Arizona silver belt., 1892-09-17
4 HISTORIC RIDE.
RIVAL EXPRESS COMPANIES RACE
 THEIR MESSENGERS.

That Ihirty-seNcn sears Ago Strren Up the People of the Pacific states.
 4 Great Hundred Mile Run.
 All over California and perhaps in every one of the Pacific states men are living today who remember the wonder ful feat of horsemanship known as Bill Lowden's Ride, which was per formed thirty-seven years ago. Tehama, on the Sacramento river, was the start ing point; Weaverviile, in Trinity coun- ty. the terminal one. The distance was ! good 100 miles, most of the last forty being made in the night over mountain trails md through heavy timber. The distance was accomplished in five hours and thirteen minutes--unexampl time for ride of 100 consecutive miles un- der existing circumstances We let Mr Lowdeu tell the story of his wild ride.
 "ln the latter part of the year 1851 Adams 6S O. and Wells, Fargo 6 Co.,, the rival express companies. with Cram, Rodgers & Co. Rnd Rhodes d5 Whitney, the connecting companies between Shasta and Neaveryille, commenced I AfAA4AiE iAAtsAA AAAT1tN NtNI it3tNtUllA messengers, After many hard races had been run, first one and then the other winning, in December. 1854, it ! seemed to have been arranged by the chief companies that they would run the presidents message from San Fran cisco to Portland on the arrival of the uail steamer and then stop racing.
 Great preparations were made for the race, and all the fast horses along the road were pressed into service. As nigh as $lO0 was paid to owners of horses for the privilege of riding them from ,hreeto five miles, Everything was in readiness about the 2sth of December, Horses were placed about four miles apart by each company, every horse hay- i ing q man t. care for him, with an extra horse to ride himself at least that is the way had my stock arranged Both relays of horses were under saddle from ! the 23th day uf December lo34, until ] tine 2d day of January, 1S55, on which date made my part of the race, rode i { r Adams 5> Co
 "Ihe race was a very close one from l San FraGCi5co to Tcaalna Wells, Fargo ! x Co, led toMaryayile. Between Nlys- vile and Tehana Lask Adams 65 Co. s mes sager passed Wells Fargo & Co.'S l rider, and the Mexican who took the bags from Lusk reached Tehama first and crossed 10 che Ieu4ma side of the river ju,t a Wells Fargo & Cos mes senger arrived at tue opposite bank and ! jumped into inc boat
 1 Now my race commenced, sprsug into tho saddle wr,n saadlcbags weigh i mg tifty-four papsi5s and rode nineteen aorSes 10 shasta without touching the ground bat oacc during that par; Of the race That was at the Prairie House, where Ton l5lun, the Iaaa iu charge of ny houe. had got into fight with tho mun who kept Wells Fargo 6z Co.'S horse, and had let my horse tTom Mo Turk gray get loose saw tue 5itua- tiDu and riding my tired horse a httlo past where tue fight was going on, spyaug to lbe ground, caught tae fresh horse by tue tail as he was running away fro1a me and went into the saddle over ais ,aHip, turned tp tho horse I had just left with tae express bags pulled them over tu my fresh horse and went on. l lest about one minute here All other changes 1 made while the horses were ruuaiHg, tho keeper leading the horse was t1 ride anl riding his extra one. could make iny coming known wigh whistle about uue-half mile be- fore reaching the change, giving ample time 10 tighten the ciueh and start the fresh horse ou che road, and by the time ! overlook him the keeper would have my horse ing gallop
 "lrcachel Shasta sixty miles -iutwJ hours tad thir.y-seyen minutes. ] was detained there about two minutes tu di- vide the express matter. ] taking the We@yeryillo portion and JatS At7sely ! He thfaUga ronch for Portland. had nine changes ot lplse> b bHeca Shasta I and WeaverYiile and r5ached inc latter place iu HYe hours and thirteen minutes From tho tune ! left lehama t5raIu Shasta t- Weaywvilla, forty miles, tho i ride was made after dark with a light snow falling. but when reached the mountains aud had my faithful horsas 10 i ride Wildcat Comauche Greyhound, i Pompey. Jacl, and the Bill Xix horse a little snow did not make much differ i ence in speed But ] was myself in bad condition at the end of tiis ride had lost my cap and my hair WIS a solid mass of ice. l wore no clothing except flannel drawers, uudersLirt and boots, unless my belt, with pistol and kDife might be considered clothing The cold first seemed 10 penetrate me when threw the express bags into the office at Weaveryille. had not felt it before
 'l was so far ahead of Wells, Fargo 6 Cos messenger at Shasta that they stopped the race 50 far as that company was concerned It was well that they stopped, for Jack Horsely made a splendid ride to Yreka, and was half way 10 that place when Wells, Fargo 6 Co.'S messensN- reached Shasta. My stock and help for this race cost Adams & Co. about S 200 made other races, long and short. but considering the weight 1 carried. the weather and the time of day that made 1t, have al- ways believed tfIis to be my best one
 More mag be said in regard to the uarrator's condition on arriving at Weayerville The five hours strain on nerve, mind and muscle had produced complete exhaustion, and it was always related that when Mir. Lowden sprang, < or rather slid. from his horse he dropped Sto the sidewalk, and had to be assisted t0>bed But thorough rubbing, an oc- casiopal potion of Mountain Balm" and good sleep soon revived the hero of the greatest race ever made in north ern California. Rohnerville Herald
 Abul-Hassan, an Arabian horologist who lived in the Thirteenth century, was the first man to introduce the equR. dour theory