The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-04-21
A RACE
Between Trotting Horse and the Stage
Coach, From Steubenville to Canton,
Distance of Sixty Miles.

Coach, From Steubenville to Canton,
Distance of Sixty Miles.
Written for the News Democrat.
1t was sometime in the forties, when
the stage coach was the ne plus ultra OF
rapid transit. sThe stage line from
Stubenville to Canton, was owned by
Roberts a. Co. They also held the con
tract for carrying the mail. Many are
still living who remember the contest
and the excitement 1t created.
A sporting man by the name of Han
son, living in Steubenville, was the
owner of a trotting horse reputed to
have great speed and power of endur-
ance. He was a dark brown, Of
medium height and weight. Thomas
| Norton, of the same place, partner in
the stage company, was likewise some
thing of sport, and these two men
frequently engaged in horse talk, and
each was inclined to badger the other.
1t so happened in one of their disputes
that Hanson proposed to match the
speed and bottom of his horse against
the stage to Canton on a bet of $500,
and it was taken by Norton. AT that
time, which was before thediscovery of
gold in California, and oil in Pennsyl-
vania, a bet of $500 created as much ex-
element in community as one of $1,000
would now. The preliminaries were
agreed upon, and the money put up
1t was arranged that both parties
start together at daylight, the horse to
be driven to a sulky and the stage TO
carry the mail as usual and stop at
every postoffice on the route and be
changed The postoflices on the route
were Wintersville, Springfield, Amster-
dam, Harlem, Carrollton, Harrisburgh
and Waynesburgh.
William Barber, of Canton, then in
the employ of the stage company, was
sent over the line the day before to in
struct the drivers to have everything
in readiness, the horses we'll groomed
and harnessed, ready to hook up as
soon as the other team came in, and
also notify the postmaster to have as
much of the mail ready as possible, so
that there might be no unnecessary de-
lay in changing it.
Promptly on time the parties met in
front of the Black Bear tavern in
Steubenyille as the starting place. The
Hanson horse was driven to a sulky by
a son of Mr.. Hanson, and the stage by
one of the regular drivers. On the box
with the driver rcde Mr., Norton
George Dohrman gave the signal for
them to start, and together they left at
an ordinary gait, the single horse soon
leading, and before the stage reached
the foot of the hill west of town, the
horse was out of sight of the stage.
The writer is unable to give any par
ticuIars of the race from Steubenville
to Carrollton, except that the single
horse kept steadily ahead. The people
of Carrollton had been advised of the
contest and were as much interested
in the result, as they wonld
be in that of an exciting election. Judge
Pearce, resident of that place and
common pleas Judge of this district, was
particularly interested, and was on the
street early in the morning, watching
and waiting for the appearance of the
first contestant. soon after O'Clock
the single horse was seen approaching
from the east. He drove to the tavern,
ordered the hostler to give his horse a
sup of water, threw him a shilling, and
was off, without engaging in any con-
versation into which the bystanders
tried to draw him.
1t was all of half an hour after before
the stage appeared. While waiting for
the postmaster to change the mail,
Norton became impatient at the delay
and remarked, that the postmaster was
slower than the seven year itch"
Hanson had reached WaynesbuTg,
and rs he drew up to Hamilton's taV-
ern where crowd of men were standing
around, 1t was observed that the horse
was showing signs of fatigue. He was
sweating in the tanks and blowing
Hanson asked a man standing near to
give his horse sup OF water
and put in a little whiskey. Just as the
horse began to drink the cry arose
''the stage is coming" Immediately
Hanson jerked his horse back, spoke to
him sharply and away they started.
The stage came down the hill into
Waynesburg with whoop and hurrah,
but by the time the horse and mails
were changed the single horse was out
Of eight.