The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-26
.Johnstono
Emg Of PAGERS.

do you know, I believe that Of all
the great PAGERS that have been on the
turf, Johnston was the greatest of them
ALL said the veteran driver and horse =
man, John Splan, recently. "He was a
wonderfully fast horse and when we
consider that his record of 2:QSA was
made to a high-wheeled sulky it is so
great a performance that it has never
been equaled.
IT have driven a great many horses in
my day, but Johnston was one of the
truest and best horses ever drove"
Johnston, 2:06A, was the first harness
horse to take a record of 2:10. and he
was famed as one Of the celebrated
horses in turf history.
His record Of 2:O6H to a high wheeled
sulky, made in 1884, has never been equal
ed
Johnston was bred by Carey Bros, Of
Berlin, Wis, and was foaled in 1877, his
sire being Joe Bassett, a descendant of
Old Pacing Pilot, and his dam was
Zephyr, by Champion Gold Dust.
He soon showed himself to be remark
ably fast at the pace, and when he was
four years old Carey Bros. sold a half
interest in the horse to G. M. Mather,
Of Berlin, Wis. and in 1883 he showed
so fast in his work that E. H. Smith, Of
Chicago, bought controlling interest in
the, horse for 5000.
He was placed In the hands Of the IA
nous Michigan trainer, Peter v. Johns
ton, Of Kalamazoo. In honor Of Mr.
Johnston the horses name was changed
from Charley M.
He made his first start at East Sag
inaw, Mich, July 4, 1888, where he won,
getting a record of 2:21.
He won with ease his next start at
Kalamazoo reducing his record to 2:17%4.
He then came to Chicago, where, on July
16, he shut out every horse in the race,
except Gurgle, in 2:13, and distanced her
in the second heat in 2:151A. A few days
later he was started against the world S
pacing record. Little Brown Jugs 2:11A,
and equafed 1t.
On Oct. 9 he reduced his record to 2:10,
and was proclaimed the champion OF
champions
Late in October he was purchased by
the late Commodore Kttson, of st. Paul,
for $4,000, who placed him in the hands
of John Splan.
Splan and the great PAGER were the SEN
sations Of 1884, Fie equaIed his record at
Milwaukee, and on Oct. 8, at Chicago, he
broke all previous records by pacing a
mile in 2:06A.
No more remarkable performance ever
took place upon the turf, and it made
Splan and Johnston famous. It was a
great mile, and was for seven years the
worlds record, and to this day no horse
has ever been able to equal the per-
Torrance hitched to a high-wheeIed
sulky.
Johnston was on the turf eleven years,
and retired in 1894 with a most splen-
did reputation as a speed marvel and
race horse. He was a horse of marvellous
courage and endurance, and win always
be regarded as one Of the greatest horses
the turf ever knew.
lie was purchased in 1887 by frank
SiGdalls, Of Philadelphia, for $12,500, and
was turned over to Billy Bair the old
driver of Maud s., who campaigned him
during that year. Bar succeeded In CIV
ing him a wagon record of 2:1414, but the
horse was not quite a success in HIS
hands, and he was sold at auction in the
spring Of 1883 to Col. John W. Conley, Of
Chicago, one OF the most princely gentle
men ever connected with the harness
horse game, for $500. Budd Do5.e had
charge Of him for that year, and In his
hands he reduced the saddle reco i .yu)n
2:14114. to 2:13. One of his most remarkable
performances In Doble's hands was at
Springfield, Mass, where he paced an OK
hibition quarter in 0:29K. In 1889 he was
in great form, and went some of the best
miles Of his life. He paced mile at