St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-17
Col. De Graft Decides Not to
Part With the Great Al
eXander.
Spokane Continues to Be a
Hot Favorite for the
American Derby.
Armstrong Says the Chestnut
Phenomenon Will Surely
Start at st. Paul.

I
gentlemen were seated on the lawn
conyersing with Col. De Graft, who was
receiving frequent reports from the sale
in progress down at the stables.
Did you decide to sell Alexander"
some one asked the colonel.
"Sell him. No. I'll never sell him. l
told Williams to so instruct Capt. Kidd,
the auctioneer, although | see he has
been placed on the auction catalogue"
ITO make assurance doubly sure, col
onel," suggested, suppose you have
it definitely announced from the stand
that Alexander remains here on the
farm" at the same time scratching off
line to that effect on the back of one of
the catalogues. The colonel glanced at
it and signed, and here it is in the orig
inal:
Alexander is not for sale, nor will he be
offered for sale under any chromosomes.
June IL, 50. 4. DE GRAFT.
l fastened down to Capt Kidd, who
read the message, and feelingly an
nounced that owing to the high regard
in which Alexander was held, to
the further fact that he was the first of
the stud purchased Dy Charles De
Graft, and also for the good he had done,
it had been decided that Alexander
should remain on the place for life, and
when he dies his bones shall rest un-
derneath the elms on the lawn. The
thousand or more people present warmly
applauded the announcement, and the
sale proceeded.
The surprise of the day was the ex-
ceedingly low price great Empire
Wilkes brought. Before he was brought
out I had sized up the crowd, and con-
cluded there was not enough sand in
the Minnesota crowd there present
to bid for the great sire. l marked in
the catalogue opposite DiS name. $500.
considering the circumstances of this
sale, and the people who are here, En-
pire Wilkes will not go much over that
figure to-day" l said to st. Paul man.
Nonsense. he'll start at $4,000 at
least" he replied. When be was brought
out some one started bid OF 5000. By
Jumps of $500 at time the price was
advanced to $1,000 and stuck there, not
withstanding the persuasive eloquence
of the Kentucky gentleman, Capt. Kidd,
who was doing the honorS of the auc-
tioneer's stand, and overlooking none Of
the unqueStioned advantages of the
'pe-ra-ra" country for horse-breeding
purposes. There were some other sur
priseS, notably E. c. Longs purchase Of
Pride of Elysian for $1,000, as beautiful
a creature as noble Empile Wilkes ever
sired and as proud and dainty as queen.
Another beauty. Drift Wilkes, a chesnut
tilly, foaled in 'S7, by Empire Wilkes
fit companion to Pride of Elysian.
Isn't she a darling?" asked Lou
Wilkes, as he petted her and permitted
her to nose around him for lump of
sugar. Isn't she a darling? Why it
would be like hitching up canary bird
to put the harness on her." We con-
cluded she ought to bring 800 at least.
She brought but S1,010, and lucky the
man who got her.
Branfeld s. Co., of Lexington, KY,
made several great hauls-notably in
the purchase of Ninita, beauty. a bay
mare 151@ hands high, foaled in 1885. by
Alexander, whose get are invariably the
most stylish of all the horses produced
in the country. The bargain Of the day
is conceded to have been the purchase
of Oriole and Alice Il by Mr.. Gum,
superintendent of the stock farm, to
whose wife many of the visitors are
under distinct obligations for charming
and delicate hospitality during the day.
This magnificent team went for $3.50,
and it is not too much to say they are
fully worth 5000 to-day. Oriole is a
bay brown horse. 153l hands high,
foaled in 1892; sire, Alexander. He is
very handsome and highly finished,
with abundant bone and substance. His
blood lines are gilt-edged, indeed. rep
resenting the Hambletonian, Mambrino
Chief and Clay crosses in regular order,
through some of the best sons and
daughters of these families; an easy
mover, speedy and ambitious, and will
make a great race horse. Alice B is
bay mare, 15$l hands high, and an ex-
cellent match for Oriole, with whom he
was driven on the grounds.
For beauty Minnesota was far and
among the brood mares the superior of
all competitors. With her bay sucking
colt, by Empire Wilkes, she was very
much admired and it was with much
surprise | saw her and her colt go for
500. Turin. great NutwOOd mare.
with colt by Empire Wilkes, brought
the largest price for brood mare, being
Sl,S75. She went to II. c. Emmert.
1t is unnecessary to go further into
details of the great sale, as you have al
ready given the prices and purchasers.
But it may not be inappropriate to
again emphasize the fact at this time
that, in the death of Charles De Graft.
the state of Minnesota suffered great
probability, be Cancelled in this genera
ton. The best of the grand horses got
together here by Mr.. De Graft have been
returned to Kentucky, many have gone
to Iowa, and all are scattered to differ
ent points. The sale Tuesday was the
closing scene. The hopes nurtured by
Mr.. De Graft, the labor, thought.
capital and love invested in
this great enterprise have gone for
naught, save in so far as they have edu-
Gated very few people up to higher
J,,- in,
ing. BE had just got ready to live when
death claimed MIN. If ever man had
by his own industry gathered together
all the units of an ideal life, amid the
most beautiful surroundings, that man
was the now lamented Charlie De Graft.
His home among the elmS was replete
with all the elements of comfort and a
refined life He possessed perfect
home, breeding stud of unsurpassed
excellence, and he was doing great
work for the state. But death ends all.
1t is unfortunate that st. Paul and Min
neapoIis could not have developed
we'll begun. But regrets are idle now.
The De Graft stock farm is a thing of
the past. and it only remains for the ex-
ecutOr to dispose OF the property on the
best possible terms. What a splendid
opportunity is here offered for the Twin
City Jockey club to consecrate it's efforts
after the races in acquiring the prop
erty and using it as great Northwest
ern breeding farm for running horses!
There is a magnificent plant here,
perfect in all its appointments, with
2,340 acres of land, which might be
purchased for $50 an acre, or $4,000.
l base these figures on conversation
overheard Tuesday afternoon. Senator
Ward of WaSeca suggested il mipht hp
an excellent plan for the state to acquire