Allerton and Axtell

by Gary Lee Martinson

  The horses were getting attention around the country, but was nothing compared to the attention they were receiving at home. The county fair crowd was the largest and most enthusiastic ever to attend a horse race in Independence. Gifts were presented to the horses. Crowds began to come to Rush Park to watch the horses jog around the track. Crowds would come to the train station when they left and return from a race meet. Axtell was getting most of the praise and attention from the enthusiastic citizens.

  Axtell was offered a special purse if he could beat his half mile track record of 2:31 1/4. A running horse accompanying Axtell to push him. It began to rain as the race started. Axtell came down the home stretch with the wind and rain kicking up. The conditions of the track and weather did not stop Axtell from setting his new record for a half mile track at 2:30. Obviously, Axtell would have had a better if the weather would have been better and the track wasn’t twenty-five feet over one mile.

  The two horses were taken to Cedar Rapids for the Cedar Rapids Iowa Breeder Meeting on September, 19th 1888. Gilbert accompanied them since he would not miss school. Allerton was raced against time to lower his mile record of 2:48 ½ on a half mile track. He was able to lower his record to 2:43 3/4. Mr. Williams was excited that Allerton was beginning to develop into a strong consistent performer.

  Axtell was offered a purse by the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Meeting officials to beat his half mile track record. He was outfitted with only scalpers and four ounce shoes in the front and two ounce shoes in the rear. Axtell was accompanied by a running thoroughbred Alpha, a black mare, from the Stout Farm of Dubuque ridden by Mr. Kelly. The first attempt to break his time was completed in a time of 2:30 3/4. During that attempt Mr. Williams may have pushed Axtell too hard and he broke stride briefly.

  On his second attempt Axtell ran up and was given the word to go by the judge. Mr. Williams did not push Axtell too hard at first and he trotted the first quarter in :38. The second quarter prompted Mr. Williams to push Axtell more. He dropped a firm rein on his back. Axtell responded with a notable increase in speed. When he passed the half mile mark the time was 1:13 3/4. The pace was slowed slightly until the three quarter mark before Mr. Williams pushed Axtell to a 2:21 gait and Axtell passed the wire with wild cheers from the crowd in 2:27 1/4.

  After the races Gilbert was feeding and grooming Axtell while people paraded past looking at the great wonder horse. Mr. Williams and Mr. Hussey later stopped to check on Axtell. Mr. Hussey took care of the sulky and Mr. Williams changed clothes. The three were engaged in small talk when two men approached Axtell’s stall.

  One of the men was tall and the other one was short and chubby. The shorter man spoke up. “Gentlemen,” he held out his hand to shake Mr. Hussey who was nearest to them. “We are representatives of the Lexington Kentucky Silver Cup races. I’m Bob Hartleb and this is Tom Jibbers.” The men exchanged hand shakes while Gilbert continued to rub Axtell’s legs.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you,” Mr. Williams cordially greeted.

  The chubby Mr. Hartleb spoke right up, “We are very impressed with your horse. We feel your horse, if given a good track and conditions, could trot the mile in 2:20.”

  Mr. Williams chuckled, “I like to think positive, but I also like to prove reality, not speculation.” The two men from Lexington looked at Mr. Williams blankly. Mr. Williams continued. “Of course in perfect conditions a horse may perform to his best abilities. No one can be sure of what a horse could truly achieve until it has been achieved.”

  The other man then chimed in, “We want you to come to Lexington to try to beat the old, two-year-old’s record of 2:26 1/4.”

  “Why should he beat a record that no longer exists.” Mr. Williams said.

  “We understand that your horse has apparently beaten this time twice.” This statement irritated all of them. “We feel that if you were to beat the old record in Lexington, it would put to rest any debate about the record.”

  “Why is there a debate about the record now?” Mr. Williams asked.

  Mr. Hartleb smiled, “There is no doubt in my mind that your horse is the real thing. But there are those that just don’t believe your luck.” Mr. Hartleb sobered up his expression, “If you were to set your next record in Lexington, no one would be able to doubt your legitimacy.”

  Mr. Williams nodded his head knowing he was right. He hated having to prove his horse over and over again to satisfy men he cares nothing about. “So our midwest tracks, aren’t legitimate to you in the east?”

  “Well of course they are. I am just saying that your claims of record times would no longer be disputable.”

  “If Axtell does not lower his record?” Mr. Williams questioned.

  “As long as he beats the old record of 2:26 1/4 you will get the prize money.” Mr. Hartleb said smartly, “If you could beat his current record while doing it, that would benefit all of us. Everything you need to know is in this letter.” He handed him an envelope. “You have plenty of time to get there and train as you wish.”

  Gilbert stopped rubbing down Axtell to concentrate on the conversation. He felt Mr. Williams was about to lose his temper at these men. He was a calm gentleman, but he was very irritated that Axtell’s records have been so controversial.

  To his surprise Mr. Williams response was very polite, “We had planned to attend the Silver Cup races and would be delighted to beat the old record once again to satisfy all your doubts.” Gilbert felt a bit of sarcasm and frustration in his bosses tone.

  Mr. Hartleb smiled and looked to his partner with a sense of achievement. He extended his hand out to Mr. Williams to seal the deal with a handshake. “We will be looking forward to the challenge.”

  “We will as well,” Mr. Williams responded.

  The taller Mr. Jibbers asked, “Could we take a closer look at Axtell?”

  “Sure.” Mr. Williams responded.

  The two men looked over Axtell and constantly were mumbling to one another, as they inspected every part of Axtell. Mr. Jibbers ran his hand up and down Axtell’s legs. They inspected him for five minutes before they thanked Mr. Williams and left.

  Gilbert sadly continued to write to Clara. He was excited about the horses, but he had no one to tell stories about them. He thought how great it would be if Clara was around. It would be fun to have her involved like they had before. They could talk to each other like brother and sister. As far as he was concerned, she was the only true family member he had. He had no idea where his father was, or if his mother would ever show up. Mr. and Mrs. Williams had been great to him for these few years, but they were to busy with their own family to be regarded as family.

  He attended many dinners at the Williams home always feeling the outcast. They always told him he was welcome to visit anytime. Mrs. Williams would often bring him things she thought he may need.

  As he lay on his cot one night, he thought Laura wouldn’t make a bad best friend. She was nice, intelligent, funny and best of all, she was interested in him. There had been many at school befriending him, because of his association with the horses.

  In late September, Axtell was taken to a race in St. Louis, Missouri. The races were dogged by rain and the track was slow and clumpy. His best time in St. Louis was 2:27 1/4 which was by far the best time trotted by any horse during the races.

  The next race for Axtell was the Silver Cup race in Lexington, Kentucky on October 8th. Axtell’s invitation to race against time to beat the old two-year-old world record of 2:26 1/4. The race attracted a good crowd. A running horse was used to push Axtell to trot a faster race. Axtell trotted strong and steady as the first half mile was done in 1:10, and finished the race at 2:23, surpassing his own world record mark for two-year-old’s once again. It was a satisfying result for Mr. Williams and his horse. He hoped this would squash all doubters. Mr Williams felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders.

  At the races in Lexington on No
vember 1st, Allerton lost to a fine horse, Glenview Belle, who finished the mile in 2:31. Allerton was able to lower his best mile record to 2:40 1/4 as a two-year-old. Even though Axtell had record times for a two-year-old and was getting all the attention, Allerton’s times were not disappointing to his owner. He was convinced Allerton would also achieve great things in the future.

  It was a satisfying achievement for the whole city of Independence, and the state of Iowa. People of the state were proud an Iowa horse was getting national fame.

  The racing season was ending for the year, so preparation for next year began with limited training through the winter.

  The racing season in the western states is a bit longer as the weather stays milder. It was disheartening to the fans of Axtell when a filly named ‘Sunol,’ beat Axtell’s record time by five seconds on October 27th. This also beat the national record for fillies of all ages set by Wildflower in 1881. The new record for two-year-old’s was now 2:18. Sunol was owned by Leland Stanford, who operated a large horse breeding farm, called Palo Alto.

  Shortly after this event Mr. Williams received a telegram from Lexington Kentucky to another attempt to break the 2:18 record in Lexington, Kentucky. This would be the last opportunity before the end of the racing season to beat it. The invitation was accepted. Axtell trotted the exhibition mile in 2:28 ½, unable to recapture the record from the filly from California. When the racing season ended in the Midwest, Axtell retired for the winter with the world stallion record mark for two-year-old’s.

  The town of Independence was buzzing with all the achievements of the two horses. The subject of conversations around town was when would Axtell beat the mark set by Sunol. Axtell, received mail from all over the country.

  It was another happy day when Mrs. Williams gave birth to their third son, Ross in November of 1888.

  Their were thirty guests at the Williams modest sized home on December 4th for Mr. Williams’s thirty-second birthday. It was a delightful night with great amounts of pastries, relishes and a dinner masterfully presented. Mrs. Williams was a soft spoken women, but uncharacteristically gave a quick word in toast of her husband. She told everyone that Mr. Williams was born in Chatham of Columbia County, New York.

  The training of the horses went on through the winter. Both horses were taken out for training daily as weather permitted. They were now full grown and matured. Axtell was fifteen and a half hands high at the withers, and weighed 1,020 pounds. Allerton was sixteen and one half hands at the withers, fifteen and one-half hands at the hocks and weighed 1,150 pounds.

  Mr. Williams, along with Mr. Barnhart, took several horses to Lexington, Kentucky for a horse sale. They purchased several horses for several people around the Independence area. There was a two year old filly purchased for S. R. Shipley of Elgin Iowa. There were several purchased for residents of Iowa Falls. They had secured the use of two railroad cars to transport twenty of them.

  The train derailed on the way back. Ed Trask and the car of horses he was in, rolled down a twenty foot ravine. Only one horse purchased by Mr. Barnhart was injured.

  This train mishap upset Mr Williams who became apprehensive about the safety of traveling by rail. The thought of trusting his life’s interest on the railway system, weighed heavy on his mind. In reality to pursue horse racing he would have to depend on the use of the railway system, regardless of his feelings.

  Mr. Williams had also hired more men to help with caring for the horses at Rush Park. The stock of horses owned by Mr. Williams increased during the past years. Personal barns were built for Axtell, Allerton and Barnhart. The barns were nearly identical in size and shape. Gilbert had been given a hefty raise in his salary to forty dollars a month, starting with the beginning of the new year.

  Mr. Williams hired another full time person, Barney Temple, to stay on the grounds with Gilbert. Barney stayed in a smaller barn and lived in the room Gilbert had originally lived in before.

  Barney was nearly twenty years old and very slow minded. Mr. Williams hired him because he had trouble keeping jobs around town. It wasn’t that Barney didn’t try hard enough, but he just was very slow in learning. Since he was hard to teach, most of his former employers didn’t have the time or patience to do it. Barney didn’t talk much, possibly because he could seldom complete a sentence without stuttering. Gilbert noticed his stuttering wasn’t as bad when he was relaxed and confident.

  Barney’s only job was to clean the stalls out. Then assist Gilbert in making sure the horses were watered and fed. At first it wasn’t very difficult for Gilbert to help Barney come up with a routine to properly water the horses. Barney could water the horses well, but had trouble keeping track of how much hay and oats given a horse or hadn’t. After a few weeks Gilbert had established a routine for him, and he was able to feed the horses regularly and properly on his own. This gave Gilbert more time to groom and rub the horses down properly after they had been jogged.

  Barney had only attended school for a short time when his father lost an arm in a farming accident. He quit school to help with the farm, so he never learned to read. When his father died a few years earlier, he got jobs around town and survived as best he could.

  Gilbert and Barney became good friends. Gilbert established a very elaborate way of giving Barney a list of jobs to do. He used pictures and symbols on paper. With this Barney would know what to do without Gilbert having to tell him directly.

  Over the past few years Gilbert had saved some money. He thought about getting a horse for himself. He decided to buy Ginger from the creamery. She was getting old and was being retired by the creamery. It also brought back memories of Clara and a resurgence of letter writing.

  The next day he went to the creamery and approached Mr. Barnhart directly. Mr. Barnhart was happy to sell Ginger to Gilbert for a reasonable price of $50. Gilbert talked to Mr. Williams about keeping Ginger in his barn for five dollars a month, and he would buy the feed for her. This was the normal rate paid buy others for housing a horse at Rush Park. Mr. Williams excepted Gilbert’s offer, man to man.

  It was nice to have Ginger and the memories. He thought he should just talk to Laura. He considered if there was another girl he might have feelings for.

  One early May morning Mr. Williams had Axtell pulling a small cart and was walking him around the track. The cart is much heavier and more rugged than a sulky. Gilbert was holding a watch to time Axtell while he trotted around the track. They wanted to have a measurable rate of progress through the winter. As Gilbert watched, he noticed a man getting off a buggy near the track. He was an older man with a long well groomed beard. The man walked slowly towards the rail of the track thne leaned against it to watch. The man looked over at Gilbert. They nodded cordially to each other.

  The man watched for a few minutes, then began to move towards Gilbert. Gilbert smiled greeted the man, “Good morning, sir.”

  “Good morning young man,” he raised his finger slightly pointing to Mr. Williams and Axtell jogging around the track, “Is that Axtell?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the horse.”

  “Well, he isn’t in top form being it is so early in the season.”

  The man shook his head in wonderment. “He sure does look like a fine horse.”

  “We think so.” Gilbert glanced down at his watch.

  “I am Jerimiah P. Dingsworthy from Iowa Falls. I was just passing through on business. Thought I might try to catch a glimpse of Axtell while I was here.”

  Gilbert was concentrating on Axtell’s gait.

  “Why is he pulling a cart instead of a sulky?” Mr. Dingsworthy asked.

  “The track is too muddy for a sulky.” Gilbert replied quickly. They wheeled by quickly. Mr. Dingsworthy remained silent as he watched. On their next pass Gilbert started timing. Gilbert stopped the timing at the quarter mile mark.

  “Thirty-s
ix seconds!” Gilbert hollered excitedly, “Pulling a cart.”

  “That is the greatest colt that ever lived.” Mr. Dingsworthy stated excitedly. Mr. Williams slowed Axtell to a jog once more around the track.

  Mr. Dingsworthy was not the only one taking an interest in Axtell’s training in the spring. If the weather was nice, there were always spectators at Rush Park to watch Axtell jog around the track.

  The success of Axtell spurred a great interest in horses and racing locally. On May 17th, there was a matinee of four races held at Rush Park. The first match was between; J. S. Woodward’s black mare, Nellie W., Tom Sherwood’s black gelding, Butler T., M. Hunt’s sorrel gelding, Little Mac, Kemmerer’s chestnut gelding, Prince, and C.W. Williams’s black mare Vinton Girl.

  The second match was between C. Hathaway’s and E. N. Jacob’s two-year-old fillies. The third match was between; T. M. Hunt’s, Prince, and the C. W. Williams’s filly pacer Anna Dickinson. The fourth match was between Marsh Young and Allerton. Axtell was also raced in an exhibition half mile, in a great time of 1:13.

  The expectation of the two horses was high among the citizens. Mr. Williams and Mr. Hussey had no doubt, Axtell was headed for a great racing season. He had been training well and his times had been more than encouraging.

  A few days later on May 20th, Mr. Williams trotted Axtell for a half mile in a strong wind and soft track in a time of 1:09 ½. This early spring practice heat, was witnessed by a crowd of nearly two hundred people, who cheered with the sound of thousands.

  One day Mr. Williams had Gilbert start driving a sulky with Barnhart. They needed drivers to help train.