behind time…
source date: 1890
availability: public-domain

behind time. John Fry was to make the finish of sixty miles, and he had six horses with which to do it. A heavy rain had to set in, and the roads were very slippery. Two hundred thous- and dollars might turn upon a single minute, and Fry had just three hours and thirty minutes in which to win. This was the finish of the larg- est race and stake ever run in America. When the time for his arrival was nearly up at least 5000 people stood upon the river bank at St. Joseph and watched the Kansas shore with eager eyes. The time was nearly up. Only seven minutes remained. At that moment John Fry’s horse dashed from the thicket and ran on the ferry boat, winning the wager of $200,000, and having five minutes to spare.