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Show 2 - SUBSCRIPTION TIMES - NOVEMBER 15, 1996 HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT OF NORTHERN SAN JUAN COUNTY, and were looking for homes or cattle range. Dick Netherly had sold his cattle and some mines in Nevada and had UTAH ”Sagebrush Jack" and he was said to be the swiftest horse in Nevada. Hearing of this race horse the Nashes of Disappointment Creek who had at that time hundreds of —from the writings of Frank Silvey (This continuing series is from the Silvey writings which capture much of the color and feeling of the early settlers in the considerable money. He brought with him a race horse called cattle, also had a race horse called “Swayback Johnny," that general Moab area of southeastern Utah.) had never been beaten and they were sure he could not be beaten his distance, which was one-fourth a mile. HORSE RACING "How much money do you want to run for?" they asked Netherly. "Any amount thatI have got." was the reply. In August and September, 1883, occurred two events that helped to make the history of San Juan as it brought many people together to see two wonderful horse races and to discuss many plans for the future. The Mays, Maxwells and MeCartys were all related and all horse lovers. No one had fast horses at that time at La Sal but they liked to run horses even if they were slow and could only catch a good swift calf cleverly. The Rays had a horse named "Tobe" that they thought was somewhat swift and the McCartys were just as proud of their own horse, Selim. One day they got to arguing in a friendly way which was the fastest. "I'll bet you a thousand dollars and twenty head of horses that Selim can beat Tobe a quarter of a mile," "Will you run one fourth mile for five thousand dollars and 100 head of two year old steers?" said Netherly. "We will do it," said the Nashes, "and run you in six weeks here in Paradox." So this race was arranged, one of the greatest horse races ever run in the west. A race track was made near what is now called Bedrock, near the river in Paradox Valley. News of the great horse race had spread to all parts of the surrounding district and many days before the day set for the race, people from Telluride, Montrose, Omay, Silverton, Dolores and many other places poured into the valley and made many camps. Disappointment Valley was almost deserted as they wanted to back their own horse, ”Swayback Johnny," while Telluride, Ouray and Montrose people were, remarked Billy McCarty. "Take you up," said the Rays, and a as a rule, backing "Sagebrush Jack." The day of the great race finally arrived. It had been friend, Wilken "and we will run you in five weeks." The agreed that in starting, the riders should start themselves by horses were "fitted" careftu and a good race track, Indian what was called those days "Ask and Answer" start. One rider to say "ready," the other to say "go." A little Cornish miner, Johnnie Leslie who had been ajockey in England rode ”Sagebrush Jack" while Bert Grave, a fourteen yw old boy of Disappiontrnent was mounted on ”Swayback Johnny." style, was made on the ridge above the Ray ranch, near the pines. Several days before the race a number of families from Moab arrived in their old-fashioned wagons with bedding and plenty to eat. A few came from Paradox on horseback. All camped out and had a jolly time as during this period they had a dance each night. Soon the day of the race arrived and there had been considerable more stock and money put upon its results. The horses were finally "taped off," and Tobe, the Ray horse, won easily. - Neal Ray had a trim looking sorrrel mare that be matched against Ecky McCarty's, a mere boy at that period who weighed about 105 pounds, while Neal weighed 165 pounds. This was a big handicap but Neqal won the race by a length. The Maxwells and McCartys were good loosers and said, "We will run Philander Maxwell's "Bally" pony in four weeks against Tobe for any amount you want to put up." "OK," said the Rays and Wildes. So there was another match arranged on the spot. Another race track was agreed on and it was made just below the Ray's field on Deer Creek. George Gibson of Moab was the crack rider of the county those days. He was engaged by the Rays to ride Tobe, while Ecky McCarty was to ride Bally. Gibson was the mail carrier from Green River to La Sal once a week and it took four days to make the round trip. Wishing their rider to get familiar with his mount, the Rays asked me to carry the mail on one trip in Gibson's place which I did and by riding all day and the greater part of the night on my return trip to La Sal I got to see the race which was a good one and close. Bally winning by a half a length, thus the Maxwells and McCartys were winners this time. But again that true sportsmanship of Sagebrush Jack proved to be a bad actor on the score and could not be kept on the track at the scoring place. After three hours of scoring without a start being made, the owners finally agreed to put off the race a week, fence part to the track with a high willow fence and double the bet all around This was done, and more money and steers rounded up and placed in corrals at night. The day set for the race again arrived and much betting by nearly everybody was done. The Disappointment boys running out of ready money and being too far away from home to gather more steers, bet their saddle horses, saddles, spurs and anything and everything that would be covered by cash, on their home horse, "Swayback Johnny." With little trouble and a fair start the horses came out of the chute like a bullet. "Swayback Johnny" "daylight" in the lead, but at the 300 yard mark "Sagebrush Jack" slowly but surely crept up on "Swayback Johnny" and at the finish he was half a length in the lead. Bert Graves, only a boy of fourteen, cried bitterly at his defeat. "Boys, now we are all afoot, and maybe it is some of my fault." "No," they said, "You did fine, and we will not be afoot long." They gave the proper security to Dick Netherly, and they all got their horses and saddles back. "We will run you one-fourth mile in two months," they said to Netherly and soon after the race was matched, and about two months later was run in Montrose, when Swayback Johnny won the race this time, thus evening up the score somewhat. those days was shown and the loosers were good sportsmen and took their loss gracefully. Soon after these events, Dick Netherly, Sr. passed Next month: “The Great Deer Roundup. ” Much appreciation to the Times-Independent for giving permission to reprint these through La Sal on his way to the Paradox Valley as did also Mel Turner and the Niceongers. They were all from Nevada County, Utah, from the writings of Frank Silvey, an early pioneer in this area. selections from the History and Settlement of Northern San Juan |