St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-08
A Globe Man Becomes Remi-
niSeent and DiSeourseS on
a Timely Topic.
Erdenheim Under "Pupser
Weleh and Twenty Years
Later Under Kittson.
Grattan Takes a Hand in the
Preston Chief-Havre
Controversy.
He Thinks the Son of Herod
Will Maintain His Sire's
Reputation.

On lovely day in October, 1872, the
writer, then travelling in the East,
alighted from the train at Chestnut Hill
station, nine miles from Philadelphia,
on the p. & r. railroad, and found
waiting for him 'two-wheeler,," with
groom, one the property. the other the
employe of Aristides Welch. familiarty
known as "Purser' Welch, on account
of his experiences as a purser in the
employ of the Pacific Mail Steamship
company. MIR. Welch had accumulated
fortune about the time the war closed.
had come to Philadelphia and pur-
chased 200 acres of land near Chestnut
Hill, the most charming of all the Phil
adelphla suburbs, christened his place
''Erdenheim," by which name it is still
known, and settled down as a breeder
of running horses. He had been living
at Erdenheim seven years when the
GLOBE man visited him, and among the
first of the Eastern breeders had al
ready won a reputation. As the trap
bowled along over the macadamiZed
roads leading from Chestnut Hill to
Erdenheim, two miles away, the land
scape presented ever-varying charms.
Green pastures were succeeded by deep
woodlands, and then a peaceful lake
slumbered under the sunlit October
sky, or a grand chestnut occasionally
broke the mOnotOny Of the Arcadian
beauty on every side. 1t was in
deed a picture to delight the senses
and charm every faculty. ''Purser"
Welch was never an ELUSIVE man.
He was bachelor ''by force of habit
and natural selection.'' He was then
upwards of fifty years old, man of
settled habits and quiet demeanor.
But his welcome was plainly meant,
and the GLOBE man felt himself at
home Immediately. Eyes. Pm quite
alone here" the "PurSer'' said, as with
one comprehensive wave of his hand he
took in the immense old mansion in
which he lived, ''quite alone, as you
see, with the exception of an ancient
housekeeper and few gallons of IS. O..
few boxes of CIGARS" a bit to eat and
other necessary evils. "Would his guest
just sample bit of the IS. o. P.' before
going to the stables?'' Would a duck,
placid lake being near, swim!
The ''Purser" had started into horse
breeding in modest way. In 1872
there were 210 head of horses of all ages
in the different stables. There's
Flora" said Mr.. WEIGH as we crossed
the paddock of the principal stable and
entered the pasture. Flora! Flora Tenn
pie? Yes, indeed. it was the veteran
queen, gray of hook, gray of name, gray
of tail, timewOrn, hOlloW-backed, clear
eyed, a gentle, atfectiOnate creature
who permitted my caresses and seemed
rather to enjoy them as being some
l1n 10 - !
expected as part of the daily menu.
the "Purser." 1.-Two OF her colts by
bennington are on the place now. L
sold her not long ago for $500. But
before l could deliver her she sprained
her ankle trying 10 get across a little
tWO-fOot drain-She is not as supple as
she was once-and | Cancelled the sale.
Well, she may eat her fill now and sleep
as much as she likes. l think she is en-
titled to all the comfort she can get out
of life. So long as | remain at Erden-
helm Flora shall have comfortable
home"
We passed on. Entering one of the
fargo stables, l beheld two grooms rub
bling down the very king of stations,
whose like l had never seen before,
whose equal in points, in beauty and
L
whose superior will never gladden. the
vision of the devoted horseman while
the world do movew There's the
captain,' said the purser. Il should
say the king" his visitor replied.
swell. perhaps call him captain be-
cause my early training led me to think
captain only ore degree lower than
the sum-" the purser Smilingly as
scented. 1t was bennington. There
were a number of SONS and daughters
of bennington in the different stables.
But it must not be supposed that the
monarch of the stud was the only
stallion owned by Mr.. Welch. He had
numerous others, and most enthusi-
Rstic breeder he was. Breeding of run
ming horses III the United States was
then to great extent an experiment.
1t was not known whether the
great public would take to
running races. Trotting had long
been the great national sport.
Base ball was but imitation base ball,
as compared with the base ball of the
present day. Jerome Park had ouly re-
Gently been organized and Incorporated.
Sheepshead Bay was being talked up.
There were occasional running races at
Saratoga. Clifton, Prospect Park, and
other noted race courses of the present
to running-were unknown. 1t was de-
sirable to get at the views of the
HPurser' as to the future of the running
horse in America: and when the tour
of the stables had been made, and we
were seated at lunch, put the question
to him fiat.
Pm no prophet" the Purser replied.
Nor have L got much to say on the sub
tect. l have put my money into this
thing; money talks" AS luncheon pro-
ceeded and the Amontillado was sam
pied two or three times in succession,
the Purser opened up. ''I'll tell you
what l think" he exclaimed, after a
brown study. at is my belief that the
time will come, within twenty-five
years, in this country, when every town
at least one great running event every
year. 1t will be uphill work to wean a
good many people from their first love
the trotterS. Then, there is a certain
element that persistently' hangs on to
the trotting course, and this element is
a very strong one. Trotting means
bread and butter to these people. Now.
running races must be conducted on the
dead square, or people will have moth
Ing to do with them. I'm glad to see that
such people as the Belmonts, the Lor-
lizards and Stanfords have gone to the
front with their money and influence to
elevate running from the start to its
proper place. In England running
races have been the great events of the
year for centuries. Now wouldn't it be
queer if running should gradually dis
place trotting as national pastime in
this country. But | don't look for this.
] do look to see running events as gen.
erously patroniZed within quarter of
a century as trotting. There is no
reason why each should not receive an
equal share of attention. By 1892, if
xUa ara both livipu Of +bat fi,,o ,,,o ,,,;lI