The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-12-14
TWO FAMOUS RIDERS
STRIKING FEATS OF ENDURANCE IN
THE PIONEER DAYS OF THE WEST.

Aubrey's Ride Was the Greatest
Physical Achievement Ever Accom-.
plished In This Country-Fr0ntiers-
man Jim MOore's Hard Ride.
The greatest physical achievement
ever accomplished in this country was
the ride of +. X. Aubrey from the
plaza Of Santa Fe, N. NJ. to the Pub
lie square at Independence. Mo-, dis |
lance of nearly 800 miles. through |
country inhabited by warlike Indians,
a large part of which was then a san |
dy desert. 1t was about the year
1851 that Aubrey gave his wonderful
test of human endurance, before which |
all other attempts of the kind pale
into insignificance. He was short. |
heavy set man, 80 years of age, in the
prime of manhood and strength. His
Nasiness for ten years as a Santa Fe
trader had made him perfectly IA
miliar with the trail and all the stop
ping places. He was perfect horse
man, and, although there were great
riders in those days. none of them
cared to dispute the palm with Au.
brey.
On a wager of $1,000 he undertook
to ride alone from Santa Fee to indie.
pendence inside of six days. 1t was
without thought of fear that he un-
dertook the terrible feat. 1t was to be
the supreme effort of his life. and he
sent half dozen of the swiftest horses
ahead, to be stationed at different
points for use In the ride. He left
Santa Fe in sweeping gallop. and
that was the pace kept up during near
~ every hour Of the time until he fell
fainting from his foam covered horse
in the square at Independence. No
man could keep up with the rider, and
he would have killed every horse in
the west rather than have failed In the
undertaking. 1t took him just days
and 10. hours to perform the feat, and
it cost the lives of several of his best
horses.
After being carried into room In the
old hotel at Independence Aubrey lay
for 48 hours in a dead stupor before he
came to his senses. He would never
have recovered from the shock had 1t
not been for his wonderful constitu-
ton. The feat was unanimously re-
garded by western men as the greatest
exhibition of strength and endurance
ever known on the plains.
The ride of Jim Moore. noted from
tiersman Of the pioneer days. Is also
worthy Of mention. Moore was man
of almost perfect physique. In fact. by
mil IN cfo nd r6o hn II
He weighed 100 pounds, stood feet 10
inches, straight as an arrow. with good
neck we'll set on his shoulders, small
waist, but good loins, and had the limbs
Of thoroughbred. No finer looking
man physically ever rode bronchO
| than Jim Moore. He could run like an
| Indian, was as active as panther. the
best natured man In the world. but as
courageous as lion.
In the early sixties Moore was pony
express rider. His route was from
Midway station, half way between
Fort Kearney and Cottonwood Springs
to Julesburg, distance of lao miles
Moore rode the round trip Of $50 miles
once week. The stations were from
10 to ii miles apart. and fresh horse
of Spanish blood was obtained at eacl
station. There was little delay in thest
changes Of horses. as the rider gave thu
"coyote yelp' half mile away. and
day or night, the station men had TIN
pony ready, so that the rider had onl.
to dismount from one horse and noun
the other, and with dig Of the spur
he was on a run again. This ride o
40 miles usually was made in II hours
On each route there were two expires
riders. one going each way. AS easy a
it may seem to some for man to be
stride fresh horse after horse for IA
miles, there were few men able t
stand up to it.
Upon the occasion of which l am t
speak Moore's route partner had bee
ailing, and Moore was anticipating an
dreading that he might have to doubl
the route. In this anticipation he rea
lied that there is time limit to endul
ance, and therefore he gave the bror
chos q little more Of the steel tina
usual and made the trip to Julesbur
in IL hours. Arriving at Julesburg, b
had his fears confirmed. His partne
was in bed. He had hoped that b
might have q few hours for rest, bt
before he had time to dismount an
stretch his cramped and tired muscle
the coyote yell'' Of the east going Ri
er was heard.
He drank some cold coffee. tilled h
pocket with cold meat and was in Il
saddle again for another 14O mile rid
In order to be able to live the route Of
he sent them for all there was In theI
with the result that he arrived at Mi
way. after having ridden 28O miles.
% hours from the time he had lie
there. Ben Holiday gave him a 60
watch and a certificate of his remar
able performance. Many of the o
\. frontiersmen now living knew Moor
knew of his 2SO mile ride in % hou
and have seen the watch and cert
Z cate.-Spirit Of the Times.
Cheerful Inducements.
| Av,~