The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-21
NOTABLE HORSEBACK RIDE.
One of the Traditions of the Days of
the Santa Fe Trail.
From the washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
Not long ago the Star writer had occa-
sion to visit Western Missouri. Among one
of the traditions of the little city of indie
perdence, which Until the days of the rail-
road was the eastern terminus of the
Santa Fe trail, the following story was
told:
In the old days of the Santa Fe trail
the freighters made one round trip
season. The Americans very generally
wintered al Independence, while the Mex
lean traders naturally put in the same
season at the town of Santa Fe. In the
spring the teams were made up, the wag
ons loaded and the long caravans of prai-
rie schooners with their white Tits AMI
from five to fifteen yoke of oxen, began
moving out on their long voyage across
the plains.
AS was stated, these outfits made only
one 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 indie
pendence.
Along in the late forties an energetic
character named Frank X. Aubrey came
from New York to independence, bought
as a freighter. Such was his push and vim
that he made two trips a season, start
ing 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 ener-
getic example that he was soon recog
nized as the leader
With all his business thrift and vigor
Aubrey was also what one might call "a
sporting character" The distance from
Santa Fe to Independence was about 800
miles. One day while discussing freight
ing and the length of time it ought to take
to cover the distance between Independ-
ence and Santa Fe Aubrey made the rath-
er bold assertion that he could start alone
on a single horse and push through to In
dependence in eight days himself. A dis
pute arose, and the result was that Aubrey
offered to wager $1,000 that he could start
on a thoroughbred horse he had, of unus-
ual speed and bottom, and with the liber
ty 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 In
dependence al the stage station in less
than eight days Of twenty-four 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 seven days and ten
hours from the time he said goodbye
TO Santa Fe. He had remounted himself
twice.
Then a second wager was made. The
narties who had lost the S, 600 with the bold
New Yorker, after considerable dickering,
managed to make wager of $4,000 a side
with Aubrey This time he was to so
from Santa Fe to independence, run
of full 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 pavement
Aubrey had the same liberty to remount
himself as often as he came upon horse
that he preferred to his own. But he was
not permitted to arrange relays or post
horses in advance along the trail. Indeed,
no had no time wherein to make these ar
rangements, even If ne had desired 10 anu
they had been allowed. -.
He Started out of Santa Fe the evening
of a June day. 1t was Sunday. The Next
cans looked on augur success 10 the oar
ing rider from the holy character OF the
day All he had with him as provender
was a little dried beef. He expected to get
food at the stage stations along the trail
saturday afternoon of the same week he
rode into the public square at 1ndepen-
| dence. winning the race by i've hours
he as lust FIVE days and nineteen hours
riding the 800 miles and had used eleven
| horses. He had had two brushes with In
| dams and had Deen C0dStu ny tliCAAi a lAlS
| Cimmaron crossing of the Arkansas, and
| AGAIN at Pawnee Rock. He escaped, how
ever. with nothing worse than an arrow
| through his arm.
II is related that when he slipped from
the saddle at Independence he hadn't slept
q wink for forty-six hours. Bystanders
| asserted that he was sound asleep the in
slant he touched the ground. Aubrey was
| carried into the hotel and put to bed, and
| oever opened his eyes again until Monday
morning about o'clock. He then came
around as fresh as a daisy and as hungry
! as wolf. He routed out the cook of the
! hotel. made him come down to the kitchen
| and cook him something TO eat. He won
| az OOo on these two races, and in the last
one made record for long distance riding
never surpassed.
lust to show how such man of steel
| and zeal may end, it might be added that
! Prank X Aubrey was stabbed to death in
/ a brawl in Santa Fe dance hall. This
was some FIVE years after his great ride.
! old plainsmen will tell you, however
! of the exploits Of Aubrey, and he IS rever-
/ emily mentioned with such WORTHLESS as
subiette. Kit Carson, Ben Holiday and
old Jim Bridger.