The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-18
OLD TIMES ON THE ROAD.
now NEW YORKERS ENJOYED DRIFTING
FAST TROTIERS FORTY YEARS AGO.

l.ane-riorn Temple and Other Champ,o.
Trotters on the Road - Sone Famous
Drivers and Notable Fourth Hands
Como with me this afternoon and take
drive behind my new team suid New York
merchant to u friend.
the other replied.
I've will start from Washington square and
drive along Third avenue and around BY
Cato's. whore we will dine. Or We may prefer
to eat at Van Colts Four.Mile House. 1t is
lovely day. the roads are in nne shape and you
will sec most OF the famous horses out"
This conversation took place on n pleasant
summer day in 1850. when George W. Matsel
as Chief OF Police did not dream Of Interfering
when gentlemen drove at high speed. Horses
In those days did not develop such speed 40
ours. There we're no such teams as those OF
Mr. Bonner. Mr. Work. or Mr. Rock efeller. and
2:40 trotter was counted very fast But thcy
had what modern New York surely lacks-eI.
celent roads. where tho horses could bs
speedel. and where friendly matches could 10
trotted without injury to feet or legs. and that
could be reached very quickly from tho busi.
ness centre.
The team was hltchcd to what was then con.
sldered n light buggy. made by Peter Dubois,
and they moved Off slowly over the pavements
up Fifth avenue aud through Twenty-thrd
street to Third avenue. then up Third avenue
to the yellow barn at Twenty eighth street,
passing tho hotel Kept by Silebern. At this
point the pavement ended. and a beautiful
road. macadamized in its centre. with smooth.
well kept dirt on either side. stretched ahead
rs far as the Harlem River. 1t was delightful
to change from tho rattle and jar OF
the stones and to roll smoothly and
swiftly over the unpaved way. and tho horses
change their gait at once from digniiied
walk to smart trot. though until the slight
hill about Thirty-fourth street was passed
their drivers would not speed them. Open
fields. dotted here and there with willow trees,
stretched away eastward to the river. while 10
the left an occasional rural residence marked
tho line OF projected street or avenue.
patter Of swiftly beating hoofs overtaking
our friends moves their horses to a quicker
gait but in n ment the pursuers flash past.
THAT brown team is Peggy Magee and the Ioe
Pony. aud the driver is Mr. Miller OF latter.
sails. in broadway near Grand str>ot 1t IL
one OF the fastest teams in the city," remarked
the New Yorker. That handsome black seam
that J., pushing them 80. closely is Jack Cade
and Cruwder. driven by Mr.. George Janeway.
very wealthy man"
Two single rigs dart by in neck and neck
struggle. y hey are Domino. owned by Alex
4nder Dearborn. and Sorre Ned. owned by
our team Is moving nicely now" said the
New Yorker. amt here comes Charles H. Co.'S
Ter with his ,chestnuts., Rod Bird and mate.
We Will give him a brush.
The challenge is accepted. but our friends
troters nre oyermatched and Coster skips BY
hs% f Ssy ys. IhsF0 at sst w ifnd :
bay team in close composition.
Look out fer smaSh %p ahead for thnt is
and i anything gets In his way he will drive
the cicerons. But they pull up safely ut ". ii.
Van Colts Four-Mile House. near Filty-sev-
s s the garden To- the road Many esnts
men are gathered. and where our friends stop
for ref,,eshment little bay mare is being
groom she is pointed out as John Perrin's
Flora. Bob.tailed. straight legged and blood;
deal OF speed. but no one imagined then that
later. under the name Of Flora Temple. she
ting turf as the first to obtain record better
:, Looking through the, stables at Van Cots
n my' Of he Ss So = Sn then
saw rarey beanfn stallion rod sD sor
rel, with a beautiful name and tail. ilne head
pna H% as desSs
tGsH s' y Al%ssk. son ., Manb1ino Ii:
Ily., Through neglect and III treatment no
had become very ugly-so ugly indeed. that
reformed. and lived to found race OF un-
e4s W ns Se stallion Kems.
Jackson, by Andrew Jackson. dam Fannie
ke,mbls. BY Hunts Eagle: he appeared in
K TX iaekeo S0 eheeS It I may Be- n 1se
tnat the older horsemen usually pronounceh his
Speaking Of this, good horse. one OF tho most
properly respected old-timers said to mo few
In % n h,lrn nn IN
as he. was. Look at the record and you wilses
that forty years ago he trotted race Of three
They drew 80 pound wagons, and he took a
heat in 1902. driven by Hiram Woodruff. beat.
Ing such horses as OBlennis. Boston Girl. and
There are plenty" he continued. THAT can
heat this time for u mile. but where cnn. you
End hs t"ss 1 ha
the old-timers had the best Of the argument
world bsaers At tie Milo Mic me may S Sseoua for it
but in any case the fact stands.
Moving up the rond The two friends npf Il
legged bay Honest John. by Long. Island
Black Hawk. comes along. racing with l.inday
behind is the team Of crays. Diamond and
billy. The stalls of Van Cot S are full Ly this
hour. and tho stream OF drivers is going or
iirst street. end visit that genial fellow
Tom Stars. ropu lar road house. At
Eighty-fourth street is Louis Rogers house.
formerly tho CAPT Hazard house. and hers
York,vie is reached. but our friends stop
nearly opposite Mt William ihelans. who was
the most eminent rival OF Hiram Woodruff:
Stopping at Whelan's fora mouthlul OF good
hrnndy-a very generally used drink among
New York gentlemen forty yenrsago- rakish-
looking gray mare Is driven w. and the ttran-
ger Is told in rcverential tones that 81" IL inc
great and unrivalied Lady suffolk. whose rec,
ord .! 2:2J !; surlasscs everything KNOWN ana
her owner. David Bryan. over II bottle o! wine.
Expresses his belief that she has Reached tho
extreme limit ofirotting speed. and her time
will never be surpassed. 49,
On tho road again the Rod House ut "a"
half m 10 track. 10Th street. i rcRrhei, rs
the rival OF the Harlem track at Mount Morris.
aud is the scene OF almost daily s'rnb races.
Just beyond is lncle JAZZ, SpmerinmnykMcs
house at l1Oth street With James ), Nv w
Mann, who drove Flora T"milr 10 h"i llp,' jn
nous victories. no divides ~, ~" , -.
Ne,tor Of the truttins turf Mrhnhh oI'n6i Nc
out tho beautiful dHii!"d gray ii'mI It, lazy
Vernon who achieve ilm" ll,"r IN M Tio sta.
and III" famous tr.t'"r Indy lWih,m in ni d ntHr
OF s stable how.S" j. ih nn 'fc c%ns Geaashs
pnlEam alIr To tTpt IN = ~ anu 'pnniuC.oe
wTriIy cNiEI.t.t tor farauy morse on me tuIi.
WIN. u,rly ilf-i-rll-s house hboNe somerln.
T. nm .I,.r,r llnrr. rIi tnth"r family house.
ole N.