Auctioning the Tantivy's Horses at the Close of the 1886 Coaching Season

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Yesterday I posted to the Historic Pelham Blog an item about an accident involving the four-in-hand road coach "Tantivy" on its way to Pelham in 1886. See Thursday, March 6, 2008: Coaching to Pelham: The Tantivy Has an Accident on its Way to Pelham in 1886.

Today's posting transcribes an account of the auction of the 20 horses used to pull the Tantivy at the end of the 1886 coaching season. Following the "English custom", the owners of the coach auctioned the coach horses at the end of the season.

"SELLING COACHING HORSES.

GOOD PRICES FOR ANIMALS THAT HAVE DRAWN THE TANTIVY.

Coaching in England is not a thing of the past. Gentlemen run coaches from London to different suburban points and it is considered 'just the thing.' The gentleman whip takes a tip just as kindly as did the professional of 'ye olden time.' When the coaching season is over -- and it lasts only about two months -- it is customary to take the horses to Tattersall's and have them sold at auction. The horses always bring an extra price, because there are always people who would like to drive four-in-hands who would not dare to buy green horses and break them in for that business. It is sometimes a risky thing to do. A horse may be steady single and double, yet he might not make a good wheeler or leader in a tandem team.

Rederic Bronson and J. R. Roosevelt some two months ago began running the Tantify, a four-in-hand coach, from the Hotel Brunswick to Pelham, Westchester County. It furnished them lots of fun and made an interesting trip for all that took the trip. Their season ended last Saturday. True to the English fashion they advertised their horses to be sold at auction, and yesterday they were under the hammer at Madison Square Garden. They were a fine lot and brought good prices. Twenty horses were sold. Of course they were in demand. Club men were there, some to buy and some to look on. Delancey Kane, who might be called the father or coaching in this country, was present. So were Captain Coster, secretary of the American Jockey Club, Prescott Lawrence, A. J. Cassatt, who takes as much interest almost in coaching as he does in racing, L. C. Ledyard, Hugo Fritsch and G. Redmond.

The first team sold brought $740, the next $805, another $1,010, and so on down the list. Thus the twenty horses were scattered to the four quarters of the globe, but 'so much the better for coaching,' say the coaching men."

Source: Selling Coaching Horses, New-York Tribune, Jun. 19, 1886, p. 8, col. 3.

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Coaching to Pelham: The Tantivy Has an Accident on its Way to Pelham in 1886

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I have written much about the sport of coaching and the many coaches that ran to Pelham during the 1870s and 1880s. I also have written previously about road coaches to Pelham other than Col. Delancey Kane's "Tally-Ho". See, e.g.:

Thursday, June 9, 2005: Coaching to Pelham: Colonel Delancey Astor Kane Did Not Operate the Only Coach to Pelham.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005: Taunting the Tantivy Coach on its Way to Pelham: 1886.

It turns out that the Tantivy suffered more than taunts in 1886. On May 28, 1886 it suffered an accident on its way to Pelham. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Below is an account of the incident.

"A WHEEL FLIES OFF THE TANTIVY.

The Tantivy coach met with an accident yesterday on its trip to Pelham. Starting from the Brunswick at 11 o'clock the ride through Central Park and along the Boulevards was made without incident. Frederic Bronson was driving and with him on the box seat was Mrs. Bronson. The rest of the party included Sire Bache Cunard, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Roosevelt, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Roosevelt, Miss Kate Bulkley and Reginald W. Rives. Just before the bridge which crosses the Harlem River at Third-ave. was reached the heavy coach began to tilt heavily to one side and immediately a wheel was seen to fly off, letting off the passengers in sudden haste. The two guards rushed to the horses' heads and prevented them from starting to run. The passengers were helped up, but none was injured. Mr. Bronson telegraphed to the Brunswick to have a new coach sent to him, and after a delay of two hours the party was able to proceed to Pelham. The return trip was made in safety and the company were set down at the Hotel Brunswick only a few minutes late and none the worse for their mishap."

Source: A Wheel Flies Off the Tantivy, New-York Tribune, May 29, 1886, p. 4, col. 5.

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Another Brief Reference to 19th Century Baseball in Pelham

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As I have indicated before, those who follow the Historic Pelham Blog know that I have posted numerous items regarding early organized baseball in Pelham. In fact, I have written extensively on the topic. Among the material I have prepared on the topic are the following:

Monday, November 26, 2007: Box Score of a Baseball Game Played on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in July 1896.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007: Baseball on Travers Island During the Summer of 1897.

Friday, July 20, 2007: Account of Early Baseball in Pelham: Pelham vs. the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in 1897

Friday, November 10, 2006: The Location of Another Early Baseball Field in Pelham

Monday, October 9, 2006: Reminiscences of Val Miller Shed Light on Late 19th Century Baseball in Pelham and the Early Development of the Village of North Pelham

Thursday, March 23, 2006: Baseball Fields Opened on the Grounds of the Westchester Country Club in Pelham on April 4, 1884

Tuesday, January 31, 2006: Another Account of Baseball Played in Pelham in the 1880s Is Uncovered

Thursday, October 6, 2005: Does This Photograph Show Members of the "Pelham Manor Junior Base Ball Team"?

Thursday, September 15, 2005: Newspaper Item Published in 1942 Sheds Light on Baseball in 19th Century Pelham

Thursday, February 10, 2005: New Discoveries Regarding Baseball in 19th Century Pelham

Bell, Blake A., Baseball in Late 19th Century Pelham, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIII, No. 17, Apr. 23, 2004, p. 8, col. 2.

Recently I ran across a brief announcement placed in a New York City newspaper in 1896 by "The Pelham Baseball Club" challenging other clubs to play it at City Island on Decoration Day. The announcement appears below.

"WANT TO PLAY GAMES.

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* * * * * *

The Pelham Baseball Club will meet any team of uniformed players averaging 20 years, games to be played at City Island on Decoration Day. Address Joseph Byrnes, East Prospect street, City Island, N. Y. . . ."

Source: Want to Play Games, The Sun, May 11, 1896, p. 2, col. 7.

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1891 Advertisement May Reflect Summer Rental of One of the Dormitories of Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls

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During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls in Pelham Manor became one of the nation's finest "finishing schools" for young women. As the school grew in stature, it grew in size with numerous dormitories to house the young women.

It long has been known that the school rented the dormitories during the summer season to those who wished to summer in Pelham Manor. The advertisement below, placed by John Cunningham Hazen (Mrs. Hazen's husband), seems to reflect an offer to lease one such building. It appeared in the April 12, 1891 issue of the New-York Tribune.

"Country.

A VERY DESIRABLE, FURNISHED HOUSE TO LET AT PELHAM MANOR-ON-SOUND, N. Y. - From June 15 until September 15. Large, new and delightfully situated, with 25 rooms; gas, water, sanitary plumbing, lawn, large shade trees, tennis court; all in perfect order; 8 minutes' walk from station; half-hourly trains to New-York after June 1 by N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R.; 17 miles from City Hall; rent moderate to private family.

Address J. C. Hazen,
Pelham Manor, N. Y."

Source: Country, New-York Tribune, Apr. 12, 1891, p. 10, col. 4.

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