The Tucson citizen., 1902-02-21
TWO FAMOUS RIDERS
STRIKING FEATS OF ENDURANCE IN
+ TlsE PIONEER DAYS OF THE WEST.
AubreS's Ride Wa. the GreRtest
PhyptcaG achievement Ever Accom-
pIishcd Ia This C0muiry-FrOntiern-
man Jim MoOre's Hard Ride.


Phyp,cnI Achievement Ever Accom-
PIishcd In This Comniry-FrOntieru-
man Jim MOOre's Hard Ride.
The greatest physical achievement
ever accomplished in this country was
ATE ride Of i. y. Aubrey from the
plaza of Santa I'e. y. NJ, to the Pub
lie square at Independence. Mo, dis
Gancc of nearly 500 miles, through
country inhabited by warl!ke Indians,
a large part of which was then san
dy desert. 1t was about the year
ASH that Aubrey gave his wonderful
eest of human endurance, before which
all other attempts of the kind pale
tntG inSigniticancc. He was short,
heavy set man, IS years of age. In the
prime of manhood and strength. His
business for ten years as Santa lie
trader had made him perfectly fa.
mliar with the trail and all the stop
plug places. He was a perfect horse
man. aud, although there were great
elders in those days, none of them
cared 10 dispute the palm with Au'
brey-
% a wager OF $1,000 he undertook
So eide alone from Santa Fe TO indie
peuuence inside of six days. 1t was
without n thought of fear that he un-
siprtook the terrible feat. 1t was 10 be
the supreme effort Of bis life. and he
sent half dozen of the sWittcSt horses
ahead, to be stationed ut different
points for use in the ride. He left
Santa Fe in a sweeping Gallop. aud
that was the pace kept up during near
u every hour of the time until he fell
faiutiue from his foam covered horse
fl tie square at Independence. No
ular could keep up With the rider, and
be would have killed every horse In
abe west rather than have failed In the
undertaking 1t took him just days
and 10 hours TO perform the feat. and
1t cost the lives of several of his best
horses.
After being carried into room In the
old hotel at Independence Aubrey lay
gor 4S hours In a dead stupor before he
eane TO his senses. He would never
have recovered from the shock had II
not been for his wonderful constitu.
siou. The feat was unanimously re-
garled by western men as the greatest
exhibition Of strength and endurance
ever known on the plains.
The ride Of Jim Moore. noted from
aierxruan OF the pioneer days, Is also
worthy Of mention. Moore was man
Of almost perfect physique. In fact. by
military standards he was model.
He weighed 160 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 a thoroughbred. No finer looking
man physically ever rode a 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 vas from
Midway station. half way between
Fort Kearney and Cottonwood Springs.
60 Julesburg. distance of l40 miles.
M0ere rode the round trip OF $50 miles
Esres week. The stations were from
30 TO II miles apart. and fresh horse
Of Spanish blood was obtained at each
station. There was little delay in these
rSsauEes of horses, as the rider gave the
coyote yell" half a mile away. and.
day or night. the station men had the
pony ready, so that the rider had only
ss dismount from one horse and mount
she other, and with a dig of the spurs
he was on run again. This ride OF
$50 miles usually was made in IL hours.
AbD each route there were two express
siders, one going each way. AS easy as
Dc KAY seem TO some for man to be-
stride fresh horse after horse for 14O
xrslles. there were few men able to
stand up to 1t.
Epon tho occasion of which | am to
speail Moore's route partner had been
sling. and Moore was anticipating and
areading that he might have to double
Abe route. In this anticipation he real
saed that there Is time limit to endur
@nee. and therefore he gave the bron
4boS q little more of the steel thar
usual and made the trip to Julesbure
A3 II hours. Arriving at Julesburg, he
had his fears confirmed. His partner
ans in bed. He had hoped that he
sntght have a few hours for rest, bu
Before he had time to dismount ant
stretch his cramped and tired muscles
AAe coyote yell" of the east going rid
~ was heard.
he drank some cold coffee. filled hi'
POCKET with cold meat and was In tn,
saddle again for anothe lao mile ride
RD order to be able to Iva the route on
Be- sent them for all there was In them
With the result that he arrived at Mid
way. after having ridden $50 miles. il
~ hours from the time he had lief
aaasrE Ben Holiday gave him n golt
wzseh and n certificate of his remark
s.se performance. Many Of the ole
GTertlersmen now living knew Moore
sDew Of his $50 mile ride In 22 hours
sDf have seen the watch and certiH
Mte--Spirit of the Times.