The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-11-04
H RIDING RECORD.
A TRADITION OF THE DAYS OF THE
SANTA re TRAIL.
Frank Aubrey Went 500 Miles On Horse
back In Less Than Six Days, Beating .
Previous Ride, and Won $4,000 on the
Two Trips-Killed In q Brawl.

WV TX III" -"
Not long & the writer had occasion
to visit western Missouri. Among one
of the traditions of the little city of In
dependence, which until the days of tho
railroad was the eastern terminus Of
the Santa Fe trail, the following story
was told:
In tho old days of the Santa Fe trail
the freighters made IL round trip a
season. The Americans very generally
wintered at Independence, while the
Mexican traders naturally put in the
same season at the own Of Santa Fe.
In the spring the teams were made up,
the wagons loaded, and the long cara
vans of prairie schooners, with their
white tits and from > to Is yoke of
oxen, began moving out on their long
voyage across the plains.
AS was stated, these outfits made only
II round trip per season, the Mexicans
getting rid of their freight at Independ-
ence some time along in midsummer
and loading up again for Santa Fe,
while the Americans threw off their
first load at Santa Fe and reloaded again
for Independence.
Along in the late forties an energetic
character named Frank X. Aubrey came
from New York to Independence,
bought a lot of teams and started into
business as a freighter. Such was his
push and vim that he made two trips a
season, starting out from Independence
in the early spring and winding up his
second round trip at that point rather
late in the fall. Aubrey piled up a great
deal Of money at the business and set
such an energetic example that he was
Don recognized as a leader.
With all his business thrift and vigor
Aubrey was also what n might call
"a sporting character. The distance
from Santa Fe to Independence was
about 500 miles. One day while dis
cussing freighting and the length Of
time it ought to take to cover the dis
lance between Independence and Santa
Fe Aubrey made the rather bold asser-
ton that he could start alone ON q sim
gle horse and push through to Independ-
ence in eight days himself.
"A dispute dlOSc, III tllO kCSOlU "hS
that Aubrey offered t. wager S., 600
that he could start on a thoroughbred
horse he had, of unusual speed and bot
tom, and with the liberty to buy such
horses as he might need on the way, and
so remount himself as often as he had a
chance, and be in Independence at the
stage station in less than eight days of
"a hours each from the time he left
Santa Fe. The money was covered and
the wager made.
Aubrey started and was in %Independ-
ence, Mo-, in just : days and 10 hours
from the time he said goodby to Santa
Fe. He had remounted himself twice.
Then a second wager was made. The
parties who had lost the IS, 900 with the
bold New Yorker, after considerable
dickering, managed to make a wager OF
$40, 600 a side with Aubrey. This time
he was to 60 from Santa Fe to Independ'
ence, a run Of 500 miles, in six days.
1t was at the best season Of the year.
There were no rains, while the grass
was good and the trail as hard as 6
pavement. Aubrey had the same liberty
to remount himself as often as he cam
upon a horse that he preferred to hi!
own. But he wa not permitted to ar
range relays or post horses i'll advance
along the trail. Indeed he had no time
wherein to make these arrangement!
even if he had desired to and they haC
been allowed.
He started out Of Santa Fe the even
ing Of a June day. 1t was Sunday. Thu
Mexicans looking on argued success t.
the daring rider from the holy characte,
of the day. All he had with him a
provender was a little dried beef. He ex
pected to get food at the stage station,
along the trail. Saturday afternoon O
the same week he rode into the public
square at Independence, winning tn
race by five hours. He vas just 8 day
and 10 hours riding the 800 miles, ant
had used II horses. He had had tw'
brushes with Indians, and had beer
chased by them at the Cimmaron cross
ing of the Arkansas, and again at Paw
nee Rock. He escaped, however, wit
nothing worse than an arrow through
his arm.
1t is related that when he slippe,
from the saddle at Independence h
hadn't slept a wink for SO hours. By
. ISLANDERS asserted that he was SCUM
asleep the instant he touched the ground
Aubrey was carried into the hotel an
put to bed, and never opened his eye
again until Monday morning about
O'Clock. He then came around as fires
as a daisy and as hungry as a wolf. II
routed out the cook Of the hotel, mad
him come down to the kitchen and COO
him something to eat. He won $500
on these two races, and in the last on
made a record for long distance ridin
never surpassed.
Just to show how such a man Of stet
and zeal may end. it might be adde
that Frank x. Aubrey was stabbed
It death in a brawl in a Santa Fe dane
l. hall. This was some five years after hi
great ride. Old plainsmen will tell yor
however, Of the exploits of Aubrey, an
n he is reverently mentioned with sue
y worthless as Sublette, Kit Carson, Be
q Holiday and old linn Rrid0ar WesI