The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-05-01

The admirable syss<In q cable ard
~leesric street cars In Spokane : i
by horseback. This city 10 strikingiy
adapted to both driving and h0rst sask
ndfnx. The streets are broad issel
and hard. and there are dozen me
rosds running into the surrounding
country. The anceszz Of the Washing.
tor and Idaho Fair association, whose
grounds are two or three raiiss north
Of the city, Il a striking evidenee Of The
providence 81 the people here for nd
Ing and driving. The Association y
uufg three years old. having teen or
ranixsss with Mr.. A-h. Sesiery ~ pre-
sideut. Mr. ;. =. Clever "a yiee-pFesI-
denf. and Mr.. p. &. Van Hcufea 81
SECRETARY. and Is now has sixtf-ave
acres az Land. with . mile track and
ample buildings. property wfsHrh y a.
fogefhrr worth xil0 90 Every meet
Ing has been q financial success. The
interest centeYfng chiefly Ia horses.
The mile track for racing II one Of the
lins.t have ever seen East or West,
and some very fast tlfne has been
made there. Twenty I've or
thirty trefters. owned BY pri-
vale citizens hers are kept
constantly In the stables Of the
association and given training Oh The
trask. Every morning The grounds
which are beautifully Ievel and grassy
present a sery animated and pleas.
ing spectacle, aud one u almost made
TO fancy he had goi back 20 keniueky.
There are, indeed. uumber Of hursss
ii and about Spokane that were bred
from some OF ssss best stables 0f tie
blue grass region. Many bloosisti horses
are brought here from Montana which
has become the breeding center Of the
farther Northwest. but II VIII not tie
long until there will be stock farms OF
hieh grade Immediately In this yieifi-
ity. Bat. OF courac. the morse for the
MASSES here In the Indian eayuse,
which Ii q degsnerated but tough cross
between Canadian on the north and
Californian on the south, the one hav-
iug been introduced into the country
centuries ago by the spaniartis, the
other by the French. The horses
that the early Spanish explorers
brought over 10 Mexico ard California
we're o. the Arabian type. having been
brought into Spain By tle Moors.
while the horses the French took
into Canada we're coarsc-haired.
stocky animals. without grace or
action, but possessing great hardness
and endurance. The best specimens
Of the eayuse show marks OF both
breeds and are not only fretty but
wonderfully active animals. 1 have
seen few very fine specimens Of the
cayuse here but most Of them are
small and scrawney showing the de-
basing effects of carelessness In breed
lng. These ponies can be bought
from the Indians for SIS or $50 each,
and the consequence Is that one or
more 81 them Is to be found in almost
every family. Nearly every boy and
girl has cayuse and becomes q habit
ual and expert rider. II Il common
10 see groups OF young people riding
out every afternoon. | have observed
scores OF little girls on these ponies
going nt rate OF speed that would
make the hair rise up straight on the
head OF the average mother. The city
authorities are very indnlgent with
these youthful eguestrians and they
are permitted 10 travel at any gait
that may suit their osn fancy and
that may be compatible with The de-
sIres and capabilities Of the tough lit
tie brutes they ride.
Many very tastefully costumed
ladies ride out during the long pleas
ant evenings. Twilight here as on the
Sound continues for two or three
hours. or Mt least appears 10 do Sd. and
the conditions are most
favorable for this delightful mode OF
recreation. One woman in town has
earned much distinction As a rider OF
refractory horses. When | saw her
one evening this week riding in the
middle OF Riverside avenue on q shaggy
looking animal without saddle she
struck me ax being not only an un-
usual but somewhat awkward figure,
but | was told that was her fayorite
method Of riding q troublesome ami
NAL. She very seldom rides with
saddle. She was brought upon a Cali
fornia horse ranch and learned 10 ride
as soon as she learned TO sit alone.
She had passion for horses from the
Start and has spent her whole life
among them. She Is now married and
makes part Of the family income by
buying horses that other people can't
ride, breaking them 10 perfect doeiiity
and traetibility and then selling them
at an advance. She can handle buck
ing eayuse with as much ease and Ger
tainty OF success as one of Buffalo
Bills cowboys can Wild and devilish
Texas broncho or Mexican mustang.
She told ME she had ridden as far as
eighty miles In one day ard hack the
next, and that she believed she was
the greatest rider IN Montana and
Washington combined. Ordinarily
she wears for riding habit black
skirt fastened about her waist and
hanging down little lower than her
dress, but | an, told that In the pri-
yacy Of her own stable yard when she
wants 10 master q particularly stub
born animal she puts on pair Of her
husbands trousers and mounts after
The masculine fashion.
IL Is notable fatt that California
has produced mere daring, aashing
and successful female horseback riders
than any state or territory in the
Union. In Is difficult To understand
Just why this should be SO when there
ARE other states, ike Texas for instance,
where stock growing has always been
leading pursuit and where there are
wide stretches If country over which
there were long and frequent Journey !
fo be made on horseback. Bat eaues.
srianistn never has been such passion
among the women III Texas as among
the women OF California. The ranch
life 81 this state was % course con.
daeive IA this. hut there has been the
same ranch life In Colorado, New
Mexico and other states and territories
hut perhaps the most remarkable
wnnAAn rider living in CalifeFnsa
achieved her fame long hefore shs
went there TO make her home. She ].
AIRS. Eliza Porter. and while she ana
her husband osa very extensive
ranch IN that state they both hanpas
"a be ia PARIS ai this moment leokins
after the education ~ their ehiidrea
Mrs, Porter Was formerly Miss Eii7s
Harris Of Jahnsun county, Missouri
That was tSe-i Il i've years ago. paf
ter was member IT one ~ the indie
pendent cavalry companies attaches
"a the Confederate army ana TIA
secuted through western MiS<auv
during the csvH var He WAS knowI
~ II. Porter and Was man 81 tail
slender and athletic bald, quick as
deer and complete master IL y rsvol
yer. Few men in the border wariar,
between Kansas and Missouri had
greater namsse4 uf narrow escape
than Porter. and when the was clssses
nearly alt If his companion
had been Allied Miss HaFri
has a naturally romantic and advsal
ft4rxss.x f4kxfaNxstt.sst aYft tha zsss.ss :,