If | sell her to
! Robert Bonner It will be known that there IL no
COLLISION between MS; Then she WI never IT, De
/ The so. 900 paid is tho highest price any horse
ever brought In America. Mr.. Vanderbilt had a
/ real affection for the mare aud took a3 nuch m
terest in her doing we'll after she passed into my
hands as II he still owned her. and each time that
she has broken her record, since. have received a
| congratulatOry note from him. Only six weeks ago
| had a long cOnv, rsatiOn with him about the mare,
! and from what he SAID know he would have Iktd
10 see her tfot in 300 if such thing were possible.
do not think he had lost his interest in horses but
ever SINCE he sold Maud TO me IN August, 1854, his
health has bcrn failing and lao cared moro for that
! than for ANYTHING else That he was good horse
| man his driving Maud :. and Adno in 2:l5l2
! proves. lie WAS a much better informed man than
is generally supposed rs found out from my inter
! course with him and ho leaves fine business man
! in his Cornelius. who is much like the old COM
/ modOre"
| William Turnbull Is one of the oldest and best
! known of tho road drivers and was intimate
! friend of both the old Commodore and William Ii.
Vanderbilt and il was through him that " illnm IT,
= TO him. lilo said last night: | cannot talk to-
night: | cannot gather my thoughts. This know
William II. Vanderbilt IL dead and thought more
hear OF hts death until Mr. BIeslin told me of II Just
a. returned home from up The road. had not
seen hm M the road for over n week, hut did not
| think anything of that. the weather has been
bad that most men stayed at home ONLY this
afternoon saw his man exercising his horses and
supposed of COURSE that everything WINS all right.
/ had not heard that he was IN poorer hoalth than
| usual"
j. Q. A. WARDS IMPRESSIONS.
At the request Oi the trustees of the College OF
Physicians aud Surgeons, to whom Mr.. Vanderbilt
gave 100000, ho has been sitting for Il bust for
tina institution 20 J. @ 4. Ward, tho SCULPTOR, at