San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-07-05
A LIVERY MAN is QUICK.
Says So Himself and Proves He Can
Hook Up In Exactly No

Written for the LIGHT.
Colonel II. l.. Gartin, promi-
nenU stock dealer and trader from
kentucky, was in the city yester-
day en- route to California. He
called at one livery stable to look
at the stock and was met by Z. b.
Purdy, who is employed at the
stable, also another Kentuckian.
Col. Gartin said, 81 have been in
the stock business for over 40
years, have shipped them all over
the South before the war" Mr..
Purdy replied to him that his
father was trader in stock in the
South before the war. "What was
his name ?" enquired the colonel.
+. c. Purdy, from Lebanon. "Why,
he was one of my most Intimate
friends. / recollect little Incl
dent that happened to me and your
father in 1858, which is worthy of
mention. We both had a load of
mules and horses, shipping them
to Alabama down the Mississippi
on the boat Robt. +. Lee. The
boat struck a snag and tore a hole
in her bow and the captain of the
boat at once steered her out in a
cotton field--and the back end
of boat began to dip water
and / must here acknowledge
| never saw a quicker man with
horses than your father on that
occasion, in tieing and getting
those horses off that boat until it
could be repaired.
At this moment Mr.. Purdy said:
~ am a chip off the old block. l
have been engaged in the livery
business in this city ten years, and
/ can truthfully say l have worked
with at least some three or four
hundred men, and not braggingly,
/ have got my first man to meet
that has ever downed me.
About that time Mr.. H. w.
Browder's, OF the Menger hotel, fine
Kentucky mare, valued at 5000,
was ordered. Mr.. Purdy turning to
the Colonel said: "Take out your
watch and time me in how quick /
can hitch her up. He at once
ordered the ELEVATOR boy to run
down the buggy, and place it in
the center of the stable, which was
done. "Now Colonel, am ready"
He at once walked over to Nora
Browder's stall, took her out and led
her to the harness room, went in,
got the harness and hitched her
up. "What is my time, Colonelw
1.-TWO minutes and four seconds"
"Is that your best timer" was
asked by the Colonel. NO." said
Mr.. Purdy, pointing to Galveston
Boy; the noted trOtter, formerly
owned by Col. Blackburn Miller, of
New York, and now the property
of Mr.. Schuwirth, of San Antonio,
~ have hitched that horse up in
I'm. 36s,, Col. Miller holding the
watch, and he is rather a bad
horse to manage. When he be-
comes excited it generally takes
two or three strong men to hold
him, and besides he is the only
horse, to my knowledge, in the city,
that requires Q Davis bit to man.
age him"
as that your quickest timer"
was asked by Col. Gartin. "NO,"
replied Mr.. Purdy. "See that horse
in front of us. That is the noted
Geronimo, named after the great
Indian chief, and was presented as
a gift to the ex-governor of the
state of Texas, Ireland. He is now
owned by Col. CofTey of this city
formerly from your county in
Kentucky. "Well, l have hitched
that horse up, Col. Cotfey being in
big hurry to go fox hunting or
wild cat chasing, in one minute,
and 3 seconds" "Quick work." re-
piled Col. Gartin. "What is the
value of that horse? Has he any
mark or record?" "Well to tell you
the truth | do not know of any on
ly what Col. Coffey says himself.
He told me one day last week that
he had trailed red fox with the
horse under saddle in l hour and
l second, judging from that the
horse must be fast and possesses a
a great deal of wind, and as to his
valuation, he says it will take
$1,000 to buy him."
Col. Gartin then thanked Mr.. P.
| for showing him the fine horses
and bid him farewell stating on
his return trip on from California
he would be more than pleased to
meet with him again.
COMPLETELY RENOVATED.
The'Morgan City Meat Mark ct,
on @@Treyino street, opposite the
Cathedral has hnan rannnnnd hu