The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-19
The Oldest Hnrse In Ohin.

"Did you know" said MIR. Hugh Pugh,
the coal dealer, to Cincinnati Times-Star
reporter, that my horse Kate that was
burned to death Friday morning in the fire
at my establishment on Hopkins street was
probably the Oldest horse in this section of
the country?'
NO. replied the reporter.
'Well she was, nevertheless" continued
Mr.. Pugh. ''She was As years old and very
we'll known among local horsemen. old
Kate was born i'll Wales, of thoroughbred
stock. She was shipped to Canada in 1885,
being only yearling. The voyage had a
bad effect upon her, and the importer sold
the stunted colt to a farmer, who kept her
until she was three years old, when she be-
gan to grow. The farmer sold her to Hugh
Morgan, a lumber dealer of this city, and
he kept her up to his death, in 1861. She
was Of Jet black at that time and served
as carriage horse.
..At Mr.. Morgan's death the mare went to
MIR. Lanning, who ran planning mill on
Canal street. He in turn sold her to fish
and oyster dealer on Linn street, and it was
of this man that bought her seven years
ago. She was then IS years old, but lively
as kitten.
81 put her in the double coal team and
hauled to all parts of the city. Christmas,
1883. she slipped in pulling over canal
bridge and hurt herself some, and took
her out and used another horse in her
stead. Then she hauled kindling, as it was
lighter. She served faithfully until her
death yesterday. and it was no telling how
long she would have lived if she had not
met this fate. In her travels she went over
every street in town. She has been in every
livery stable and blacksmith shop in the
city. In all her life she never was sick nor
lost meal. She was very particular about
her feed, and would kick down a two inch
A&h 1n1r
oats were not brought in time. As
soon as she heard the rustic
of that she would commence to
squeal, and would stop only on being fed.
When eating she kept her eye upon you all
the time, as if i'll doubt of your intentions.
After she was through eating any woman OF
child could hitch up and drive off. She
trotted good round pace, and nothing on
earth could induce her to step or swerve
from her route when once started. She was
easy to guide though, and trotted at full
speed through the most crowded thorough
fares What she could not get around she
ran over. and i'll her whole career she never
misiudged the material of the wagon shs
was pulling. nor ever upset it. She woult
start home if told to, and wait for some one
to unhitoh her. She was known to all the
children round, and often carried her bacl
full of them, with one on her neck and sew
eral hanging to her tail. Kate never step
ped upon any ones foot, but if leased woul,
show as good set of teeth az you can fin
in town. She did not seem to weaken witt
age. but on the contrary shrunk up within
herself on all sides and at all extremities a
if she scented 81 Keuck afar off. The mar
had fiery eye and was full of pluck, stand
ing like a greyhound to start. Whe
hitched in the morning she started at ono,
If stopped would stand until the cathe drs
bell tolled midnight, and the entire fire d.
partment could not drive her from her pos
only by stepping into the wagon. The fire
men knew her and her peculiarities, an
invariably turned OF for her. The WACO
to which she was attached carried no acct
dent insurance policy, but the old mare dis
and expired July =, 1880, just three weel
before her death. Kate would not have sol
for so, yet she seemed proud to know tbs
her character increased her insurable valu
SIS, and now this sum. a mere tribe. is to
made the subject Of litigation, and by Ii
time il c.mes TO the owlish supreme coul
of Ohio will probably put the male at som,
where near her true value. This 10 pyobaLl
her excuse for living 20 long. Her deaf
~as accidental, and probably Was the onl
thing that saved this world from anoths