The Tucson citizen., 1902-01-09
TWO FAMOUS RIDERS
STRIKING FEATS OF ENDURANCE IN
THE PIONEER DAYS or THE WEST.

Aabrsy's Ride Was the Creates
Physical Achievement Ever Accom-,
piished In This Country--Frontiers.
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-. a dis
tance OF nearly 800 miles, through a
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 inslgnificance. He was a short.
heavy set man. 3S years Of age, In the
prime OF manhood and strength. His
business for ten years as Santa Fe
! trader had made him perfectly IA
miliar with the trail and all the stop
I ping places. He was q perfect horse
man. and, although there were great
riders In those days. none OF them
cared to dispute the palm with Au-
brey.
On wager OF $1,000 he undertook
to ride alone from Santa Fe to lnde-
pcndence inside OF six days. II was
without a thought OF fear that be un-
dertook the terrible feat. 1t was 10 be
the supreme effort OF his life. and he
sent hair 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
iy every hour OF the time until be 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 D days
and 10 hours TO perform the feat. and
1t cost the lives OF several OF bis best
horses.
After being carried into a room Ia the
old hotel at Independence Aubrey lay
for ~ hours In dead stupor before he
came to bis senses. He would never
have recovered from the shock had Il
not been for his wonderful constifu-
tion. The feat was unanimously rs-
garded by western men az the greatest
exhibition of strength aud endurance
ever known on the plains.
The ride of Jim Moore, noted from.
fiersnan OF the pioneer days. Is also
worthy OF mention. Moore was a man
OF almost perfect physique. Tn fact. by
military standards he was n model
He weighed leo pounds. stood 8 feet 10
inches. straight as an arrow. with good
neck we'll set on his shoulders. small
waist. bat good lolns. aud had the limbs
OF q thoroughbred No fiuer hooking
man physically ever rode O hroncho
thaa Jiga Moore. lie could run liAe an
indian. vas "a acil,e as pan her tie
courageous as a Hop.
Ia tbs early slx Ties Mogro was gonv /
e1press rider. His route was from
Midway statloa, half way between |
Fort kearney aud Cotton wood Springs. |
10 Julesburg. n distance OF i4O miles.
Moore rode the round trip of $50 miles
once week. The stations were from /
10 TO IL miles apart. and fresh horxa
nf Spanish blood was obtained OF each
station. There was little delay in these
changes or horses. as the rider gave the
coyote yell' half n mile away. and.
lay or night. the station men had the
1ony ready. so that the rider had only
dfanannR !
he other. and with dig of the spurs
De was on run again. This ride of
40 miles usually was made in IL hours.
ln each route there were two express
iders. one going each way. As easy as
{ may seem 10 some for q man TO be-
tride fresh horse after horse for l40
niles, there were few men able to
tand up to II.
Upon the occasion of which ! am to
peak Moore's route partner had been
Hing. and Moore was anticipating and
reading thar he might have to double
be route. In Ihts anticipation he real
.ed that there Is time limit to endur-
nee. and therefore he gave the bron-
hos q little more Of the steel than
suai and made the trip to juIesburg
D ii hours. Arriving at Julesburg. be
ad bis fears confirmed His partner
'as fn bed. He had hoped that he
light have few hours for rest. but
cfore be had time to dismount and
fretch his cramped and tired muscles
Ie coyote yell" OF the east going rid. :
r was heard.
He drank some cold coffee. filled his
ocket with cold meat and was In the
lddle again for another l40 miie ride.
D order TO be able to live the route out
2 sent them for oil there was In them.
ith the resultsthat be arrived at Mid.
ny. after having ridden 2S0 miles. In
hours from the time he had left {
cre. Ben Holiday gave him a gold
atch and certificate of his remark
Die performance, Many of the old
oniiersmen now living knew Moore.
lew OF his $50 mile ride in :..2 hours :!
I'd have seen the watch and certif- !!