Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-08-31
THE RIDING RECORD.
p rRAoIT.-: OF THE DAYS CT THE
SANTA FE TRAIL.
Franz. Aubrey Went 0 Miles en- lIorse-
back In Less Than Six Days, Esatia: q
Previous Ride, AID Won $4,000 on the
Two Tr;ps-Killcd In n LEawl.

Not long ago 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 the
railroad was the eastern terminus Of
the Santa Te trail, tho following story
was told:
II Ike old days of tho Santa Fe trail
the freigiiters made Il round trip a
season. The Americans very generally
wiutered at Independence, while the
Mexican traders naturally put i'll the
Same season Ut tho town Of Santa Fe.
In the spring the teams were riadc up,
tho WAGONS loaded, and the long cara
vans Of prairie schooners, with their
white tits and from ) to Is yoke of
oxen, bcsan moving cut ON their long
voyage across the plains.
IS was stated. these outfits made only
DIG round trip Per season. the Mexicans
getting rid of their freight 1t Independ-
c,ice sor,e time along i'll midsummer
and loading up again for Santa Fc,
while the Americans threw Off their
first load at Santa Fee and reloaded again
Tor IlidctolC.CI:ce.
Along in the late furties an energetic
character named Frank y. Aubrey came
from New York to Independence,
bought a lot of teams Gnd started into
business rs a freighter. Such was his
push ann vim that he made two trips u
season, starting ont from Independence
in the early spring and winding up his
second round tip at that point rather
late in the fall. Aubrey piled UP Il great
deal of money at the business and set
such an energetic example that he was
soon recognized as q leader.
With all his business thrift and vigor
Aubrey was also what il might call
"a sporting character" The distance
FROM Santa Fe to Independence was
about 500 miles. One day while dis
cussing froighting and the length of
time it ought to take TO cover the dis
t;iaco between Independence and Santa
fe Aubrey made the rather bold asscr-
ton that he could start alone OH a sin
gle korgc and push through to indepcnd-
encc in eight days himself. :
A dispute arose, and the result was
thai Aubrey offered to wager 5000
that he Could start on {, thoroughbred
horse lie had, IF unusual speed and bot
tom, and with the liberty to buy such
horses as he Nigh. need on tie way, and
so rcmount himself as often as he had q
chance, and be in Independence mt the
| stage station in less than eight days Of
81 hour; each from the time he left
Santa Fe. The morey was covered and
the wage made.
Aubrey started and was i'll Independ-
ence, re. III just Z days and 10 hours
from tho tine he said soodby to Santa
Ec. lie had rcnOuntca himself twice.
Then q second wager was made. The
parties who had lost tho So, 600 with the
bold New Yorker. after considerable
dichering, managed to make a wager of
100000 q side with Aubrey. This time
he was to go from Santa Fc to Indcpend-
oncC, a run Cf 500 miles, il six days.
Il was at the best season of the year.
There were 10 rains, while the grass
Was good :rd tho trail as hard as Il
pavement. Aubrey had the ann liberty
to remoUnt himself as often as he came
upon q horse that he preferred to his
own. But he was not permitted to ar-
range relays or post horses IN advance
along the trail. Indeed he had no filno
wherein to mako these arrangements
even il ho lad desired to and they had
been allowed.
lie started out Of Santa Te the even
ing Of Il june day. 1t WAS Sunday. Tho
Eioxicans looking Oh argued success to
tho daring riderirom the holy character
Of the Gay. All Ito had with him as
provender was 4 little dried beef. Hoc OK
pected TO get food at the stage stations
along tho trail. Saturday afternoon of
the same week he rode into the public
square at Independence, winning the
race by fivo hours. Hc was just o days
and - hours riding the 500 miles, and
had used Ii horses. He had had two
brushes with Indians. aud had been
chased by them ut the CilnmarOn cross
ing CT tho Arkansas, and again at Paw
nee Rock. He escaped, however, with
Eo;hiHg verso than an arrow through
his arm.
1t is related that when he slipped
from the saddle at Independence h0
hadn't slept a wink for 56 hours. BY
ISLANDERS asserted that he was sound
asleep the instant ac touched the ground.
Aubrey was carried into the hotel and
put to bed, and never opened his eyes
again until Monday morning about 2
O'Clock. He then camc around as fresh
as Il daisy and as hungry as a wolf. He
routed out tho cock Of the hotel, made
him colpe down to the kitchen and cook
him something TO cat. He won $50 0
on these two races, and in the last one
made = record fer long distance riding
never surpassed.
Just TO show how such a man OF steel
and zeal may end, it might be added
that Frank y. Aubrey was stabbed to
death in a br.wl in a Santa TIE dance
hall. This was solnc five years after his
great ride. Old plairsnIen viii tell you,
however, Of tho exploits Of Aubrey, and
he Is ~reycrcutly mentioned with such
worthless as Sub,otte, Kit Carson, Ben
Holiday and old jim Eridger wash
ington Star.
His Own ri.ares.