The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-12-16
Famous Vehicles.

Famous Vehicles,
Chicago Tribune.
Probably the best-known man in.
Western New York-possessed Of the
most peculiar mania-is George a.
Sheldon Of this place, who has spent:
over $4,000 and The best energies Of
g g lifetime in gathering; odd and histor-
icafly-noted vehicles, with a few rare
pieces Aof household furniture, chief
among which is the first piano ever
brought into Cattaraugus county, the.
German.silver plate bearing the wo1 Dis:
Charles j. Holden, first premium,
184l and 1912, New York"
The most highly priced of all Mr..
Sheldon'sqreer collection OF disman-
tied carriages is an old rockaway,
whose birchen hubs are checked and
rottsd by the ravages of nearly q
half century of contact with the ele-
ments. This vehicle derives its value
trom2lts intimate: relation with the
late Gov: Fenton, who, just before
his death, in calling up the recollec-
tions OF the past, told the writer the
following in regard to the old carriage
which we were viewing:
.You have probably heard" said
Mr.. Fenton, ttthatI made it a rule in
politics to drive forty miles rather
than write letter The idea came
to me with that old Thirty
seven years ago this coming fall, be-
fore l had been honored blythe people
of this district, I was awakened one
night about two O'clock by a rap at
the door, and, on admitting my Iyisi.
tor, found it to be no less a. person
than Gen. Lewis Cass, who was then.
therdemocratic candidate for presi-
dent. The night was moonlight, and
standing in front of my door was that
old vehicle, then new and trim, in
which my;nocturnal visitor had div
en- from Dunkirk, forty miles away.
l was then Justgentering politics, and
it occurred to me that If the candi-
date for president could drive forty
miles to do an errand that could be
done by post it would not be q bad
policy for me to pursue. The idea
possessed me SO strongly that I went
to Dunkirk and purchased the car
riage, and in many of:my subsequent
campaigns it has kept me company
through many q long drive.
stYou know, CONTINUED the ex-gov.
ernor, "inathose days it was the pop.
ular thing to be q Democrat, but that
year MartintVan Buren, was running
on a third ticket, and Gen. Cass ives
very anxious overithe result; SO much
SO, intact, that Nominated to me that
Icould go to the court of St. James
in the event ofEmy contributing to his
success, The world knows that I did
not co."
Another vehicle, orrather a part OF a
vehicle, is the box of an old Broad.
way omnibus in which is posted an
ELECTORAL ticket of 1864. It is head.
ed; "Electors-McC lellan and the
union" followed by a cut Of Mcclellan
and the names ofthe then thirty-three
electors. Among the names is that
Of Oswald Ottendorfer, who last year
led the Cleveland hosts to victory,
and William Kelly and Washington
Hunt, who were the .electors-at large.
This old box cost Mr.. Sheldon 5000,
UA0 uo AGycushp.
One Of the stage coaches in which
the late Horace Greeley is alleged to
have accomplished a portion Of Ms
overland trip to California some years
ago, the interior of which is covered
with Wells Fargo & Co.'s express Ia.
bells and thesnames and addresses
OF passengsEsAoceupies a box stall in
one ofMr Sheldon'ssnumerous barns,
and theoldyfamily carriage ofthe late
Judge Benjamin chamberlain, founder
Of ChamberlaiR Institute, with the
sperm cand5Is bprneds halfway down,
and the Rhiipanding in the socket,
Just as III leftsit the time
built on purn the brass
mountings being kept brightly polish.
ed while the wheels are falling to
pieces:from age. e
The sulky in which Dexter made his
record OF $40 is also among the col
lection, unless Mr.. Sheldon has been
imposed upon, for he shows the old.
style gig and gives its record.