Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1903-08-19
HANK MONKS FAMOUS DRIVE.
Horace Greely's Stage Coach Ride
Vividly Recalled at St. Louis.

Horace Greely's Stage Coach Ride
| Wildly Recalled at St. Louis.
st Louis, Aug 19.-Hank Monk, the
| stage driver of the pioneer days In the
far. west, was imn1ortalized by Mark
Twain in his "Roughing It." The
stage coach in which Hank Monk got
HoraceGreeley to Piacerville ION time"
and the gold watch that was presented
to the intrepid Jehu because of his rec
ord-breaking trip, will be among the
interesting curios at the worlds fair,
st Louis, in 1904.
IA Warrington of Carson City, Ne
vada's executive commissioner to the
worlds fair, was in st Louis a few
days ago and told Charlie M. Reeves.
secretary of the states and territorial
exhibits committee. that Nevada would
exhibit among other interesting things
these famous Hank Msnk relics.
Hank Monk, as will be remembered
by everyone who has read Mark
Twain's first famous book, "Roughing
IT, was the driver who was in charge
of the stage that carried Horace Gree
ley into Placerville one evening in the
latter sixties Mr. Greeley was booked
to deliver an address in that mining
tedious and the great editor began to
fear that he would not reach Placer
vile in time to keep his engagement
He leaned out of the stage window and
asked the driver, Hank Monk, if he
could not entice a little more speed
from the horses.
The imperturbable driver leaned
down and replied:
Keep your seat, Horace; I'll get you
there on time"
How Hank kept his word is graph
icalIy recorded by Mr. Clements. Prob
ably no trip over the mountains was
ever made at such break-neck speed.
The distinguished passenger was
tossed around in the bounding stage
coach like corn in a pepper and there
were those who declared that Mr. Gree
ley's head was forced through the roof.
The trip was the topic of the entire
coast country and some admirers Of the
celebrated driver bought him a hand
some gold watch. Inside the case ap-
pears this inscription Presented to
Hank Monk in commemoration of his
celebrated drive in landing Horace
Greeley on time. Keep your seat. Mr.
Greeley. I'll get you there on time"
At the time of the Greeley ride Hank
Monk was in the employ of DR. J. NJ
Benton Of Carson City. Monk and
Benton were close friends and when
this old stage driver died the famous
watch passed into the possession OF
DR. Benton. Hank Monk was buried
in the cemetery at Carson City. A
plain sandstone slab marks the grave
and in a niche cut in the stone may be
seen tintype portrait of the man who
~ T.
Mr. Warrington has secured the watch
from DR. Benton and will have it on ex-
hibition in the Nevada building.
The other Hank Monk relic which
will attract even more attention is the
same old stage coach in which Horace
Greeley took the famous ride. Mr. Yer
rington was able to secure this and It
will be taken to the worlds fair and
will be used as the coach of state by
the Nevada officials. When distin-
guished guests reach st Louis the old
coach, with a driver of the pioneer
day in typical costume will be at the
Union station and convey them to the
official Nevada home at the worlds fair
grounds. Then every day the old
coach may be seen 'dashing down the
steep hill from the plateau of states
to the mining gulch, where will be con-
structed typical California mining
camp of the forty-nine days. This trip
will be made just as it was many
years ago when the gold dust was
daily taken from the mines to a place
of safety.
Mr. Warrington says that Mark Twain
| is almost worshipped out in Carson
| City. While he was known only by
the name of Sam Clemens the author
ployed in a reportorial capacity on a
paper in Carson owned by Mr. Yerring-
| toms father. Much of the material for
'Roughing IT, was gathered in Nevada
before fortune smiled on the great hui
| morist