The Red Cloud chief., 1895-09-27
H RIDING RECORD.
A TRADITION OF THE DAYS OF THE
SANTA Fe TRAIL.

SANTA FE TRAIL.
Frank Aubrey Went 800 Miles on Horse
back In Less Than Six Days, Beating .
Previous Ride, and Won $4,000 on the
Two Trips-Kilied In . Brawl.
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 Fe trail the following story
was told:
In the old days Of the Santa Fe trail
the freighters made one round trip a
season. The Americans very generally
wintered at Independence, while the
Mexican traders naturally put in the
same season at the town 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 8 to 10 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, tho Mexicans
getting rid of their freight at Independ-
ence some time along in midsummer
and loading up again for Santa Fee.
while the Americans threw of their
FIRST load at Santa Fe and reloaded again
for Independence.
Along in the late forties IN energetic
character named Frank x. Aubrey came
from New York to Independence,
bought q lot of teams and started into
business as q freighter. Such was his
push and vim that he made two trips q
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 o 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 n might call
"a sporting character" The distance
from Santa Fe to Independence was
about 800 miles. One day while dis
oussing 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 o sim
gle horse and push through to Independ-
once In eight days himself.
A dispute arose. and the result was
that Aubrey offered to wager e5, 900
that he could start ON q 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 an often as he had a
chance, and DO in Independence at the
stage station In less than eight days Of
- hours each from the time he left
Santa Fe. The money was covered and
the wager made
Aubrey started qnd was in Independ-
once, Mo-, in just 2 days and 10 hours
from the tmo he said goodby to Santa
Then q second wager was made. The
parties who had lost the $5. 900 with the
bold New Yorker, after considerable
dickering, managed to make q wager of
90, 900 q side with Aubrey. This time
he was to go from Santa Fe to Independ-
ence, O run Of 800 miles, In six days.
It was at the best season Of the year.
There were no rains. while the grass
was good and the trail as hard as a
pavement. Aubrey had tho same liberty
to remount himself AZ often as he came
upon q horse that no 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 time
wherein to make these arrangements
eve If he had desired to and they had
been allowed.
He started out Of Santa Fe tho even
ing Of a June day. 1t was Sunday. The
Mexicans looking on argued success to
the daring rider from the holy character
Of the day. All he had with him as
provender was a little dried beef. He ex-
peoted to get food at the stage stations
along the trail. Saturday afternoon of
the same week he rode into the public
square at Independence, winning the
race by five hours. He vas Just s days
and 10 hours riding the 800 miles, and
had used II horses. He had had two
brushes with Indians. and had been
chased by them at the Cimmaron cross
ing of the Arkansas. and again at Paw
moo Rock. He escaped, however, with
nothing worse than an arrow through
his arm.
1t Is related that when no slipped
from the saddle at Independence he
hadn't slept a wink for SO hours. By
ISLANDERS asserted that te was sound
asleep the instant he 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 came around as fresh
as a daisy and as hungry al a wolf. He
routed out the cook Of the hotel, made
him come down to the kitchen and cook
him something to eat. He won $l5, 00O
ON these two races, and in tho last one