RECOLLECTIONS OF MEN AND HORSES 



versy was barren of results. In 1884 Edward and 

 Dick Swiveller trotted to a record of 2.16^, thus 

 beating by a fraction the record of Mr. Wm. Rocke- 

 feller's pair, Independence and Cleora, 2.16^, made 

 in 1883. I have before me a letter from T. J. 

 Vail, Secretary of the National Trotting Association, 

 written to me May 4, 1886: 



" I enclose replies of two letters written to Mr. 

 Vanderbilt in September, 1882, in relation to the 

 performance of Early Rose and Aldine as a team 

 over Charter Oak Driving Park, September 13, that 

 year. I do not hesitate to say that I implicitly be- 

 lieve that the team did trot an exhibition mile in 

 the time mentioned; that is to say, 2.17 or better." 



The second of Secretary VaiPs letters, dated 

 Hartford, September 18, 1882, sums up the matter: 



" I have seen the President of the Charter Oak 

 Driving Park, Hon. M. G. Bulkeley, and he au- 

 thorizes me to say that they have no record of any 

 public race by your mares, Early Rose and Aldine. 

 The officers of the Park were not informed that 

 such a race was proposed for your mares and do not 

 understand that such a one occurred, but rather 

 that the mares were driven on the I3th at speed 

 a mile as a pair, and were timed by several persons 

 whose watches varied from 2.16^ to 2.17, showing 

 a very meritorious trial, which appears to have been 

 erroneously communicated to you as a record." 



The prominence of the men engaged in this con- 

 troversy is my excuse for going into details. He 

 who reads cannot do otherwise than arrive at the 



164 



