The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-07-15
GRANTS MOUNTAIN RIDE.
Eleven Miles Over a Rough Road In Less
Than an Hour.

Than Hour.
In st. Nicholas, George B. Smith
tells of a remarkable ride once
made by General Grant from the
! village of Bethlehem to the Profile
House in the White mountains. The
driver was Edward Cox, and Mr..
! Smith describes the ride as follows:
| When, about z o'clock of that
calm August evening, the presiden-
tia1 party stepped out of the Sinclair
House, General Grants trained eye,
sweeping over the team with the
glance of a connoisseur, at once rec
ognized its excellence. Walking
| quickly to the drivers side, he said
! to Cox, IF you have no objections,
/ will get up there with you" 1t
is pretty rough riding up here, gen
eral, = was the reply. II can stand
it if you cam said Grant, as he
climbed to the place and settled
himself. The president was dressed
in high silk hat, black suit and a
long linen buster covering as much
Of his clothing as possible. The 9th
ers Of the party adjusted themselves
in the big, heavy wagon according
to their ideas of comfort, and all
was ready. Sixteen people were in
that vehicle, including Mr.. Cox.
The driver frightened the reils
with ''WhistI' and with spring
in perfect unison the noble animals
were off for the Profile. The tele-
graph operator at the ST. Clair sat
with his finger on the key, looking
out of the window and watching for
the moment of the start. A message
at once flashed over the wire to the
Profile House, saying that they had
gone, and the time was noted. 1t
was precisely z O'Clock.
At the Profile a large company
had gathered in the Office, waiting
for the arrival, Among them were
several stage drivers, who, with be-
coming gravity, gave various opin-
ions as sages and oracles of pro-
fundity in road knowledge and full
| ly discussed the situation. 1t was
known that Cox intended to break
all records if he could, but it was
the unanimous expression OF the
drivers, knowing every foot of the
| road as they did, that Ed could not
make the drive in less than 2 hours,
and a portion of them thought he
had better make it ~, as the last
three miles were right up into the
mountain, with a steep grade all
the way into Franconia notch. But
| that he could make the II miles in
less than 2 hours was not believed
| for moment.
Those of my readers who have
visited this famous hotel, the Pro-
file, will remember Echo lake, and
the little cannon kept there to wake
| the echoes. This beautiful sheet Of
water, famous far and near for it's
echoes and their many repetitions,
is about a quarter Of mile from
the hotel, and the presidential par
ty had to pass it to get to the house.
1t had been arranged that when
they drove by the gunner should fire
the cannon to announce. the fact to
the house. At the hotel we were lis
tening for the signal gun, chatting,
discussing the event, and passing
the time as best we could, when
bang! went the gun. The echo max
er had spoken. We looked at the
clock hanging in the Office. It was
not believed it was the president.
"It cannot bel" "LoOk at the timer
''Some mistake has been nader
Such were the expressions heard on
all sides.
The proprietor hurried a bellboy
to the lake to ascertain why the
gun was fired before the time. But
it was the expected party. In what
seemed an incredibly short time we
heard the tramping of the flying
| steeds and the rattle of the chariot,
and in another moment they swept
around the corner of the house into
plain view.
Never will l forget the scene as
they swung into the large circular
| space before the building. Ed Cox
stood up on the footboard, with
teeth set, eyes blazing, and every
rein drawn tight in his hands. Gen
eral Grant sat beside him, holding
his hat on with one hand, the other
grasping the seat. The eight horses
were on the full run, with mouths
wide open, ears back fat to their
heads, and nostrils distended They
were covered with sweat and foam,
yet all under perfect control Of the
magician on the box. AS they made
the circle and drew up in front of
the hotel Cox threw his weight on
the brakes and stopped at once. He
4 .