New-York tribune., 1899-07-07

terrain Church. $1,000 to those persons connected
with newspapers who suffered by the great Chi
cago fire and $1,000 for A gymnasium at Prince
ton.
Mr.. Bonners principal and almost sole recreation
was the driving and breeding OF fast horses. Writ
ing one day OF how he 70 take It up. he said:
In July. 1885, when I bought my first trotting
horse, there were only nineteen horses. including
23O. Now there over fourteea thousand in the
list. In the summer Of that year-ls56-I came near
and family physician. DR.. Samuel Hall. advised me
10 get a horse and take hours exercise every
the advice but he actually purchased the horse
for me so that II have done AWNING 10 stimuae m
the trotting horse the credit Is due IN no smail
~ II in one mans lifetime from nineteen to over
fourteen thousand. seems 10 be almost peyohd De-
WHAT HE DID FOR THE TROTTING HORSE.
Mr.. Bonner did more to lift the trottins horse
from disrepute into an atmosphere OF respecta-
bility than probably any other man ever did. lie
was one OF the earliest and most persistent sports
men TO associate horsemanship with honesty, ana
demonstrated conspicuously that a man may be
gentleman a Christian and a horseman at the
same time. He expended about $NVO on this
hobby and owned many great record breakers
such as Dexter. Rarus. Maud S and Sunol. and
their speed Increased in his hands. on his stock
farm near Tarrytown. " Y. he met with con-
siderable success in breeding. also. on this point
Mr.. Bonner wrote last year.
On my small farm at Tarrytown. for instance
bred Macys Hambletonian the sire OF b9sqHe que
Bonita the first American trotter to beat all the
records that had ever been made in Europe Ihere
were also bred at my farm Cartridge. 2iita' Ma,
tolca. 2.l5, Cheyenne, 209i2 Instant 2lfAti ana
others still faster but with public records. as
every one knows that do not trot horses 10 LOT
money although I have given many free exnipl-
lions OF speea 1n and On our roads where
~. TfC has had IN
horses driven. The dam Of Lightning I'll, the
fastest trotter that the great AeantaTa nas sirea
best one that Ducalion ever sired was bred by me,
t1e sire OF the dam OF Emma Onutt ,r6S ln
bred by ME. as the dam Of Protein, 2u4t. /
could go and give the names Of about one hun
dred horses with public records whose pedigrees
be traced 10 animals bred on my farm III,
horses n I except the great benefit to my health
derived from driving them. which necessarily keeps
qualification is the Improvement | have been able
to make in the speed Of those have purchased,
and the consequent relief from suffering and lame
ness the poor animals experienced after coming
into my possession and having their feet treated
This last remark refers 10 Mr.. Bonner's wonderful
skill In the shoenZ of horses and the care OF their
feet When he bought Maud : from William 4.
Vanderbilt for t40pr she was lame, and he knew IL:
she Iovered her record from 2i TO 2.OsA the fast
est time made up lSs5 before high wheeled
sulky on regulation track few weeks before
1850 for s4i 90 the mare was lame Mr. Bonner
showed Charles Marvin. her trainer. how she should
be shod. and the lameness vanished.
Mr. Bonners love for horses amounted almost "a
a passion. His private stable. In West Fifty NTH
St nearly perfect money and skill could
mako ~. ana often contained many as ten
famous trotters at a time Their owner combined
driver on this subject he n characteristic ic
letter 70 the editor OF The Tribune on November.
1850 Here Is part o. +:
have read with great interest the Interview with
disposition. pedigree etc. Mr Macleod says that
while she is not particularly vicious she is a
very nervous and high strung animal. and he
expresses the opinion that l will not b. able 70
hav heard something Ike that before about other
high bred horses that have owned. Dexter was
extremely nervous. and 80 Is Maud 5. but have
always been able 10 drive both OF them with as
much ease and comfort as I ever drove any other
horses. , n,
When bought Dexter his skilful trainer. Budd
Doble remarked that he would have him back
again in less than three weeks. saying that could
not drive him on the road. but In less than SIX
weeks from that time Mr.. Doble came 70 me 70
borrow bride that was invented by Dr.. Hart
man OF Lancaster Penn, and with which | could
easily control Dexter. He wanted 70 Try II on a
nervous horse Of his own. When bought Maud ;
from Mr Vanderbilt people said that could not
drive her IN single harness. although Mr. Wander
bt had driven her and her mate in doupls harness
in the fastest time that has ever been mace oy any
team But I have had difficulty Whatever IN
6riyinr her all along in single harness. and In tact
have made the fastest mile with her that has ever
heen made with any horse 10 top wagon.
Now IN regard 70 SunOl II I cannot drive ner IN
Central Park when she comes on mere next year
hereby pledge myself 10 give her away
M Bonner leaves between forty-hve and hfty
trotters on his farm but Pray Tell IS the only one
IN the city stable at present.