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diff --git a/old/ponye10.txt b/old/ponye10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c91516 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ponye10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3115 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Story of the Pony Express +by Glenn D. Bradley + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg file. + +Please do not remove this header information. + +This header should be the first thing seen when anyone starts to +view the eBook. 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Bradley + +Release Date: November, 2003 [Etext #4671] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on February 26, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Story of the Pony Express +by Glenn D. Bradley +******This file should be named ponye10.txt or ponye10.zip****** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, ponye11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, ponye10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +The "legal small print" and other information about this book +may now be found at the end of this file. Please read this +important information, as it gives you specific rights and +tells you about restrictions in how the file may be used. + +*** +This etext was produced by David A. Schwan. + +The Story of the Pony Express + + + +An account of the most remarkable mail service ever in existence, and +its place in history. + + + +By Glenn D. Bradley +Author of Winning the Southwest + + + +To My Parents + + + +Preface + + + +This little volume has but one purpose - to give an authentic, useful, +and readable account of the Pony Express. This wonderful enterprise +played an important part in history, and demonstrated what American +spirit can accomplish. It showed that the "heroes of sixty-one" were not +all south of Mason and Dixon's line fighting each other. And, strange to +say, little of a formal nature has been written concerning it. + +I have sought to bring to light and make accessible to all readers the +more important facts of the Pony Express - its inception, organization +and development, its importance to history, its historical background, +and some of the anecdotes incidental to its operation. + +The subject leads one into a wide range of fascinating material, all +interesting though much of it is irrelevant. In itself this material is +fragmentary and incoherent. It would be quite easy to fill many pages +with western adventure having no special bearing upon the central topic. +While I have diverged occasionally from the thread of the narrative, my +purpose has been merely to give where possible more background to the +story, that the account as a whole might be more understandable in its +relation to the general facts of history. + +Special acknowledgment is due Frank A. Root of Topeka, Kansas, joint +author with William E. Connelley of The Overland Stage To California, an +excellent compendium of data on many phases of the subject. In preparing +this work, various Senate Documents have been of great value. Some +interesting material is found in Inman and Cody's Salt Lake Trail. + +The files of the Century Magazine, old newspaper files, Bancroft's +colossal history of the West and the works of Samuel L. Clemens have +also been of value in compiling the present book. + +G.D.B. + + + +Contents + + I - At A Nation's Crisis + II - Inception and Organization of the Pony Express + III - The First Trip and Triumph + IV - Operation, Equipment, and Business + V - California and the Secession Menace + VI - Riders and Famous Rides + VII - Anecdotes of the Trail and Honor Roll +VIII - Early Overland Mail Routes + IX - Passing of the Pony Express + + + +Illustrations + + + +Transportation and communication across the plains + +"A whiz and a hail, and the swift phantom of the desert was gone." + + + +The Story of the Pony Express + + + +Chapter I + + + +At A Nation's Crisis + + + +The Pony Express was the first rapid transit and the first fast mail +line across the continent from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast. +It was a system by means of which messages were carried swiftly on +horseback across the plains and deserts, and over the mountains of the +far West. It brought the Atlantic coast and the Pacific slope ten days +nearer to each other. + +It had a brief existence of only sixteen months and was supplanted by +the transcontinental telegraph. Yet it was of the greatest importance in +binding the East and West together at a time when overland travel was +slow and cumbersome, and when a great national crisis made the rapid +communication of news between these sections an imperative necessity. + +The Pony Express marked the highest development in overland travel prior +to the coming of the Pacific railroad, which it preceded nine years. It, +in fact, proved the feasibility of a transcontinental road and +demonstrated that such a line could be built and operated continuously +the year around - a feat that had always been regarded as impossible. + +The operation of the Pony Express was a supreme achievement of physical +endurance on the part of man and his ever faithful companion, the horse. +The history of this organization should be a lasting monument to the +physical sacrifice of man and beast in an effort to accomplish something +worth while. Its history should be an enduring tribute to American +courage and American organizing genius. + +The fall of Fort Sumter in April, 1861, did not produce the Civil War +crisis. For many months, the gigantic struggle then imminent, had been +painfully discernible to far-seeing men. In 1858, Lincoln had forewarned +the country in his "House Divided" speech. As early as the beginning of +the year 1860 the Union had been plainly in jeopardy. Early in February +of that momentous year, Jefferson Davis, on behalf of the South, had +introduced his famous resolutions in the Senate of the United States. +This document was the ultimatum of the dissatisfied slave-holding +commonwealths. It demanded that Congress should protect slavery +throughout the domain of the United States. The territories, it +declared, were the common property of the states of the Union and hence +open to the citizens of all states with all their personal possessions. +The Northern states, furthermore, were no longer to interfere with the +working of the Fugitive Slave Act. They must repeal their Personal +Liberty laws and respect the Dred Scott Decision of the Federal Supreme +Court. Neither in their own legislatures nor in Congress should they +trespass upon the right of the South to regulate slavery as it best saw +fit. + +These resolutions, demanding in effect that slavery be thus safeguarded +- almost to the extent of introducing it into the free states - really +foreshadowed the Democratic platform of 1860 which led to the great +split in that party, the victory of the Republicans under Lincoln, the +subsequent secession of the more radical southern states, and finally +the Civil War, for it was inevitable that the North, when once aroused, +would bitterly resent such pro-slavery demands. + +And this great crisis was only the bursting into flame of many smaller +fires that had long been smoldering. For generations the two sections +had been drifting apart. Since the middle of the seventeenth century, +Mason and Dixon's line had been a line of real division separating two +inherently distinct portions of the country. + +By 1860, then, war was inevitable. Naturally, the conflict would at once +present intricate military problems, and among them the retention of the +Pacific Coast was of the deepest concern to the Union. Situated at a +distance of nearly two thousand miles from the Missouri river which was +then the nation's western frontier, this intervening space comprised +trackless plains, almost impenetrable ranges of snow-capped mountains, +and parched alkali deserts. And besides these barriers of nature which +lay between the West coast and the settled eastern half of the country, +there were many fierce tribes of savages who were usually on the alert +to oppose the movements of the white race through their dominions. + +California, even then, was the jewel of the Pacific. Having a +considerable population, great natural wealth, and unsurpassed climate +and fertility, she was jealously desired by both the North and the +South. + +To the South, the acquisition of California meant enhanced prestige - +involving, as it would, the occupation of a large area whose soils and +climate might encourage the perpetuation of slavery; it meant a rich +possession which would afford her a strategic base for waging war +against her northern foe; it meant a romantic field in which opportunity +might be given to organize an allied republic of the Pacific, a power +which would, perchance, forcibly absorb the entire Southwest and a large +section of Northern Mexico. By thus creating counter forces the South +would effectively block the Federal Government on the western half of +the continent. + +The North also desired the prestige that would come from holding +California as well as the material strength inherent in the state's +valuable resources. Moreover to hold this region would give the North a +base of operations to check her opponent in any campaign of aggression +in the far West, should the South presume such an attempt. And the +possession of California would also offer to the North the very best +means of protecting the Western frontier, one of the Union's most +vulnerable points of attack. + +It was with such vital conditions that the Pony Express was identified; +it was in retaining California for the Union, and in helping +incidentally to preserve the Union, that the Express became an important +factor in American history. + +Not to mention the romance, the unsurpassed courage, the unflinching +endurance, and the wonderful exploits which the routine operations of +the Pony Express involved, its identity with problems of nation-wide and +world-wide importance make its story seem worth telling. And with its +romantic existence and its place in history the succeeding pages of this +book will briefly deal. + + + +Chapter II + + + +Inception and Organization of the Pony Express + + + +Following the discovery of gold in California in January 1848, that +region sprang into immediate prominence. From all parts of the country +and the remote corners of the earth came the famous Forty-niners. Amid +the chaos of a great mining camp the Anglo-Saxon love of law and order +soon asserted itself. Civil and religious institutions quickly arose, +and, in the summer of 1850, a little more than a year after the big rush +had started, California entered the Union as a free state. + +The boom went on and the census of 1860 revealed a population of 380,000 +in the new commonwealth. And when to these figures were added those of +Oregon and Washington Territory, an aggregate of 444,000 citizens of the +United States were found to be living on the Pacific Slope. Crossing the +Sierras eastward and into the Great Basin, 47,000 more were located in +the Territories of Nevada and Utah, - thus making a grand total of +nearly a half million people beyond the Rocky Mountains in 1860. And +these figures did not include Indians nor Chinese. + +Without reference to any military phase of the problem, this detached +population obviously demanded and deserved adequate mail and +transportation facilities. How to secure the quickest and most +dependable communication with the populous sections of the East had long +been a serious proposition. Private corporations and Congress had not +been wholly insensible to the needs of the West. Subsidized stage routes +had for some years been in operation, and by the close of 1858 several +lines were well-equipped and doing much business over the so-called +Southern and Central routes. Perhaps the most common route for sending +mail from the East to the Pacific Coast was by steamship from New York +to Panama where it was unloaded, hurried across the Isthmus, and again +shipped by water to San Francisco. All these lines of traffic were slow +and tedious, a letter in any case requiring from three to four weeks to +reach its destination. The need of a more rapid system of communication +between the East and West at once became apparent and it was to supply +this need that the Pony Express really came into existence. + +The story goes that in the autumn of 1854, United States Senator William +Gwin of California was making an overland trip on horseback from San +Francisco to Washington, D. C. He was following the Central route via +Salt Lake and South Pass, and during a portion of his journey he had for +a traveling companion, Mr. B. F. Ficklin, then General Superintendent +for the big freighting and stage firm of Russell, Majors, and Waddell of +Leavenworth. Ficklin, it seems, was a resourceful and progressive man, +and had long been engaged in the overland transportation business. He +had already conceived an idea for establishing a much closer transit +service between the Missouri river and the Coast, but, as is the case +with many innovators, had never gained a serious hearing. He had the +traffic agent's natural desire to better the existing service in the +territory which his line served; and he had the ambition of a loyal +employee to put into effect a plan that would bring added honor and +preferment to his firm. In addition to possessing these worthy ideals, +it is perhaps not unfair to state that Ficklin was personally ambitious. + +Nevertheless, Ficklin confided his scheme enthusiastically to Senator +Gwin, at the same time pointing out the benefits that would accrue to +California should it ever be put into execution. The Senator at once saw +the merits of the plan and quickly caught the contagion. Not only was he +enough of a statesman to appreciate the worth of a fast mail line across +the continent, but he was also a good enough politician to realize that +his position with his constituents and the country at large might be +greatly strengthened were he to champion the enactment of a popular +measure that would encourage the building of such a line through the aid +of a Federal subsidy. + +So in January, 1855, Gwin introduced in the Senate a bill which proposed +to establish a weekly letter express service between St. Louis and San +Francisco. The express was to operate on a ten-day schedule, follow the +Central Route, and was to receive a compensation not exceeding $500.00 +for each round trip. This bill was referred to the Committee on Military +Affairs where it was quietly tabled and "killed." + +For the next five years the attention of Congress was largely taken up +with the anti-slavery troubles that led to secession and war. Although +the people of the West, and the Pacific Coast in particular, continued +to agitate the need of a new and quick through mail service, for a long +time little was done. It has been claimed that southern representatives +in Congress during the decade before the war managed to prevent any +legislation favorable to overland mail routes running North of the +slave-holding states; and that they concentrated their strength to +render government aid to the southern routes whenever possible. + +At that time there were three generally recognized lines of mail +traffic, of which the Panama line was by far the most important. Next +came the so-called southern or "Butterfield" route which started from +St. Louis and ran far to the southward, entering California from the +extreme southeast corner of the state; a goodly amount of mail being +sent in this direction. The Central route followed the Platte River into +Wyoming and reached Sacramento via Salt Lake City, almost from a due +easterly direction. On account of its location this route or trail could +be easily controlled by the North in case of war. It had received very +meagre support from the Government, and carried as a rule, only local +mail. While the most direct route to San Francisco, it had been rendered +the least important. This was not due solely to Congressional +manipulation. Because of its northern latitude and the numerous high +mountain ranges it traversed, this course was often blockaded with deep +snows and was generally regarded as extremely difficult of access during +the winter months. + +While a majority of the people of California were loyal to the Union, +there was a vigorous minority intensely in sympathy with the southern +cause and ready to conspire for, or bring about by force of arms if +necessary, the secession of their state. As the Civil War became more +and more imminent, it became obvious to Union men in both East and West +that the existing lines of communication were untrustworthy. Just as +soon as trouble should start, the Confederacy could, and most certainly +would, gain control of the southern mail routes. Once in control, she +could isolate the Pacific coast for many months and thus enable her +sympathizers there the more effectually to perfect their plans of +secession. Or she might take advantage of these lines of travel, and, by +striking swiftly and suddenly, organize and reinforce her followers in +California, intimidate the Unionists, many of whom were apathetic, and +by a single bold stroke snatch the prize away from her antagonist before +the latter should have had time to act. + +To avert this crisis some daring and original plan of communication had +to be organized to keep the East and West in close contact with each +other; and the Pony Express was the fulfillment of such a plan, for it +made a close cooperation between the California loyalists and the +Federal Government possible until after the crisis did pass. Yet, +strange as it may seem, this providential enterprise was not brought +into existence nor even materially aided by the Government. It was +organized and operated by a private corporation after having been +encouraged in its inception by a United States Senator who later turned +traitor to his country. + +It finally happened that in the winter of 1859-60, Mr. William Russell, +senior partner of the firm of Russell, Majors, and Waddell, was called +to Washington in connection with some Government freight contracts. +While there he chanced to become acquainted with Senator Gwin who, +having been aroused, as we have seen, several years before, by one of +the firm's subordinates, at once brought before Mr. Russell the need of +better mail connections over the Central route, and of the especial need +of better communication should war occur. + +Russell at once awoke to the situation. While a loyal citizen and fully +alive to the strategic importance which the matter involved, he also +believed that he saw a good business opening. Could his firm but grasp +the opportunity, and demonstrate the possibility of keeping the Central +route open during the winter months, and could they but lower the +schedule of the Panama line, a Government contract giving them a virtual +monopoly in carrying the transcontinental mail might eventually be +theirs. + +He at once hurried West, and at Fort Leavenworth met his partners, +Messrs. Majors and Waddell, to whom he confidently submitted the new +proposition. Much to Russell's chagrin, these gentlemen were not elated +over the plan. While passively interested, they keenly foresaw the great +cost which a year around overland fast mail service would involve. They +were unable to see any chance of the enterprise paying expenses, to say +nothing of profits. But Russell, with cheerful optimism, contended that +while the project might temporarily be a losing venture, it would pay +out in time. He asserted that the opportunity of making good with a hard +undertaking - one that had been held impossible of realization - would +be a strong asset to the firm's reputation. He also declared that in his +conversation with Gwin he had already committed their company to the +undertaking, and he did not see how they could, with honor and +propriety, evade the responsibility of attempting it. Knowledge of the +last mentioned fact at once enlisted the support or his partners. +Probably no firm has ever surpassed in integrity that of Russell, +Majors, and Waddell, famous throughout the West in the freighting and +mail business before the advent of railroads in that section of the men, +the verbal promise of one of their number was a binding guarantee and as +sacredly respected as a bonded obligation. Finding themselves thus +committed, they at once began preparations with tremendous activity. All +this happened early in the year 1860. + +The first step was to form a corporation, the more adequately to conduct +the enterprise; and to that end the Central Overland California and +Pike's Peak Express Company was organized under a charter granted by the +Territory of Kansas. Besides the three original members of the firm, the +incorporators included General Superintendent B. F. Ficklin, together +with F. A. Bee, W. W. Finney, and John S. Jones, all tried and +trustworthy stage employees who were retained on account of their wide +experience in the overland traffic business. The new concern then took +over the old stage line from Atchison to Salt Lake City and purchased +the mail route and outfit then operating between Salt Lake City and +Sacramento. The latter, which had been running a monthly round trip +stage between these terminals, was known as the West End Division of the +Central Route, and was called the Chorpenning line. + +Besides conducting the Pony Express, the corporation aimed to continue a +large passenger and freighting business, so it next absorbed the +Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express Co., which had been organized a year +previously and had maintained a daily stage between Leavenworth and +Denver, on the Smoky Hill River Route. + +By mutual agreement, Mr. Russell assumed managerial charge of the +Eastern Division of the Pony Express line which lay between St. Joseph +and Salt Lake City. Ficklin was stationed at Salt Lake City, the middle +point, in a similar capacity. Finney was made Western manager with +headquarters at San Francisco. These men now had to revise the route to +be traversed, equip it with relay or relief stations which must be +provisioned for men and horses, hire dependable men as station-keepers +and riders, and buy high grade horses[1] or ponies for the entire +course, nearly two thousand miles in extent. Between St. Joseph and Salt +Lake City, the company had its old stage route which was already well +supplied with stations. West of Salt Lake the old Chorpenning route had +been poorly equipped, which made it necessary to erect new stations over +much of this course of more than seven hundred miles. The entire line of +travel had to be altered in many places, in some instances to shorten +the distance, and in others, to avoid as much as possible, wild places +where Indians might easily ambush the riders. + +The management was fortunate in having the assistance of expert +subordinates. A. B. Miller of Leavenworth, a noteworthy employe of the +original firm, was invaluable in helping to formulate the general plans +of organization. At Salt Lake City, Ficklin secured the services of J. +C. Brumley, resident agent of the company, whose vast knowledge of the +route and the country that it covered enabled him quickly to work out a +schedule, and to ascertain with remarkable accuracy the number of relay +and supply stations, their best location, and also the number of horses +and men needed. At Carson City, Nevada, Bolivar Roberts, local +superintendent of the Western Division, hired upwards of sixty riders, +cool-headed nervy men, hardened by years of life in the open. Horses +were purchased throughout the West. They were the best that money could +buy and ranged from tough California cayuses or mustangs to thoroughbred +stock from Iowa. They were bought at an average figure of $200.00 each, +a high price in those days. The men were the pick of the frontier; no +more expressive description of their qualities can be given. They were +hired at salaries varying from $50.00 to $150.00 per month, the riders +receiving the highest pay of any below executive rank. When fully +equipped, the line comprised 190 stations, about 420 horses, 400 station +men and assistants and eighty riders. These are approximate figures, as +they varied slightly from time to time. + +Perfecting these plans and assembling this array of splendid equipment +had been no easy task, yet so well had the organizers understood their +business, and so persistently, yet quietly, had they worked, that they +accomplished their purpose and made ready within two months after the +project had been launched. The public was scarcely aware of what was +going on until conspicuous advertisements announced the Pony Express. It +was planned to open the line early in April. + + + +[1] While always called the Pony Express, there were many blooded horses +as well as ponies in the service. The distinction between these types of +animals is of course well known to the average reader. Probably "Pony" +Express "sounded better" than any other name for the service, hence the +adoption of this name by the firm and the public at large. This book +will use the words horse and pony indiscriminately. + + + +Chapter III + + + +The First Trip and Triumph + + + +On March 26, 1860, there appeared simultaneously in the St. Louis +Republic and the New York Herald the following notice: + +To San Francisco in 8 days by the Central Overland California and Pike's +Peak Express Company. The first courier of the Pony Express will leave +the Missouri River on Tuesday April 3rd at 5 o'clock P. M. and will run +regularly weekly hereafter, carrying a letter mail only. The point of +departure on the Missouri River will be in telegraphic connection with +the East and will be announced in due time. + +Telegraphic messages from all parts of the United States and Canada in +connection with the point of departure will be received up to 5 o'clock +P. M. of the day of leaving and transmitted over the Placerville and St. +Joseph telegraph wire to San Francisco and intermediate points by the +connecting express, in 8 days. + +The letter mail will be delivered in San Francisco in ten days from the +departure of the Express. The Express passes through Forts Kearney, +Laramie, Bridger, Great Salt Lake City, Camp Floyd, Carson City, The +Washoe Silver Mines, Placerville, and Sacramento. + +Letters for Oregon, Washington Territory, British Columbia, the Pacific +Mexican ports, Russian Possessions, Sandwich Islands, China, Japan and +India will be mailed in San Francisco. + +Special messengers, bearers of letters to connect with the express the +3rd of April, will receive communications for the courier of that day at +No. 481 Tenth St., Washington City, up to 2:45 P. M. on Friday, March +30, and in New York at the office of J. B. Simpson, Room No. 8, +Continental Bank Building, Nassau Street, up to 6:30 A. M. of March 31. + +Full particulars can be obtained on application at the above places and +from the agents of the Company. + +This sudden announcement of the long desired fast mail route aroused +great enthusiasm in the West and especially in St. Joseph, Missouri, +Salt Lake City, and the cities of California, where preparations to +celebrate the opening of the line were at once begun. Slowly the time +passed, until the afternoon of the eventful day, April 3rd, that was to +mark the first step in annihilating distance between the East and West. +A great crowd had assembled on the streets of St. Joseph, Missouri. +Flags were flying and a brass band added to the jubilation. The Hannibal +and St. Joseph Railroad had arranged to run a special train into the +city, bringing the through mail from connecting points in the East. +Everybody was anxious and excited. At last the shrill whistle of a +locomotive was heard, and the train rumbled in - on time. The pouches +were rushed to the post office where the express mail was made ready. + +The people now surge about the old "Pike's Peak Livery Stables," just +South of Pattee Park. All are hushed with subdued expectancy. As the +moment of departure approaches, the doors swing open and a spirited +horse is led out. Nearby, closely inspecting the animal's equipment is a +wiry little man scarcely twenty years old. + +Time to go! Everybody back! A pause of seconds, and a cannon booms in +the distance - the starting signal. The rider leaps to his saddle and +starts. In less than a minute he is at the post office where the letter +pouch, square in shape with four padlocked pockets, is awaiting him. +Dismounting only long enough for this pouch to be thrown over his +saddle, he again springs to his place and is gone. A short sprint and he +has reached the Missouri River wharf. A ferry boat under a full head of +steam is waiting. With scarcely checked speed, the horse thunders onto +the deck of the craft. A rumbling of machinery, the jangle of a bell, +the sharp toot of a whistle and the boat has swung clear and is headed +straight for the opposite shore. The crowd behind breaks into tumultuous +applause. Some scream themselves hoarse; others are strangely silent; +and some - strong men - are moved to tears. + +The noise of the cheering multitude grows faint as the Kansas shore +draws near. The engines are reversed; a swish of water, and the, craft +grates against the dock. Scarcely has the gang plank been lowered than +horse and rider dash over it and are off at a furious gallop. Away on +the jet black steed goes Johnnie Frey, the first rider, with the mail +that must be hurled by flesh and blood over 1,966 miles of desolate +space - across the plains, through North-eastern Kansas and into +Nebraska, up the valley of the Platte, across the Great Plateau, into +the foothills and over the summit of the Rockies, into the arid Great +Basin, over the Wahsatch range, into the valley of Great Salt Lake, +through the terrible alkali deserts of Nevada, through the parched Sink +of the Carson River, over the snowy Sierras, and into the Sacramento +Valley - the mail must go without delay. Neither storms, fatigue, +darkness, rugged mountains, burning deserts, nor savage Indians were to +hinder this pouch of letters. The mail must go; and its schedule, +incredible as it seemed, must be made. It was a sublime undertaking, +than which few have ever put the fibre of Americans to a severer test. + +The managers of the Central Overland, California and Pike's Peak Express +Company had laid their plans well. Horses and riders for fresh relays, +together with station agents and helpers, were ready and waiting at the +appointed places, ten or fifteen miles apart over the entire course. +There was no guess-work or delay. + +After crossing the Missouri River, out of St. Joseph, the official +route[2] of the west-bound Pony Express ran at first west and south +through Kansas to Kennekuk; then northwest, across the Kickapoo Indian +reservation, to Granada, Log Chain, Seneca, Ash Point, Guittards, +Marysville, and Hollenberg. Here the valley of the Little Blue River was +followed, still in a northwest direction. The trail crossed into +Nebraska near Rock Creek and pushed on through Big Sandy and Liberty +Farm, to Thirty-two-mile Creek. From thence it passed over the prairie +divide to the Platte River, the valley of which was followed to Fort +Kearney. This route had already been made famous by the Mormons when +they journeyed to Utah in 1847. It had also been followed by many of the +California gold-seekers in 1848-49 and by Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston +and his army when they marched west from Fort Leavenworth to suppress +the "Mormon War" of 1857-58. + +For about three hundred miles out of Fort Kearney, the trail followed +the prairies; for two thirds of this distance, it clung to the south +bank of the Platte, passing through Plum Creek and Midway[3]. At +Cottonwood Springs the junction of the North and South branches of the +Platte was reached. From here the course moved steadily westward, +through Fremont's Springs, O'Fallon's Bluffs, Alkali, Beauvais Ranch, +and Diamond Springs to Julesburg, on the South fork of the Platte. Here +the stream was forded and the rider then followed the course of Lodge +Pole Creek in a northwesterly direction to Thirty Mile Ridge. Thence he +journeyed to Mud Springs, Court-House Rock, Chimney Rock, and Scott's +Bluffs to Fort Laramie. From this point he passed through the foot-hills +to the base of the Rockies, then over the mountains through South Pass +and to Fort Bridger. Then to Salt Lake City, Camp Floyd, Ruby Valley, +Mountain Wells, across the Humboldt River in Nevada to Bisbys', Carson +City, and to Placerville, California; thence to Folsom and Sacramento. +Here the mail was taken by a fast steamer down the Sacramento River to +San Francisco. + +A large part of this route traversed the wildest regions of the +Continent. Along the entire course there were but four military posts +and they were strung along at intervals of from two hundred and fifty to +three hundred and fifty miles from each other. Over most of the journey +there were only small way stations to break the awful monotony. +Topographically, the trail covered nearly six hundred miles of rolling +prairie, intersected here and there by streams fringed with timber. The +nature of the mountainous regions, the deserts, and alkali plains as +avenues of horseback travel is well understood. Throughout these areas +the men and horses had to endure such risks as rocky chasms, snow +slides, and treacherous streams, as well as storms of sand and snow. The +worst part of the journey lay between Salt Lake City and Sacramento, +where for several hundred miles the route ran through a desert, much of +it a bed of alkali dust where no living creature could long survive. It +was not merely these dangers of dire exposure and privation that +threatened, for wherever the country permitted of human life, Indians +abounded. From the Platte River valley westward, the old route sped over +by the Pony Express is today substantially that of the Union Pacific and +Southern Pacific Railroads. + +In California, the region most benefited by the express, the opening of +the line was likewise awaited with the keenest anticipation. Of course +there had been at the outset a few dissenting opinions, the gist of the +opposing sentiment being that the Indians would make the operation of +the route impossible. One newspaper went so far as to say that it was +"Simply inviting slaughter upon all the foolhardy young men who had been +engaged as riders". But the California spirit would not down. A vast +majority of the people favored the enterprise and clamored for it; and +before the express had been long in operation, all classes were united +in the conviction that they could not do without it. + +At San Francisco and Sacramento, then the two most important towns in +the far West, great preparations were made to celebrate the first +outgoing and incoming mails. On April 3rd, at the same hour the express +started from St. Joseph[4], the eastbound mail was placed on board a +steamer at San Francisco and sent up the river, accompanied by an +enthusiastic delegation of business men. On the arrival of the pouch and +its escort at Sacramento, the capital city, they were greeted with the +blare of bands, the firing of guns, and the clanging of gongs. Flags +were unfurled and floral decorations lined the streets. That night the +first rider for the East, Harry Roff, left the city on a white broncho. +He rode the first twenty miles in fifty-nine minutes, changing mounts +once. He next took a fresh horse at Folsom and pushed on fifty-five +miles farther to Placerville. Here he was relieved by "Boston," who +carried the mail to Friday Station, crossing the Sierras en route. Next +came Sam Hamilton who rode through Geneva, Carson City, Dayton, and +Reed's Station to Fort Churchill, seventy-five miles in all. This point, +one hundred and eighty-five miles out of Sacramento had been reached in +fifteen hours and twenty minutes, in spite of the Sierra Divide where +the snow drifts were thirty feet deep and where the Company had to keep +a drove of pack mules moving in order to keep the passageway clear. From +Fort Churchill into Ruby Valley went H. J. Faust; from Ruby Valley to +Shell Creek the courier was "Josh" Perkins; then came Jim Gentry who +carried the mail to Deep Creek, and he was followed by "Let" Huntington +who pushed on to Simpson's Springs. From Simpson's to Camp Floyd rode +John Fisher, and from the latter place Major Egan carried the mail into +Salt Lake City, arriving April 7, at 11:45 P. M.[5] The obstacles to +fast travel had been numerous because of snow in the mountains, and +stormy spring weather with its attendant discomfort and bad going. Yet +the schedule had been maintained, and the last seventy-five miles into +Salt Lake City had been ridden in five hours and fifteen minutes. + +At that time Placerville and Carson City were the terminals of a local +telegraph line. News had been flashed back from Carson on April 4 that +the rider had passed that point safely. After that came an anxious wait +until April 12 when the arrival of the west-bound express announced that +all was well. + +The first trip of the Pony Express westbound from St. Joseph to +Sacramento was made in nine days and twenty-three hours. East-bound, the +run was covered in eleven days and twelve hours. The average time of +these two performances was barely half that required by the Butterfield +stage over the Southern route. The pony had clipped ten full days from +the schedule of its predecessor, and shown that it could keep its +schedule - which was as follows: + + From St. Joseph to Salt Lake City - 124 hours. + + From Salt Lake City to Carson City - 218 hours, from starting point. + + From Carson City to Sacramento - 232 hours, from starting point. + + From Sacramento to San Francisco - 240 hours, from starting point. + + From the very first trip, expressions of genuine appreciation of the new +service were shown all along the line. The first express which reached +Salt Lake City eastbound on the night of April 7, led the Deseret News, +the leading paper of that town to say that: "Although a telegraph is +very desirable, we feel well-satisfied with this achievement for, the +present." Two days later, the first west-bound express bound from St. +Joseph reached the Mormon capital. Oddly enough this rider carried news +of an act to amend a bill just proposed in the United States Senate, +providing that Utah be organized into Nevada Territory under the name +and leadership of the latter[6]. Many of the Mormons, like numerous +persons in California, had at first believed the Pony Express an +impossibility, but now that it had been demonstrated wholly feasible, +they were delighted with its success, whether it brought them good news +or bad; for it had brought Utah within six days of the Missouri River +and within seven days of Washington City. Prior to this, under the old +stage coach régime, the people of that territory had been accustomed to +receive their news of the world from six weeks to three months old. + +Probably no greater demonstrations were ever held in California cities +than when the first incoming express arrived. Its schedule having been +announced in the daily papers a week ahead, the people were ready with +their welcome. At Sacramento, as when the pony mail had first come up +from San Francisco, practically the whole town turned out. Stores were +closed and business everywhere suspended. State officials and other +citizens of prominence addressed great crowds in commemoration of the +wonderful achievement. Patriotic airs were played and sung and no +attempt was made to check the merry-making of the populace. After a +hurried stop to deliver local mail, the pouch was rushed aboard the fast +sailing steamer Antelope, and the trip down the stream begun. Although +San Francisco was not reached until the dead of night, the arrival of +the express mail was the signal for a hilarious reception. Whistles were +blown, bells jangled, and the California Band turned out. The city fire +department, suddenly aroused by the uproar, rushed into the street, +expecting to find a conflagration, but on recalling the true state of +affairs, the firemen joined in with spirit. The express courier was then +formally escorted by a huge procession from the steamship dock to the +office of the Alta Telegraph, the official Western terminal, and the +momentous trip had ended. + +The first Pony Express from St. Joseph brought a message of +congratulation from President Buchanan to Governor Downey of California, +which was first telegraphed to the Missouri River town. It also brought +one or two official government communications, some New York, Chicago, +and St. Louis newspapers, a few bank drafts, and some business letters +addressed to banks and commercial houses in San Francisco - about +eighty-five pieces of mail in all[7]. And it had brought news from the +East only nine days on the road. + +At the outset, the Express reduced the time for letters from New York to +the Coast from twenty-three days to about ten days. Before the line had +been placed in operation, a telegraph wire, allusion to which has been +made, had been strung two hundred and fifty miles Eastward from San +Francisco through Sacramento to Carson City, Nevada. Important official +business from Washington was therefore wired to St. Joseph, then +forwarded by pony rider to Carson City where it was again telegraphed to +Sacramento or San Francisco as the case required, thus saving twelve or +fifteen hours in transmission on the last lap of the journey. The usual +schedule for getting dispatches from the Missouri River to the Coast was +eight days, and for letters, ten days. + +After the triumphant first trip, when it was fully evident that the Pony +Express[8] was a really established enterprise, the St. Joseph Free +Democrat broke into the following panegyric: + +Take down your map and trace the footprints of our quadrupedantic +animal: From St. Joseph on the Missouri to San Francisco, on the Golden +Horn - two thousand miles - more than half the distance across our +boundless continent; through Kansas, through Nebraska, by Fort Kearney, +along the Platte, by Fort Laramie, past the Buttes, over the Rocky +Mountains, through the narrow passes and along the steep defiles, Utah, +Fort Bridger, Salt Lake City, he witches Brigham with his swift ponyship +- through the valleys, along the grassy slopes, into the snow, into +sand, faster than Thor's Thialfi, away they go, rider and horse - did +you see them? They are in California, leaping over its golden sands, +treading its busy streets. The courser has unrolled to us the great +American panorama, allowed us to glance at the homes of one million +people, and has put a girdle around the earth in forty minutes. Verily +the riding is like the riding of Jehu, the son of Nimshi for he rideth +furiously. Take out your watch. We are eight days from New York, +eighteen from London. The race is to the swift. + +The Pony Express had been tried at the tribunal of popular opinion and +given a hearty endorsement. It had yet to win the approval of shrewd +statesmanship. + + + +[2] Root and Connelley's Overland Stage to California. + +[3] So called because it was about half way between the Missouri River +and Denver. + +[4] Reports as to the precise hour of starting do not all agree. It was +probably late in the afternoon or early in the evening, no later than +6:30. + +[5] Authorities differ somewhat as to the personnel of the first trip; +also as to the number of letters carried. + +[6] On account of the Mormon outbreak and the troubles of 1857-58, there +was at this time much ill-feeling in Congress against Utah. Matters were +finally smoothed out and the bill in question was of course dropped. +Utah was loyal to the Union throughout the Civil War. + +[7] Eastbound the first rider carried about seventy letters. + +[8] The idea of a Pony Express was not a new one in 1859. Marco Polo +relates that Genghis Khan, ruler of Chinese Tartary had such a courier +service about one thousand years ago. This ambitious monarch, it is +said, had relay stations twenty-five miles apart, and his riders +sometimes covered three hundred miles in twenty-four hours. + +About a hundred years back, such a system was in vogue in various +countries of Europe. + +Early in the nineteenth century before the telegraph was invented, a New +York newspaper man named David Hale used a Pony Express system to +collect state news. A little later, in 1830, a rival publisher, Richard +Haughton, political editor of the New York Journal of Commerce borrowed +the same idea. He afterward founded the Boston Atlas, and by making +relays of fast horses and taking advantage of the services offered by a +few short lines of railroad then operating in Massachusetts, he was +enabled to print election returns by nine o'clock on the morning after +election. + +This idea was improved by James W. Webb, Editor of the New York Courier +and Enquirer, a big daily of that time. In 1832, Webb organized an +express rider line between New York and Washington. This undertaking +gave his paper much valuable prestige. + +In 1833, Hale and Hallock of the Journal of Commerce started a rival +line that enabled them to publish Washington news within forty-eight +hours, thus giving their paper a big "scoop" over all competitors. +Papers in Norfolk, Va., two hundred and twenty-nine miles south-east of +Washington actually got the news from the capitol out of the New York +Journal of Commerce received by the ocean route, sooner than news +printed in Washington could be sent to Norfolk by boat directly down the +Potomac River. + +The California Pony Express of historic fame was imitated on a small +scale in 1861 by the Rocky Mountain News of Denver, then, as now, one of +the great newspapers of the West. At that time, this enterprising daily +owned and published a paper called the Miner's Record at Tarryall, a +mining community some distance out of Denver. The News also had a branch +office at Central City, forty-five miles up in the mountains. As soon as +information from the War arrived over the California Pony Express and by +stage out of old Julesburg from the Missouri River - Denver was not on +the Pony Express route - it was hurried to these outlying points by fast +horsemen. Thanks to this enterprise, the miners in the heart of the +Rockies could get their War news only four days late. - Root and +Connelley. + + + +Chapter IV + + + +Operation, Equipment, and Business + + + +On entering the service of the Central Overland California and Pike's +Peak Express Company, employees of the Pony Express were compelled to +take an oath of fidelity which ran as follows: + +"I, - -, do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during +my engagement, and while I am an employe of Russell, Majors & Waddell, I +will, under no circumstances, use profane language; that I will drink no +intoxicating liquors; that I will not quarrel or fight with any other +employe of the firm, and that in every respect I will conduct myself +honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as to win +the confidence of my employers. So help me God."[9] + +It is not to be supposed that all, nor any considerable number of the +Pony Express men were saintly, nor that they all took their pledge too +seriously. Judged by present-day standards, most of these fellows were +rough and unconventional; some of them were bad. Yet one thing is +certain: in loyalty and blind devotion to duty, no group of employees +will ever surpass the men who conducted the Pony Express. During the +sixteen months of its existence, the riders of this wonderful +enterprise, nobly assisted by the faithful station-keepers, travelled +six hundred and fifty thousand miles, contending against the most +desperate odds that a lonely wilderness and savage nature could offer, +with the loss of only a single mail. And that mail happened to be of +relatively small importance. Only one rider was ever killed outright +while on duty. A few were mortally wounded, and occasionally their +horses were disabled. Yet with the one exception, they stuck grimly to +the saddle or trudged manfully ahead without a horse until the next +station was reached. With these men, keeping the schedule came to be a +sort of religion, a performance that must be accomplished - even though +it forced them to play a desperate game the stakes of which were life +and death. Many station men and numbers of riders while off duty were +murdered by Indians. They were martyrs to the cause of patriotism and a +newer and better civilization. Yet they were hirelings, working for good +wages and performing their duties in a simple, matter-of-fact way. Their +heroism was never a self-conscious trait. + +The riders were young men, seldom exceeding one hundred and twenty-five +pounds in weight. Youthfulness, nerve, a wide experience on the frontier +and general adaptability were the chief requisites for the Pony Express +business. Some of the greatest frontiersmen of the latter 'sixties and +the 'seventies were trained in this service, either as pony riders or +station men. The latter had even a more dangerous task, since in their +isolated shacks they were often completely at the mercy of Indians. + +That only one rider was ever taken by the savages was due to the fact +that the pony men rode magnificent horses which invariably outclassed +the Indian ponies in speed and endurance. The lone man captured while on +duty was completely surrounded by a large number of savages on the +Platte River in Nebraska. He was shot dead and though his body was not +found for several days, his pony, bridled and saddled, escaped safely +with the mail which was duly forwarded to its destination. That far more +riders were killed or injured while off duty than when in the saddle was +due solely to the wise precaution of the Company in selecting such +high-grade riding stock. And it took the best of horseflesh to make the +schedule. + +The riders dressed as they saw fit. The average costume consisted of a +buckskin shirt, ordinary trousers tucked into high leather boots, and a +slouch hat or cap. They always went armed. At first a Spencer carbine +was carried strapped to the rider's back, besides a sheath knife at his +side. In the saddle holsters he carried a pair of Colt's revolvers. +After a time the carbines were left off and only side arms taken along. +The carrying of larger guns meant extra weight, and it was made a rule +of the Company that a rider should never fight unless compelled to do +so. He was to depend wholly upon speed for safety. The record of the +service fully justified this policy. + +While the horses were of the highest grade, they were of mixed breed and +were purchased over a wide range of territory. Good results were +obtained from blooded animals from the Missouri Valley, but considerable +preference was shown for the western-bred mustangs. These animals were +about fourteen hands high and averaged less than nine hundred pounds in +weight. A former blacksmith for the Company who was at one time located +at Seneca, Kansas, recalls that one of these native ponies often had to +be thrown and staked down with a rope tied to each foot before it could +be shod. Then, before the smith could pare the hoofs and nail on the +shoes, it was necessary for one man to sit astride the animal's head, +and another on its body, while the beast continued to struggle and +squeal. To shoe one of these animals often required a half day of +strenuous work. + +As might be expected, the horse as well as rider traveled very light. +The combined weight of the saddle, bridle and saddle bags did not exceed +thirteen pounds. The saddle-bag used by the pony rider for carrying mail +was called a mochila; it had openings in the center so it would fit +snugly over the horn and tree of the saddle and yet be removable without +delay. The mochila had four pockets called cantinas in each of its +corners one in front and one behind each of the rider's legs. These +cantinas held the mail. All were kept carefully locked and three were +opened en route only at military posts - Forts Kearney, Laramie, +Bridger, Churchill and at Salt Lake City. The fourth pocket was for the +local or way mail-stations. Each local station-keeper had a key and +could open it when necessary. It held a time-card on which a record of +the arrival and departure at the various stations where it was opened, +was kept. Only one mochila was used on a trip; it was transferred by the +rider from one horse to another until the destination was reached. + +Letters were wrapped in oil silk to protect them from moisture, either +from stormy weather, fording streams, or perspiring animals. While a +mail of twenty pounds might be carried, the average weight did not +exceed fifteen pounds. The postal charges were at first, five dollars +for each half-ounce letter, but this rate was afterward reduced by the +Post Office Department to one dollar for each half ounce. At this figure +it remained as long as the line was in business. In addition to this +rate, a regulation government envelope costing ten cents, had to be +purchased. Patrons generally made use of a specially light tissue paper +for their correspondence. The large newspapers of New York, Boston, +Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco were among the best customers of +the service. Some of the Eastern dailies even kept special +correspondents at St. Joseph to receive and telegraph to the home office +news from the West as soon as it arrived. On account of the enormous +postage rates these newspapers would print special editions of Civil War +news on the thinnest of paper to avoid all possible mailing bulk. + +Mr. Frank A. Root of Topeka, Kansas, who was Assistant Postmaster and +Chief Clerk in the post office at Atchison during the last two months of +the line's existence, in 1861, says that during that period the Express, +which was running semi-weekly, brought about three hundred and fifty +letters each trip from California[10]. Many of these communications were +from government and state officials in California and Oregon, and +addressed to the Federal authorities at Washington, particularly to +Senators and Representatives from these states and to authorities of the +War Department. A few were addressed to Abraham Lincoln, President of +the United States. A large number of these letters were from business +and professional men in Portland, San Francisco, Oakland, and +Sacramento, and mailed to firms in the large cities of the East and +Middle West. Not to mention the rendering of invaluable help to the +Government in retaining California at the beginning of the War, the Pony +Express was of the greatest importance to the commercial interests of +the West. + +The line was frequently used by the British Government in forwarding its +Asiatic correspondence to London. In 1860, a report of the activities of +the English fleet off the coast of China was sent through from San +Francisco eastward over this route. For the transmission of these +dispatches that Government paid one hundred and thirty-five dollars Pony +Express charges. + +Nor did the commercial houses of the Pacific Coast cities appear to mind +a little expense in forwarding their business letters. Mr. Root says +there would often be twenty-five one dollar "Pony" stamps and the same +number of Government stamps - a total in postage of twenty-seven dollars +and fifty cents - on a single envelope. Not much frivolity passed +through these mails. + +Pony Express riders received an average salary of from one hundred +dollars to one hundred and twenty-five dollars a month. A few whose +rides were particularly dangerous or who had braved unusual dangers +received one hundred and fifty dollars. Station men and their assistants +were paid from fifty to one hundred dollars monthly. + +Of the eighty riders usually in the service, half were always riding in +either direction, East and West. The average "run" was seventy-five +miles, the men going and coming over their respective divisions on each +succeeding day. Yet there were many exceptions to this rule, as will be +shown later. At the outset, although facilities for shorter relays had +been provided, it was planned to run each horse twenty-five miles with +an average of three horses to the rider; but it was soon found that a +horse could rarely continue at a maximum speed for so great a distance. +Consequently, it soon became the practice to change mounts every ten or +twelve miles or as nearly that as possible. The exact distance was +governed largely by the nature of the country. While this shortening of +the relay necessitated transferring the mochila many more times on each +trip, it greatly facilitated the schedule; for it was at once seen that +the average horse or pony in the Express service could be crowded to the +limit of its speed over the reduced distance. + +One of the station-keeper's most important duties was to have a fresh +horse saddled and bridled a half hour before the Express was due. Only +two minutes time was allowed for changing mounts. The rider's approach +was watched for with keen anxiety. By daylight he could generally be +seen in a cloud of dust, if in the desert or prairie regions. If in the +mountains, the clear air made it possible for the station men to detect +his approach a long way off, provided there were no obstructions to hide +the view. At night the rider would make his presence known by a few +lusty whoops. Dashing up to the station, no time was wasted. The courier +would already have loosed his mochila, which he tossed ahead for the +keeper to adjust on the fresh horse, before dismounting. A sudden +reining up of his foam-covered steed, and "All's well along the road, +Hank!" to the station boss, and he was again mounted and gone, usually +fifteen seconds after his arrival. Nor was there any longer delay when a +fresh rider took up the "run." + +Situated at intervals of about two hundred miles were division +points[11] in charge of locally important agents or superintendents. +Here were kept extra men, animals, and supplies as a precaution against +the raids of Indians, desperadoes, or any emergency likely to arise. +Division agents had considerable authority; their pay was as good as +that received by the best riders. They were men of a heroic and even in +some instances, desperate character, in spite of their oath of service. +In certain localities much infested with horse thievery and violence it +was necessary to have in charge men of the fight-the-devil-with-fire +type in order to keep the business in operation. Noted among this class +of Division agents, with headquarters at the Platte Crossing near Fort +Kearney, was Jack Slade[12], who, though a good servant of the Company, +turned out to be one of the worst "bad" men in the history of the West. +He had a record of twenty-six "killings" to his credit, but he kept his +Division thoroughly purged of horse thieves and savage marauders, for he +knew how to "get" his man whenever there was trouble. + +The schedule was at first fixed at ten days for eight months of the year +and twelve days during the winter season, but this was soon lowered to +eight and ten days respectively. An average speed of ten miles an hour +including stops had to be maintained on the summer schedule. In the +winter the run was sustained at eight miles an hour; deep snows made the +latter performance the more difficult of the two. + +The best record made by the Pony Express was in getting President +Lincoln's inaugural speech across the continent in March, 1861. This +address, outlining as it did the attitude of the new Chief Executive +toward the pending conflict, was anticipated with the deepest anxiety by +the people on the Pacific Coast. Evidently inspired by the urgency of +the situation, the Company determined to surpass all performances. +Horses were led out, in many cases, two or three miles from the +stations, in order to meet the incoming riders and to secure the supreme +limit of speed and endurance on this momentous trip. The document was +carried through from St. Joseph to Sacramento - 1966 miles - in just +seven days and seventeen hours, an average speed of ten and six-tenths +miles an hour. And this by flesh and blood, pounding the dirt over the +plains, mountains, and deserts! The best individual performance on this +great run was by "Pony Bob" Haslam who galloped the one hundred and +twenty miles from Smith's Creek to Fort Churchill in eight hours and ten +minutes, an average of fourteen and seven-tenths miles per hour. On this +record-breaking trip the message was carried the six hundred and +seventy-five miles between St. Joseph and Denver[13] in sixty-nine +hours; the last ten miles of this leg of the journey being ridden in +thirty-one minutes. Today, but few overland express trains, hauled by +giant locomotives over heavy steel rails on a rock-ballasted roadbed +average more than thirty miles per hour between the Missouri and the +Pacific Coast. + +The news of the election of Lincoln in November 1860, and President +Buchanan's last message a month later were carried through in eight +days. + +Late in the winter and early in the spring of 1861, just prior to the +beginning of the war, many good records were made with urgent Government +dispatches. News of the firing upon Fort Sumter was taken through in +eight days and fourteen hours. From then on, while the Pony Express +service continued, the business men and public officials of California +began giving prize money to the Company, to be awarded those riders who +made the best time carrying war news. On one occasion they raised a +purse of three hundred dollars for the star rider when a pouch +containing a number of Chicago papers full of information from the South +arrived at Sacramento a day ahead of schedule. + +That these splendid achievements could never have been attained without +a wonderful degree of enthusiasm and loyalty on the part of the men, +scarcely needs asserting. The pony riders were highly respected by the +stage and freight employees - in fact by all respectable men throughout +the West. Nor were they honored merely for what they did; they were the +sort of men who command respect. To assist a rider in any way was deemed +a high honor; to do aught to retard him was the limit of wrong-doing, a +woeful offense. On the first trip west-bound, the rider between Folsom +and Sacramento was thrown, receiving a broken leg. Shortly after the +accident, a Wells Fargo stage happened along, and a special agent of +that Company, who chanced to be a passenger, seeing the predicament, +volunteered to finish the run. This he did successfully, reaching +Sacramento only ninety minutes late. Such instances are typical of the +manly cooperation that made the Pony Express the true success that it +was. + +Mark Twain, who made a trip across the continent in 1860 has left this +glowing account[14] of a pony and rider that he saw while traveling +overland in a stage coach: + +We had a consuming desire from the beginning, to see a pony rider; but +somehow or other all that passed us, and all that met us managed to +streak by in the night and so we heard only a whiz and a hail, and the +swift phantom of the desert was gone before we could get our heads out +of the windows. But now we were expecting one along every moment, and +would see him in broad daylight. Presently the driver exclaims: + +"Here he comes!" + +Every neck is stretched further and every eye strained wider away across +the endless dead level of the prairie, a black speck appears against the +sky, and it is plain that it moves. Well I should think so! In a second +it becomes a horse and rider, rising and falling, rising and falling - +sweeping toward us nearer and nearer growing more and more distinct, +more and more sharply defined - nearer and still nearer, and the flutter +of hoofs comes faintly to the ear - another instant a whoop and a hurrah +from our upper deck, a wave of the rider's hands but no reply and man +and horse burst past our excited faces and go winging away like the +belated fragment of a storm! + +So sudden is it all, and so like a flash of unreal fancy, that but for a +flake of white foam left quivering and perishing on a mail sack after +the vision had flashed by and disappeared, we might have doubted whether +we had seen any actual horse and man at all, maybe. + + + +[9] This was the same pledge which the original firm had required of its +men. Both Russell, Majors, and Waddell, and the C. O. C. and P. P. Exp. +Co., which they incorporated, adhered to a rigid observance of the +Sabbath. They insisted on their men doing as little work as possible on +that day, and had them desist from work whenever possible. And they +stuck faithfully to these policies. Probably no concern ever won a +higher and more deserved reputation for integrity in the fulfillment of +its contracts and for business reliability than Russell, Majors, and +Waddell. + +[10] Exact figures are not obtainable for the west bound mail but it was +probably not so heavy. + +At this time - Sept., 1861 - the telegraph had been extended from the +Missouri to Fort Kearney, Nebraska, and letter pouches from the Pony +Express were sent by overland stage from Kearney to Atchison. Messages +of grave concern were wired as soon as this station was reached. + +[11] These were executive divisions and not to be confused with the +riders' divisions. The latter were merely the stations separating each +man's "run." + +[12] Slade was afterward hanged by vigilantes in Virginia City, Montana. +The authentic story of his life surpasses in romance and tragedy most of +the pirate tales of fiction. + +[13] The dispatch was taken from the main line to the Colorado capital +by special service. Denver, it will be remembered, was not on the +regular "Pony route," which ran north of that city. There was then no +telegraph in operation west of the Missouri River in Kansas or Nebraska. + +[14] Roughing It. + + + +Chapter V + + + +California and the Secession Menace + + + +When the Southern states withdrew, a conspiracy was on foot to force +California out of the Union, and organize a new Republic of the Pacific +with the Sierra Madre and the Rocky Mountains for its Eastern boundary. +This proposed commonwealth, when once erected, and when it had +subjugated all Union men in the West who dared oppose it, would +eventually unite with the Confederacy; and in event of the latter's +success - which at the opening of the war to many seemed certain - the +territory of the Confederate States of America would embrace the entire +Southwest, and stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Aside from its +general plans, the exact details of this plot are of course impossible +to secure. But that the conspiracy existed has never been disproved. + +That the rebel sympathizers in California were plotting, as soon as the +War began, to take the Presidio at the entrance to the Golden Gate, +together with the forts on Alcatraz Island, the Custom House, the Mint, +the Post Office, and all United States property, and then having made +the formation of their Republic certain, invade the Mexican State of +Sonora and annex it to the new commonwealth, has never been gainsaid. +That these conspiracies existed and were held in grave seriousness is +revealed by the official correspondence of that time. That they had been +fomenting for many months is apparently revealed by this additional +fact: during Buchanan's administration, John B. Floyd, a southern man +who gave up his position to fight for the Confederacy, was Secretary of +War. When the Rebellion started, it was found[15] that Floyd, while in +office, had removed 135,430 firearms, together with much ammunition and +heavy ordnance, from the big Government arsenal at Springfield, +Massachusetts, and distributed them at various points in the South and +Southwest. Of this number, fifty thousand[16] were sent to California +where twenty-five thousand muskets had already been stored. And all this +was done underhandedly, without the knowledge of Congress. + +California was unfortunate in having as a representative in the United +States Senate at this time, William Gwin, also a man of southern birth +who had cast his fortunes in the Golden State at the outset, when the +gold boom was on. Until secession was imminent, Gwin served his adopted +state well enough. His encouragement of the Pony Express enterprise has +already been pointed out. It is doubtful if he were statesman enough to +have foreseen the significant part this organization was to play in the +early stages of the War. Otherwise his efforts in its behalf must have +been lacking - though the careers of political adventurers like Gwin are +full of strange inconsistencies[17]. + +Speaking in the Senate, on December 12, 1859, Gwin declared, that he +believed that "all slave holding states of this confederacy can +establish a separate and independent government that will be impregnable +to the assaults of all foreign enemies." He further went on to show that +they had the power to do it, and asserted that if the southern states +went out of the Union, "California would be with the South." Then, as a +convincing proof of his duplicity, he had these pro-rebel statements +stricken from the official report of his speech, that his constituents +might not take fright, and perhaps spoil some of the designs which he +and his scheming colleagues had upon California. Of course these remarks +reached the ears of his constituents anyhow, and though prefaced by a +studied evasiveness on his part, they contributed much to the feeling of +unrest and insecurity that then prevailed along the Coast. + +It is of course a well-known fact that California never did secede, and +that soon after the war began, she swung definitely and conclusively +into the Union column. The danger of secession was wholly potential. Yet +potential dangers are none the less real. Had it not been for the +determined energies of a few loyalists in California, led by General E. +A. Sumner and cooperating with the Federal Government by means of the +swiftest communication then possible - the Pony Express - history today, +might read differently. + +Now to turn once more to the potential dangers[18] that made the +California crisis a reality. About three-eighths of the population were +of southern descent and solidly united in sympathy for the Confederate +states. This vigorous minority included upwards of sixteen thousand +Knights of the Golden Circle, a pro-Confederate secret organization that +was active and dangerous in all the doubtful states in winning over to +the southern cause those who feebly protested loyalty to the Union but +who opposed war. Many of these "knights" were prosperous and substantial +citizens who, working under the guise of their local respectability, +exerted a profound influence. Here then, at the outset, was a vigorous +and not a small minority, whose influence was greatly out of proportion +to their numbers because of their zeal; and who would have seized the +balance of power unless held in check by an aroused Union sentiment and +military intimidation. + +Another class of men to be feared was a small but powerful group +representing much wealth, a financial class which proverbially shuns war +because of the expense which war involves; a class that always insists +upon peace, even at the cost of compromised honor. These men, with the +influence which their money commanded, would inevitably espouse the side +that seemed the most likely of speedy success; and in view of the early +successes of the Confederate armies and the zealous proselytizing of +rebel sympathizers in their midst they were a potential risk to loyal +California. + +The native Spanish or Mexican classes then numerically strong in that +state, were appealed to by the anti-Unionists from various cunning +approaches, chief of which was the theory that the many real estate +troubles and complicated land titles by which they had been annoyed +since the separation from Old Mexico in 1847, would be promptly adjusted +under Confederate authority. While nearly all these natives were +ignorant, many held considerable property and they in turn influenced +their poorer brethren. Chimerical as this argument may sound, it had +much weight. + +Another group of persons also large potentially and a serious menace +when proselyted by the apostles of rebellion, were the squatters and +trespassers who were occupying land to which they had no lawful right. +Many of these men were reckless; some had already been entangled in the +courts because of their false land claims. Hence their attitude toward +the existing Government was ugly and defiant. Yet they were now assured +that they might remain on their lands forever undisturbed, under a rebel +régime. + +Added to all these sources of danger was the attitude of the thousands +of well-meaning people - who, regardless of rebel solicitation, were at +first indifferent. They thought that the great distance which separated +them from the seat of war made it a matter of but little importance +whether California aroused herself or not. They were of course +counseling neutrality as the easiest way of avoiding trouble. + +Turning now to the forces, moral, military, and political, that were +working to save California - first there was a loyal newspaper press, +which saw and followed its duty with unflinching devotion. It firmly +held before the people the loyal responsibility of the state and +declared that the ties of union were too sacred to be broken. It was the +moral duty of the people to remain loyal. It truthfully asserted that +California's influence in the Federal Union should be an example for +other states to follow. If the idea of a Pacific Republic were +repudiated by their own citizens, such action would discourage secession +elsewhere and be a great moral handicap to that movement. And the press +further pointed out with convincing clearness, that should the Union be +dissolved, the project for a Pacific Railroad[19] with which the future +of the Commonwealth was inevitably committed, would likely fail. + +Aroused by the moral importance of its position, the state legislature, +early in the winter of 1860-1861, had passed a resolution of fidelity to +the Union, in which it declared "That California is ready to maintain +the rights and honor of the National Government at home and abroad, and +at all times to respond to any requisitions that may be made upon her to +defend the Republic against foreign or domestic foes." Succeeding events +proved the genuineness of this resolve. + +In the early spring of 1861, the War Department sent General Edwin A. +Sumner to take command of the Military Department of the Pacific with +headquarters at San Francisco, supplanting General Albert Sidney +Johnston who resigned to fight for the South. This was a most fortunate +appointment, as Sumner proved a resourceful and capable official, +ideally suited to meet the crisis before him. Nor does this reflect in +any way upon the superb soldierly qualities of his predecessor. Johnston +was no doubt too manly an officer to take part in the romantic +conspiracies about him. He was every inch a brave soldier who did his +fighting in the open. Like Robert E. Lee, he joined the Confederacy in +conscientious good faith, and he met death bravely at Shiloh in April, +1862. + +Sumner was a man of action and he faced the situation squarely. To him, +California and the nation will always be indebted. One of his first +decisive acts was to check the secession movement in Southern California +by placing a strong detachment of soldiers at Los Angeles. This force +proved enough to stop any incipient uprisings in that part of the state. +Some of the disturbing element in this district then moved over into +Nevada where cooperation was made with the pro-Confederate men there. +The Nevada rebel faction had made considerable headway by assuring +unsuspecting persons that it was acting on the authority of the +Confederate Government. On June 5, 1861, the rebel flag was unfurled at +Virginia City. Again Sumner acted. He immediately sent a Federal force +to garrison Fort Churchill, and a body of men under Major Blake and +Captain Moore seized all arms found in the possession of suspected +persons. A rebel militia company with four hundred men enrolled and one +hundred under arms was found and dispersed by the Federals. This +decisive action completely stopped any uprisings across the state line, +uprisings which might easily have spread into California. + +In the meantime, under General Sumner's direction, soldiers had been +enlisted and were being rapidly drilled for any emergency. The War +Department, on being advised of this available force, at once sent the +following dispatch, which, with those that follow are typical of the +correspondence which the Pony Express couriers were now rushing across +the Continent toward and from Washington. + +Telegraph and Pony Express. +Adjutant-General's Office. + +Washington, July 24, 1861. +Brigadier General Sumner, +Commanding Department of the Pacific. + +One regiment of infantry and five companies of cavalry have been +accepted from California to aid in protecting the overland mail route +via Salt Lake. + +Please detail officers to muster these troops into service. Blanks will +be sent by steamer. + +By order: George D. Ruggles. +Assistant Adjutant General. + +While recognizing the great need of extending proper military protection +to the mail route, it must have been disheartening to Sumner and the +loyalists to see this force ordered into service outside the state. For +now, late in the summer of 1861, the time of national crisis - the +Californian trouble was approaching its climax. On July 20, the Union +army had been beaten at Bull Run and driven back, a rabble of fugitives, +into the panic stricken capital. Then came weeks and months of delay and +uncertainty while the overcautious McClellan sought to build up a new +military machine. The entire North was overspread with gloom; the +Confederates were jubilant and full of self-confidence. In California +the psychological situation was similar but even more acute, for +encouraged by Confederate success, the rebel faction became bolder than +ever, and openly planned to win the state election to be held on +September 4. If successful at the polls, the reins of organized +political power would pass into its hands and a secession convention +would be a direct possibility. And to intensify the danger was the +confirmed indifference or stubbornness of many citizens who seemed to +place petty personal differences before the interests of the state and +nation at large. + +As is well known, Lincoln and the Federal Government accepted the defeat +at Bull Run calmly, and set about with grim determination to whip the +South at any cost. The President asked Congress for four hundred +thousand men and was voted five hundred thousand. In pursuance of such +policies, these urgent dispatches were hurried across the country: + +War Department. +Washington, August 14, 1861. +Hon. John G. Downey, + +Governor of California, Sacramento City, Cal. + +Please organize, equip, and have mustered into service, at the earliest +date possible, four regiments of infantry and one regiment of cavalry, +to be placed at the disposal of General Sumner. + +Simon Cameron, +Secretary of War. + +By telegraph to Fort Kearney and thence by Pony Express and telegraph. + +War Department, August 15, 1861. +Hon. John G. Downey, + +Governor of California, Sacramento City, Cal. + +In filling the requisition given you August 14th, for five regiments, +please make General J. H. Carleton of San Francisco, colonel of a +cavalry regiment, and give him proper authority to organize as promptly +as possible. + +Simon Cameron, +Secretary of War. + +Telegraph and Pony Express and telegraph. + +The work of enlisting the five thousand men thus requisitioned was +carried forward with great rapidity. Within two weeks, on the 28th, the +Pony Express brought word that the War Department was about to order +this force overland into Texas, to act, no doubt, as a barrier to the +advancing Confederate armies who were then planning an invasion of New +Mexico as the first decisive step in carrying the conflict into the +heart of the Southwest. It was understood, further, that General Sumner +would be ordered to vacate his position as Commander of the Department +of the Pacific and lead his recruits into the service. + +To the authorities at Washington, a campaign of aggression with western +troops had no doubt seemed the best means of defending California and +adjacent territory from Confederate attack. To the Unionists of +California, the report that their troops and Sumner were to leave the +state spelt extreme discouragement. They had felt some degree of hope +and security so long as organized forces were in their midst, and the +presence of Sumner everywhere inspired confidence among discouraged +patriots. To be deprived of their soldiers was bad enough; to lose +Sumner was intolerable. Accordingly, a formal petition protesting +against this action, was drawn up, addressed to the War Department, and +signed by important firms and prominent business men of San +Francisco[20]. + +In this petition they said among other things, that the War Department +probably was not aware of the real state of affairs in California, and +they openly requested that the order, be rescinded. They declared that a +majority of the California State officers were out-and-out secessionists +and that the others were at least hostile to the administration and +would accept a peace policy at any sacrifice. They were suspicious of +the Governor's loyalty and declared that, "Every appointment made by our +Governor within the last three months, unmistakably indicates his entire +sympathy and cooperation with those plotting to sever California from +her allegiance to the Union, and that, too, at the hazard of Civil +War."[21] + +Continuing at detailed length, the petitioners spoke of the great effort +being put forth by the secession element to win the forthcoming +election. Whereas their opponents were united, the Union party was +divided into a Douglas and a Republican faction. Should the +anti-Unionists triumph, they declared there were reasons to expect not +merely the loss of California to the Union ranks but internecine strife +and fratricidal murders such as were then ravaging the Missouri and +Kansas border. + +The petition then pointed out the truly great importance of California +to the Union, and asserted that no precaution leading to the +preservation of her loyalty should be overlooked. It was a thousand +times easier to retain a state in allegiance than to overcome disloyalty +disguised as state authority. The best way to check treasonable +activities was to convince traitors of their helplessness. The +petitioners further declared that to deprive California of needed United +States military support just then, would be a direct encouragement to +traitors. An ounce of precaution was worth a pound of cure. + +The loyalists triumphed in the state election on September 4, 1861, and +on that date the California crisis was safely passed. The contest, to be +sure, had revealed about twenty thousand anti-Union voters in the state, +but the success of the Union faction restored their feeling of +self-confidence. The pendulum had at last swung safely in the right +direction, and henceforth California could be and was reckoned as a +loyal asset to the Union. Such expressions of disloyalty as her +secessionists continued to disclose, were of a sporadic and flimsy +nature, never materializing into a formidable sentiment; and, adding to +their discouragement, the failure of the Confederate invasion of New +Mexico in 1862, was no doubt an important factor in suppressing any +further open desires for secession. + +Sumner was not called East until the October following the election. His +removal of course caused keen regret along the coast; but Colonel George +Wright, his successor in charge of the Department of the Pacific, proved +a masterful man and in every way equal to the situation. In the long +run, Colonel Wright probably was as satisfactory to the loyal people of +California as General Sumner had been. The five thousand troops were not +detailed for duty in the South. Like the first detachment of fifteen +hundred, their efforts were directed mainly to protecting the overland +mails and guarding the frontier[22]. + +Throughout this crisis, news was received twice a week by the Pony +Express, and, be it remembered, in less than half the time required by +the old stage coach. Of its services then, no better words can be used +than those of Hubert Howe Bancroft. + +It was the pony to which every one looked for deliverance; men prayed +for the safety of the little beast, and trembled lest the service should +be discontinued. Telegraphic dispatches from Washington and New York +were sent to St. Louis and thence to Fort Kearney, whence the pony +brought them to Sacramento where they were telegraphed to San Francisco. + +Great was the relief of the people when Hole's bill for a daily mail +service was passed and the service changed from the Southern to the +Central route, as it was early in the summer. * * * Yet after all, it +was to the flying pony that all eyes and hearts were turned. + +The Pony Express was a real factor in the preservation of California to +the Union. + + + +[15] Bancroft. + +[16] lbid. + +[17] After the War had started, Gwin deserted California and the Union +and joined the Confederacy. When this power was broken up, he fled to +Mexico and entered the service of Maximilian, then puppet emperor of +that unfortunate country. Maximilian bestowed an abundance of hollow +honors upon the renegade senator, and made him Duke of the Province of +Sonora, which region Gwin and his clique had doubtless coveted as an +integral part of their projected "Republic of the Pacific." Because of +this empty title, the nickname, "Duke," was ever afterward given him. +When Maximilian's soap bubble monarchy had disappeared, Gwin finally +returned to California where he passed his old age in retirement. + +[18] Senate documents. + +[19] All parties in California were unanimous in their desire for a +transcontinental railroad. No political faction there could receive any +support unless it strongly endorsed this project. + +[20] The signers of this petition were: Robert C. Rogers, Macondray & +Co., Jno. Sime & Co., J. B. Thomas, W. W. Stow, Horace P. James, Geo. F. +Bragg & Co., Flint, Peabody & Co., Wm. B. Johnston, D. 0. Mills, H. M. +Newhall & Co., Henry Schmildell, Murphy Grant & Co., Wm. T. Coleman & +Co., DeWitt Kittle & Co., Richard M. Jessup, Graves Williams & Buckley, +Donohoe, Ralston & Co., H. M. Nuzlee, Geo. C. Shreve & Co., Peter +Danahue, Kellogg, Hewston & Co., Moses Ellis & Co., R. D. W. Davis & +Co., L. B. Beuchley & Co., Wm. A. Dana, Jones, Dixon & Co., J. Y. +Halleck & Co., Forbes & Babcock, A. T. Lawton, Geo. J. Brooks & Co., +Jno. B. Newton & Co., Chas. W. Brooks & Co., James Patrick & Co., Locke +& Montague, Janson, Bond & Co., Jennings & Brewster, Treadwell & Co., +William Alvord & Co., Shattuck & Hendley, Randall & Jones, J. B. Weir & +Co., B. C. Hand & Co., 0. H. Giffin & Bro., Dodge & Shaw, Tubbs & Co., +J. Whitney, Jr., C. Adolph Low & Co., Haynes & Lawton, J. D. Farnell, +C. E. Hitchcock, Geo. Howes & Co., Sam Merritt, Jacob Underhill & Co., +Morgan Stone & Co., J. W. Brittan, T. H. & J. S. Bacon, R. B. Swain & +Co., Fargo & Co., Nathaniel Page, Stevens Baker & Co., A. E. Brewster & +Co., Fay, Brooks & Backus, Wm. Norris, and E. H. Parker. + +(Above data taken from Government Secret Correspondence. Ordered printed +by the second session of the 50th Congress in 1889, Senate Document No. +70.) + +[21] In the writer's judgment, these charges against Governor Downey +were prejudicial and unjust. + +[22] During the War of the Rebellion, California raised 16,231 troops, +more than the whole United States army had been at the commencement of +hostilities. Practically all these soldiers were assigned to routine and +patrol duty in the far West, such as keeping down Indian revolts, and +garrisoning forts, as a defense against any uprising of Indians, or +protection against Confederate invasion. The exceptions were the +California Hundred, and the California Four Hundred, volunteer +detachments who went East of their own accord and won undying honors in +the thick of the struggle. + + + + +Chapter VI + + + +Riders and Famous Rides + + + +Bart Riles, the pony rider, died this morning from wounds received at +Cold Springs, May 16. + +The men at Dry Creek Station have all been killed and it is thought +those at Robert's Creek have met with the same fate. + +Six Pike's Peakers found the body of the station keeper horribly +mutilated, the station burned, and all the stock missing from Simpson's. + +Eight horses were stolen from Smith's Creek on last Monday, supposedly +by road agents. + +The above are random extracts from frontier newspapers, printed while +the Pony Express was running. The Express could never have existed on +its high plane of efficiency, without an abundance of coolheaded, +hardened men; men who knew not fear and who were expert - though +sometimes in vain - in all the wonderful arts of self-preservation +practiced on the old frontier. That these employees could have performed +even the simplest of their duties, without stirring and almost +incredible adventures, it is needless to assert. + +The faithful relation of even a considerable number of the thrilling +experiences to which the "Pony" men were subjected would discount +fiction. Yet few of these adventures have been recorded. Today, after a +lapse of over fifty years, nearly all of the heroes who achieved them +have gone out on that last long journey from which no man returns. While +history can pay the tribute of preserving some anecdotes of them and +their collective achievements, it must be forever silent as to many of +their personal acts of heroism. + +While lasting praise is due the faithful station men who, in their +isolation, so often bore the murderous attacks of Indians and bandits, +it is, perhaps, to the riders that the seeker of romance is most likely +to turn. It was the riders' skill and fortitude that made the operation +of the line possible. Both riders and hostlers shared the same +privations, often being reduced to the necessity of eating wolf meat and +drinking foul or brackish water. + +While each rider was supposed to average seventy-five miles a trip, +riding from three to seven horses, accidents were likely to occur, and +it was not uncommon for a man to lose his way. Such delays meant serious +trouble in keeping the schedule, keyed up, as it was, to the highest +possible speed. It was confronting such emergencies, and in performing +the duties of comrades who had been killed or disabled while awaiting +their turns to ride, that the most exciting episodes took place. + +Among the more famous riders[23] was Jim Moore who later became a +ranchman in the South Platte Valley, Nebraska. Moore made his greatest +ride on June 8, 1860. He happened to be at Midway Station, half way +between the Missouri River and Denver, when the west-bound messenger +arrived with important Government dispatches to California. Moore "took +up the run," riding continuously one hundred and forty miles to old +Julesburg, the end of his division. Here he met the eastbound messenger, +also with important missives, from the Coast to Washington. By all the +rules of the game Moore should have rested a few hours at this point, +but his successor, who would have picked up the pouch and started +eastward, had been killed the day before. The mail must go, and the +schedule must be sustained. Without asking any favors of the man who had +just arrived from the West, Moore resumed the saddle, after a delay of +only ten minutes, without even stopping to eat, and was soon pounding +eastward on his return trip. He made it, too, in spite of lurking +Indians, hunger and fatigue, covering the round trip of two hundred and +eighty miles in fourteen hours and forty-six minutes an average speed of +over eighteen miles an hour. Furthermore, his west-bound mail had gone +through from St. Joseph to Sacramento on a record-making run of eight +days and nine hours. + +William James, always called "Bill" James, was a native of Virginia. He +had crossed the plains with his parents in a wagon train when only five +years old. At eighteen, he was one of the best Pony Express riders in +the service. James's route lay between Simpson's Park and Cole Springs, +Nevada, in the Smoky Valley range of mountains. He rode only sixty miles +each way but covered his round trip of one hundred and twenty miles in +twelve hours, including all stops. He always rode California mustangs, +using five of these animals each way. His route crossed the summits of +two mountain ridges, lay through the Shoshone Indian country, and was +one of the loneliest and most dangerous divisions on the line. Yet +"Bill" never took time to think about danger, nor did he ever have any +serious trouble. + +Theodore Rand rode the Pony Express during the entire period of its +organization. His run was from Box Elder to Julesburg, one hundred and +ten miles and he made the entire distance both ways by night. His +schedule, night run though it was, required a gait of ten miles an hour, +but Rand often made it at an average of twelve, thus saving time on the +through schedule for some unfortunate rider who might have trouble and +delay. Originally, Rand used only four or five horses each way, but this +number, in keeping with the revised policy of the Company, was afterward +doubled, an extra mount being furnished him every twelve or fifteen +miles. + +Johnnie Frey who has already been mentioned as the first rider out of +St. Joseph, was little more than a boy when he entered the pony service. +He was a native Missourian, weighing less than one hundred and +twenty-five pounds. Though small in stature, he was every inch a man. +Frey's division ran from St. Joseph to Seneca, Kansas, eighty miles, +which he covered at an average of twelve and one half miles an hour, +including all stops. When the war started, Frey enlisted in the Union +army under General Blunt. His short but worthy career was cut short in +1863 when he fell in a hand-to-hand fight with rebel bushwhackers in +Arkansas. In this, his last fight, Frey is said to have killed five of +his assailants before being struck down. + +Jim Beatley, whose real name was Foote, was another Virginian, about +twenty-five years of age. He rode on an eastern division, usually west +out of Seneca. On one occasion, he traveled from Seneca to Big Sandy, +fifty miles and back, doubling his route twice in one week. Beatley was +killed by a stage hand in a personal quarrel, the affair taking place on +a ranch in Southern Nebraska in 1862. + +William Boulton was one of the older riders in the service; his age at +that time is given at about thirty-five. Boulton rode for about three +months with Beatley[24]. On one occasion, while running between Seneca +and Guittards', Boulton's horse gave out when five miles from the latter +station. Without a moment's delay, he removed his letter pouch and +hurried the mail in on foot, where a fresh horse was at once provided +and the schedule resumed. + +Melville Baughn, usually known as "Mel," had a pony run between Fort +Kearney and Thirty-two-mile Creek. Once while "laying off" between +trips, a thief made off with his favorite horse. Scarcely had the +miscreant gotten away when Baughn discovered the loss. Hastily saddling +another steed, "Mel" gave pursuit, and though handicapped, because the +outlaw had the pick of the stable, Baughn's superior horsemanship, even +on an inferior mount, soon told. After a chase of several miles, he +forced the fellow so hard that he abandoned the stolen animal at a place +called Loup Fork, and sneaked away. Recovering the horse, Baughn then +returned to his station, found a mail awaiting him, and was off on his +run without further delay. With him and his fellow employes, running +down a horse thief was but a trifling incident and an annoyance merely +because of the bother and delay which it necessitated. Baughn was +afterward hanged for murder at Seneca, but his services to the Pony +Express were above reproach. + +Another Eastern Division man was Jack Keetly, who also rode from St. +Joseph to Seneca, alternating at times with Frey and Baughn. Keetley's +greatest performance, and one of the most remarkable ever achieved in +the service, was riding from Rock Creek to St. Joseph; then back to his +starting point and on to Seneca, and from Seneca once more to Rock Creek +- three hundred and forty miles without rest. He traveled continuously +for thirty-one hours, his entire run being at the rate of eleven miles +an hour. During the last five miles of his journey, he fell asleep in +the saddle and in this manner concluded his long trip. + +Don C. Rising, who afterwards settled in Northern Kansas, was born in +Painted Post, Steuben County, New York, in 1844, and came West when +thirteen years of age. He rode in the pony service nearly a year, from +November, 1860, until the line was abandoned the following October, most +of his service being rendered before he was seventeen. Much of his time +was spent running eastward out of Fort Kearney until the telegraph had +reached that point and made the operation of the Express between the +fort and St. Joseph no longer necessary. On two occasions, Rising is +said to have maintained a continuous speed of twenty miles an hour while +carrying important dispatches between Big Sandy and Rock Creek. + +One rider who was well known as "Little Yank" was a boy scarcely out of +his teens and weighing barely one hundred pounds. He rode along the +Platte River between Cottonwood Springs and old Julesburg and frequently +made one hundred miles on a single trip. + +Another man named Hogan, of whom little is known, rode northwesterly out +of Julesburg across the Platte and to Mud Springs, eighty miles. + +Jimmy Clark rode between various stations east of Fort Kearney, usually +between Big Sandy and Hollenburg. Sometimes his run took him as far West +as Liberty Farm on the Little Blue River. + +James W. Brink, or "Dock" Brink as he was known to his associates, was +one of the early riders, entering the employ of the Pony Express Company +in April, 1860. While "Dock" made a good record as a courier, his chief +fame was gained in a fight at Rock Creek station, in which Brink and +Wild Bill[25] "cleaned out" the McCandless gang of outlaws, killing five +of their number. + +Charles Cliff had an eighty-mile pony run when only seventeen years of +age, but, like Brink, young Cliff gained his greatest reputation as a +fighter, - in his case fighting Indians. It seems that while Cliff was +once freighting with a small train of nine wagons, it was attacked by a +party of one hundred Sioux Indians and besieged for three days until a +larger train approached and drove the redskins away. During the +conflict, Cliff received three bullets in his body and twenty-seven in +his clothing, but he soon recovered from his injuries, and was afterward +none the less valuable to the Pony Express service. + +J. G. Kelley, later a citizen of Denver, was a veteran pony man. He +entered the employ of the company at the outset, and helped +Superintendent Roberts to lay out the route across Nevada. Along the +Carson River, tiresome stretches of corduroy road had to be built. +Kelley relates that in constructing this highway willow trees were cut +near the stream and the trunks cut into the desired lengths before being +laid in place. The men often had to carry these timbers in their arms +for three hundred yards, while the mosquitoes swarmed so thickly upon +their faces and hands as to make their real color and identity hard to +determine. + +At the Sink of the Carson[26], a great depression of the river on its +course through the desert, Kelley assisted in building a fort for +protecting the line against Indians. Here there were no rocks nor +timber, and so the structure had to be built of adobe mud. To get this +mud to a proper consistency, the men tramped it all day with their bare +feet. The soil was soaked with alkali, and as a result, according to +Kelley's story, their feet were swollen so as to resemble "hams." + +They next erected a fort at Sand Springs, twenty miles from Carson Lake, +and another at Cold Springs, thirty-two miles east of Sand Springs. At +Cold Springs, Kelley was appointed assistant station-keeper under Jim +McNaughton. An outbreak of the Pah-Ute Indians was now in progress, and +as the little station was in the midst of the disturbed area, there was +plenty of excitement. + +One night while Kelley was on guard his attention was attracted by the +uneasiness of the horses. Gazing carefully through the dim light, he saw +an Indian peering over the outer wall or stockade. The orders of the +post were to shoot every Indian that came within range, so Kelley blazed +away, but missed his man. In the morning, many tracks were found about +the place. This wild shot had probably frightened the prowlers away, +saving the station from attack, and certain destruction. + +During this same morning, a Mexican pony rider came in, mortally +wounded, having been shot by the savages from ambush while passing +through a dense thicket in the vicinity known as Quaking Asp Bottom. +Although given tender care, the poor fellow died within a few hours +after his arrival. The mail was waiting and it must go. Kelley, who was +the lightest man in in the place - he weighed but one hundred pounds - +was now ordered by the boss to take the dead man's place, and go on with +the dispatches. This he did, finishing the run without further incident. +On his return trip he had to pass once more through the aspen thicket +where his predecessor had received his death wound. This was one of the +most dangerous points on the entire trail, for the road zigzagged +through a jungle, following a passage-way that was only large enough to +admit a horse and rider; for two miles a man could not see more than +thirty or forty feet ahead. Kelley was expecting trouble, and went +through like a whirlwind, at the same time holding a repeating rifle in +readiness should trouble occur. On having cleared the thicket, he drew +rein on the top of a hill, and, looking back over his course, saw the +bushes moving in a suspicious manner. Knowing there was no live stock in +that locality and that wild game rarely abounded there, he sent several +shots in the direction of the moving underbrush. The motion soon ceased, +and he galloped onward, unharmed. + +A few days later, two United States soldiers, while traveling to join +their command, were ambushed and murdered in the same thicket. + +This was about the time when Major Ormsby's command was massacred by the +Utes in the disaster at Pyramid Lake[27], and the Indians everywhere in +Nevada were unusually aggressive and dangerous. There were seldom more +than three or four men in the little station and it is remarkable that +Kelley and his companions were not all killed. + +One of Kelley's worst rides, in addition to the episode just related, +was the stretch between Cold Springs and Sand Springs for thirty-seven +miles without a drop of water along the way. + +Once, while dashing past a wagon train of immigrants, a whole fusillade +of bullets was fired at Kelley who narrowly escaped with his life. Of +course he could not stop the mail to see why he had been shot at, but on +his return trip he met the same crowd, and in unprintable language told +them what he thought of their lawless and irresponsible conduct. The +only satisfaction he could get from them in reply was the repeated +assertion, "We thought you was an Indian!"[28] Nor was Kelley the only +pony rider who took narrow chances from the guns of excited immigrants. +Traveling rapidly and unencumbered, the rider, sunburned and blackened +by exposure, must have borne on first glance no little resemblance to an +Indian; and especially would the mistake be natural to excited wagon-men +who were always in fear of dashing attacks from mounted Indians - +attacks in which a single rider would often be deployed to ride past the +white men at utmost speed in order to draw their fire. Then when their +guns were empty a hidden band of savages would make a furious onslaught. +It was the established rule of the West in those days, in case of +suspected danger, to shoot first, and make explanations afterward; to do +to the other fellow as he would do to you, and do it first! + +Added to the perils of the wilderness deserts, blizzards, and wild +Indians - the pony riders, then, had at times to beware of their white +friends under such circumstances as have been narrated. And that added +to the tragical romance of their daily lives. Yet they courted danger +and were seldom disappointed, for danger was always near them. + + + +[23] Root and Connelley. + +[24] Pony riders often alternated "runs" with each other over their +respective divisions in the same manner as do railroad train crews at +the present time. + +[25] "Wild Bill" Hickock was one of the most noted gun fighters that the +West ever produced. As marshal of Abilene, Kansas, and other wild +frontier towns he became a terror to bad men and compelled them to +respect law and order when under his jurisdiction. Probably no man has +ever equaled him in the use of the six shooter. Numerous magazine +articles describing his career can be found. + +[26] Inman & Cody, Salt Lake Trail. + +[27] Bancroft. + +[28] Indians would sometimes gaze in open-mouthed wonder at the +on-rushing ponies. To some of them, the "pony outfit" was "bad medicine" +and not to be molested. There was a certain air of mystery about the +wonderful system and untiring energy with which the riders followed +their course. Unfortunately, a majority of the red men were not always +content to watch the Express in simple wonder. They were too frequently +bent upon committing deviltry to refrain from doing harm whenever they +had a chance. + + + +Chapter VII + + + +Anecdotes of the Trail and Honor Roll + + + +No detailed account of the Pony Express would be complete without +mentioning the adventures of Robert Haslam, in those days called "Pony +Bob," and William F. Cody, who is known to fame and posterity as +"Buffalo Bill." + +Haslam's banner performance came about in a matter-of-fact way, as is +generally the case with deeds of heroism. On a certain trip during the +Ute raids mentioned in the last chapter, he stopped at Reed's Station on +the Carson River in Nevada, and found no change of horses, since all the +animals had been appropriated by the white men of the vicinity for a +campaign against the Indians. Haslam therefore fed the horse he was +riding, and after a short rest started for Bucklands[29], the next +station which was fifteen miles down the river. He had already ridden +seventy-five miles and was due to lay off at the latter place. But on +arriving, his successor, a man named Johnson Richardson, was unable or +indisposed to go on with the mail[30]. It happened that Division +Superintendent W. C. Marley was at Bucklands when Haslam arrived, and, +since Richardson would not go on duty, Marley offered "Pony Bob" fifty +dollars bonus if he would take up the route. Haslam promptly accepted +the proposal, and within ten minutes was off, armed with a revolver and +carbine, on his new journey. He at first had a lonesome ride of +thirty-five miles to the Sink of the Carson. Reaching the place without +mishap, he changed mounts and hurried on for thirty-seven miles over the +alkali wastes and through the sand until he came to Cold Springs. Here +he again changed horses and once more dashed on, this time for thirty +miles without stopping, till Smith's Creek was reached where he was +relieved by J. G. Kelley. "Bob" had thus ridden one hundred and +eighty-five miles without stopping except to change mounts. At Smith's +Creek he slept nine hours and then started back with the return mail. On +reaching Cold Springs once more, he found himself in the midst of +tragedy. The Indians had been there. The horses had been stolen. All was +in ruins. Nearby lay the corpse of the faithful station-keeper. Small +cheer for a tired horse and rider! Haslam watered his steed and pounded +ahead without rest or refreshment. Before he had covered half the +distance to the next station, darkness was falling. The journey was +enshrouded with danger. On every side were huge clumps of sage-bush +which would offer excellent chances for savages to lie in ambush. The +howling of wolves added to the dolefulness of the trip. And haunting him +continuously was the thought of the ruined little station and the +stiffened corpse behind him. But pony riders were men of courage and +nerve, and Bob was no exception. He arrived at Sand Springs safely; but +here there was to be no rest nor delay. After reporting the outrage he +had just seen, he advised the station man of his danger, and, after +changing horses, induced the latter to accompany him on to the Sink of +the Carson, which move doubtless saved the latter's life. Reaching the +Carson, they found a badly frightened lot of men who had been attacked +by the Indians only a few hours previously. A party of fifteen with +plenty of arms and ammunition had gathered in the adobe station, which +was large enough also to accommodate as, many horses. Nearby was a cool +spring of water, and, thus fortified, they were to remain, in a state of +siege, if necessary, until the marauders withdrew from that vicinity. Of +course they implored Haslam to remain with them and not risk his life +venturing away with the mail. But the mail must go; and the schedule, +hard as it was, must be maintained. "Bob" had no conception of fear, and +so he galloped away, after an hour's rest. And back into Bucklands he +came unharmed, after having suffered only three and a half hours of +delay. Superintendent Marley, who was still present when the daring +rider returned, at once raised his bonus from fifty to one hundred +dollars. + +Nor was this all of Haslam's great achievement. The west-bound mail +would soon arrive, and there was nobody to take his regular run. So +after resting an hour and a half, he resumed the saddle and hurried back +along his old trail, over the Sierras to Friday's Station. Then "Bob" +rested after having ridden three hundred and eighty miles with scarcely +eleven hours of lay-off, and within a very few hours of regular schedule +time all the way. In speaking of this performance afterwards, Haslam[31] +modestly admitted that he was "rather tired," but that "the excitement +of the trip had braced him up to stand the journey." + +The most widely known of all the pony riders is William F. Cody - +usually called "Bill," who in early life resided in Kansas and was +raised amid the exciting scenes of frontier life. Cody had an unusually +dangerous route between Red Buttes and Three Crossings. The latter place +was on the Sweetwater River, and derived its name from the fact that the +stream which followed the bed of a rocky cańon, had to be crossed three +times within a space of sixty yards. The water coming down from the +mountains, was always icy cold and the current swift, deep, and +treacherous. The whole bottom of the cańon was often submerged, and in +attempting to follow its course along the channel of the stream, both +horse and rider were liable to plunge at any time into some abysmal +whirlpool. Besides the excitement which the Three Crossings and an +Indian country furnished, Cody's trail ran through a region that was +often frequented by desperadoes. Furthermore, he had to ford the North +Platte at a point where the stream was half a mile in width and in +places twelve feet deep. Though the current was at times slow, dangers +from quicksand were always to be feared on these prairie rivers. Cody, +then but a youth, had to surmount these obstacles and cover his trip at +an average of fifteen miles an hour. + +Cody entered the Pony Express service just after the line had been +organized. At Julesburg he met George Chrisman, an old friend who was +head wagon-master for Russell, Majors, and Waddell's freighting +department. Chrisman was at the time acting as an agent for the express +line, and, out of deference to the youth, he hired him temporarily to +ride the division then held by a pony man named Trotter. It was a short +route, one of the shortest on the system, aggregating only forty-five +miles, and with three relays of horses each way. Cody, who had been +accustomed to the saddle all his young life, had no trouble in following +the schedule, but after keeping the run several weeks, the lad was +relieved by the regular incumbent, and then went east, to Leavenworth, +where he fell in with another old friend, Lewis Simpson, then acting as +wagon boss and fitting up at Atchison a wagon train of supplies for the +old stage line at Fort Laramie and points beyond. Acting through +Simpson, Cody obtained a letter of recommendation from Mr. Russell, the +head of the firm, addressed to Jack Slade, Superintendent of the +division between Julesburg and Rocky Ridge, with headquarters at +Horseshoe Station, thirty-six miles west of Fort Laramie, in what is now +Wyoming. Armed with this letter, young Cody accompanied Simpson's +wagon-train to Laramie, and soon found Superintendent Slade. The +superintendent, observing the lad's tender years and frail stature, was +skeptical of his ability to serve as a pony rider; but on learning that +Cody was the boy who had already given satisfactory service as a +substitute some months before, at once engaged him and assigned him to +the perilous run of seventy-six miles between Red Buttes and Three +Crossings. For some weeks all went well. Then, one day when he reached +his terminal at Three Crossings, Cody found that his successor who was +to have taken the mail out, had been killed the night before. As there +was no extra rider available, it fell to young Cody to fill the dead +courier's place until a successor could be procured. The lad was +undaunted and anxious for the added responsibility. Within a moment he +was off on a fresh horse for Rocky Ridge, eighty-five miles away. +Notwithstanding the dangers and great fatigue of the trip, Cody rode +safely from Three Crossings to his terminal and returned with the +eastbound mail, going back over his own division and into Red Buttes +without delay or mishap - an aggregate run of three hundred and +twenty-two miles. This was probably the longest continuous performance +without formal rest period in the history of this or any other courier +service. + +Not long afterward, Cody was chased by a band of Sioux Indians while +making one of his regular trips. The savages were armed with revolvers, +and for a few minutes made it lively for the young messenger. But the +superior speed and endurance of his steed soon told; lying flat on the +animal's neck, he quickly distanced his assailants and thundered into +Sweetwater, the next station, ahead of schedule. Here he found - as so +often happened in the history of the express service - that the place +had been raided, the keeper slain, and the horses driven off. There was +nothing to do but drive his tired pony twelve miles further to Ploutz +Station, where he got a fresh horse, briefly reported what he had +observed, and completed his run without mishap. + +On another occasion[32] it became mysteriously rumored that a certain +Pony Express pouch would carry a large sum of currency. Knowing that +there was great likelihood of some bandits or "road agents" as they were +commonly called getting wind of the consignment and attempting a holdup, +Cody hit upon a little emergency ruse. He provided himself with an extra +mochila which he stuffed with waste papers and placed over the saddle in +the regular position. The pouch containing the currency was hidden +under a special saddle blanket. With his customary revolver loaded and +ready, Cody then started. His suspicions were soon confirmed, for on +reaching a particularly secluded spot, two highwaymen stepped from +concealment, and with leveled rifles compelled the boy to stop, at the +same time demanding the letter pouch. Holding up his hands as ordered, +Cody began to remonstrate with the thugs for robbing the express, at the +same time declaring to them that they would hang for their meanness if +they carried out their plans. In reply to this they told Cody that they +would take their own chances. They knew what he carried and they wanted +it. They had no particular desire to harm him, but unless he handed over +the pouch without delay they would shoot him full of holes, and take it +anyhow. Knowing that to resist meant certain death Cody began slowly to +unfasten the dummy pouch, still protesting with much indignation. +Finally, after having loosed it, he raised the pouch and hurled it at +the head off the nearest outlaw, who dodged, half amused at the young +fellow's spirit. Both men were thus taken slightly off their guard, and +that instant the rider acted like a flash. Whipping out his revolver, he +disabled the farther villain; and before the other, who had stooped to +recover the supposed mail sack, could straighten up or use a weapon, +Cody dug the spurs into his horse, knocked him down, rode over him and +was gone. Before the half-stunned robber could recover himself to shoot, +horse and rider were out of range and running like mad for the next +station, where they arrived ahead of schedule. + +The following is a partial list, so far as is known[33], of the men who +rode the Pony Express and contributed to the lasting fame of the +enterprise: + +Baughn, Melville +Beatley, Jim +"Boston" +Boulton, William +Brink, James W. +Burnett, John +Bucklin, Jimmy +Carr, William +Carrigan, William +Cates, Bill +Clark, Jimmy +Cliff, Charles +Cody, William F. +Egan, Major +Ellis, J. K. +Faust, H. J. +Fisher, John +Frey, Johnnie +Gentry, Jim +Gilson, Jim +Hamilton, Sam +Haslam, Robert +Hogan (first name missing) +Huntington, Let +"Irish Tom" +James, William +Jenkins, Will D. +Kelley, Jay G. +Keetley, Jack +"Little Yank" +Martin, Bob +McCall, J. G. +McDonald, James +McNaughton, Jim +Moore, Jim +Perkins, Josh +Rand, Theodore +Richardson, Johnson +Riles, Bart +Rising, Don C. +Roff, Harry +Spurr, George +Thacher, George +Towne, George +Wallace, Henry +Westcott, Dan +Zowgaltz, Jose. + +Many of these men were rough and unlettered. Many died deaths of +violence. The bones of many lie in unknown graves. Some doubtless lie +unburied somewhere in the great West, in the winning of which their +lives were lost. Yet be it always remembered, that in the history of the +American nation they played an important part. They were bold-hearted +citizen knights to whom is due the honors of uncrowned kings. + + + +[29] Afterwards named Fort Churchill. This ride took place in the summer +of 1860. + +[30] Some reports say that Richardson was stricken with fear. That he +was probably suffering from overwrought nerves, resulting from excessive +risks which his run had involved, is a more correct inference. This is +the only case on record of a pony messenger failing to respond to duty, +unless killed or disabled. + +[31] After the California Pony Express was abandoned, Bob rode for Wells +Fargo & Co., between Friday's Station and Virginia City, Nevada, a +distance of one hundred miles. He seems to have enjoyed horseback +riding, for he made this roundtrip journey in twenty-four hours. When +the Central Pacific R. R. was built, and this pony line abandoned, +Haslam rode for six months a twenty-three mile division between Virginia +City and Reno, traveling the distance in less than one hour. To +accomplish this feat, he used a relay of fifteen horses. He was +afterwards transfered to Idaho where he continued in a similar capacity +on a one hundred mile run before quitting the service for a less +exciting vocation. + +[32] Inman & Cody, Salt Lake Trail. + +[33] Root and Connelley's Overland Stage to California. + + + +Chapter VIII + + + +Early Overland Mail Routes + + + +In the history of overland transportation in America, the Pony Express +is but one in a series of many enterprises. As emphasized at the +beginning of this book, its importance lay in its opportuneness; in the +fact that it appeared at the psychological moment, and fitted into the +course of events at a critical period, prior to the completion of the +telegraph; and when some form of rapid transit between the Missouri +River and the Pacific Coast was absolutely needed. To give adequate +setting to this story, a brief account of the leading overland routes, +of which the Pony Express was but one, seems proper. + +Before the middle of the nineteenth century, three great thoroughfares +had been established from the Missouri, westward across the continent. +These were the Santa Fe, the Salt Lake, and the Oregon trails. All had +important branches and lesser stems, and all are today followed by +important railroads - a splendid testimonial to the ability of the +pioneer pathfinders in selecting the best routes. + +Of these trails, that leading to Santa Fe was the oldest, having been +fully established before 1824. The Salt Lake and Oregon routes date some +twenty years later, coming into existence in the decade between 1840 and +1850. It is incidentally with the Salt Lake trail that the story of the +Pony Express mainly deals. + +The Mormon settlement of Utah in 1847-48, followed almost immediately by +the discovery of gold in California, led to the first mail route[34] +across the country, west of the Missouri. This was known as the "Great +Salt Lake Mail," and the first contract for transporting it was let July +1, 1850, to Samuel H. Woodson of Independence, Missouri. By terms of +this agreement, Woodson was to haul the mail monthly from Independence +on the Missouri River to Salt Lake City, twelve hundred miles, and +return. Woodson later arranged with some Utah citizens to carry a mail +between Salt Lake City and Fort Laramie, the service connecting with the +Independence mail at the former place. This supplementary line was put +into operation August 1, 1851. + +In the early fifties, while the California gold craze was still on, a +monthly route was laid out between Sacramento and Salt Lake City[35]. +This service was irregular and unreliable; and since the growing +population of California demanded a direct overland route, a four year +monthly contract was granted to W. F. McGraw, a resident of Maryland. +His subsidy from Congress was $13,500.00 a year. In those days it often +took a month to get mail from Independence to Salt Lake City, and about +six weeks for the entire trip. Although McGraw charged $180.00 fare for +each passenger to Salt Lake City, and $300.00 to California, he failed, +in 1856. The unexpired contract was then let to the Mormon firm of +Kimball & Co., and they kept the route in operation until the Mormon +troubles of 1857 when the Government abrogated the agreement. + +In the summer of 1857, General Albert Sidney Johnston, later of Civil +War fame, was sent out with a Federal army of five thousand men to +invade Utah. After a rather fruitless campaign, Johnston wintered at +Fort Bridger, in what is southwestern Wyoming, not far from the Utah +line. During this interval, army supplies were hauled from Fort +Leavenworth with only a few way stations for changing teams. This +improvised line, carrying mail occasionally, which went over the old +Mormon trail via South Pass, and Forts Kearney, Laramie, and Bridger, +was for many months the only service available for this entire region. + +The next contract for getting mail into Utah was let in 1858 to John M. +Hockaday of Missouri. Johnston's army was then advancing from winter +quarters at Bridger toward the valley of Great Salt Lake, and the +Government wanted mail oftener then once a month. In consideration of +$190,000.00 annually which was to be paid in monthly installments, +Hockaday agreed to put on a weekly mail. This route, which ran from St. +Joseph to Salt Lake City, was later combined with a line that had been +running from Salt Lake to Sacramento, thus making a continuous weekly +route to and from California. For the combined route the Government paid +$320,000.00 annually. Its actual yearly receipts were $5,142.03. + +The discovery of gold in the vicinity of Denver in the summer of 1858 +caused another wild excitement and a great rush which led to the +establishment in the summer of 1859 of the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak +Express, from the Missouri to Denver. As then traveled, this route was +six hundred and eighty-seven miles in length. The line as operated by +Russell, Majors, and Waddell, and that same year they took over +Hockaday's business. As has already been stated, the new firm of Pony +Express fame - called the Central Overland California and Pike's Peak +Express Co. - consolidated the old California line, which had been run +in two sections, East and West, with the Denver line. In addition to the +Pony Express it carried on a big passenger and freighting business to +and from Denver and California. + +Turning now to the lines that were placed in commission farther South. +The first overland stage between Santa Fe and Independence was started +in May, 1849. This was also a monthly service, and by 1850 it was fully +equipped with the famous Concord coaches, which vehicles were soon to be +used on every overland route in the West. Within five years, this route, +which was eight hundred fifty miles in length and followed the Santa Fe +trail, now the route of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad, had +attained great importance. The Government finally awarded it a yearly +subsidy of $10,990.00, but as the trail had little or no military +protection except at Fort Union, New Mexico, and for hundreds of miles +was exposed to the attacks of prairie Indians, the contractors +complained because of heavy losses and sought relief of the Post Office +and War Departments. Finally they were released from their old contract +and granted a new one paying $25,000.00 annually, but even then they +fell behind $5,000.00 per year. + +By special act passed August 3, 1854, Congress laid out a monthly mail +route from Neosho, Missouri, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, with an annual +subsidy of $17,000.00. Since the Mexican War this region had come to be +of great commercial and military importance. A little later, in March +1855, the route was changed by the Government to run monthly from +Independence and Kansas City, Missouri, to Stockton, California, via +Albuquerque, and the contractors were awarded a yearly bonus of +$80,000.00 This line was also a financial failure. + +The early overland routes were granted large subsidies and the privilege +of charging high rates for passengers and freight. To the casual +observer it may seem strange that practically all these lines operated +at a disastrous loss. It should be noted however, that they covered an +immense territory, many portions of which were occupied by hostile +Indians. It is no easy task to move military forces and supplies +thousands of miles through a wilderness. Furthermore, the Indians were +elusive and hard to find when sought by a considerable force. They +usually managed to attack when and where they were least expected. +Consequently, if protection were secured at all, it usually fell to the +lot of the stage companies to police their own lines, which was +expensive business. Often they waged, single-handed, Indian campaigns of +considerable importance, and the frontiersmen whom they could assemble +for such duty were sometimes more effective than the soldiers who were +unfamiliar with the problems of Indian warfare. + +Added to these difficulties were those incident to severe weather, deep +snow, and dangerous streams, since regular highways and bridges were +almost unknown in the regions traversed. Not to mention the handicap and +expense which all these natural obstacles entailed, business on many +lines was light, and revenues low. + +News from Washington about the creation of the new territory of Utah - +in September 1850 - was not received in Salt Lake City until January +1851. The report reached Utah by messenger from California, having come +around the continent by way of the Isthmus of Panama. The winters of +1851-52, and 1852-53 were frightfully severe and such expensive delays +were not uncommon. The November mail of 1856 was compelled to winter in +the mountains. + +In the winter of 1856-57 no steady service could be maintained between +Salt Lake City and Missouri on account of bad weather. Finally, after a +long delay, the postmaster at Salt Lake City contracted with the local +firm of Little, Hanks, and Co., to get a special mail to and from +Independence. This was accomplished, but the ordeal required +seventy-eight days, during which men and animals suffered terribly from +cold and hunger. The firm received $1,500.00 for its trouble. The Salt +Lake route returned to the Government a yearly income of only $5,000.00. + +The route from Independence to Stockton, which cost Uncle Sam $80,000.00 +a year, collected in nine months only $1,255.00 in postal revenues, +whereupon it was abolished July 1st, 1859. + +By the close of 1859 there were at least six different mail routes +across the continent from the Missouri to the Pacific Coast. They were +costing the Government a total of $2,184,696.00 and returning +$339,747.34. The most expensive of these lines was the New York and New +Orleans Steamship Company route, which ran semi-monthly from New York to +San Francisco via Panama. This service cost $738,250.00 annually and +brought in $229,979.69. While the steamship people did not have the +frontier dangers to confront them, they were operating over a roundabout +course, several thousand miles in extent, and the volume of their postal +business was simply inadequate to meet the expense of maintaining their +business[36]. + +The steamer schedule was about four weeks in either direction, and the +rapidly increasing population of California soon demanded, in the early +fifties, a faster and more frequent service. Agitation to that end was +thus started, and during the last days of Pierce's administration, in +March 1857, the "Overland Mail" bill was passed by Congress and signed +by the President. This act provided that the Postmaster-General should +advertise for bids until June 30 following: "for the conveyance of the +entire letter mail from such point on the Mississippi River as the +contractors may select to San Francisco, Cal., for six years, at a cost +not exceeding $300,000 per annum for semi-monthly, $450,000 for weekly, +or $600,000 for semi-weekly service to be performed semi-monthly, +weekly, or semi-weekly at the option of the Postmaster-General." The +specifications also stipulated a twenty-five day schedule, good coaches, +and four-horse teams. + +Bids were opened July 1, 1857. Nine were submitted, and most of them +proposed starting from St. Louis, thence going overland in a +southwesterly direction usually via Albuquerque. Only one bid proposed +the more northerly Central route via Independence, Fort Laramie, and +Salt Lake. The Postoffice Department was opposed to this trail, and its +attitude had been confirmed by the troubles of winter travel in the +past. In fact this route had been a failure for six consecutive winters, +due to the deep snows of the high mountains which it crossed. + +On July 2, 1857, the Postmaster General announced the acceptance of bid +No. "12,587" which stipulated a forked route from St. Louis, Missouri +and from Memphis, Tennessee, the lines converging at Little Rock, +Arkansas. Thence the course was by way of Preston, Texas; or as nearly +as might be found advisable, to the best point in crossing the Rio +Grande above El Paso, and not far from Fort Filmore; thence along the +new road then being opened and constructed by the Secretary of the +Interior to Fort Yuma, California; thence through the best passes and +along the best valleys for safe and expeditious staging to San +Francisco. On September is following, a six year contract was let for +this route. The successful firm at once became known as the "Butterfield +Overland Mail Company." Among the firm members were John Butterfield, +Wm. B. Dinsmore, D. N. Barney, Wm. G. Fargo and Hamilton Spencer. The +extreme length of the route agreed upon from St. Louis to San Francisco +was two thousand seven hundred and twenty-nine miles; the most southern +point was six hundred miles south of South Pass on the old Salt Lake +route. Because of the out-of-the-way southern course followed, two and +one half days more than necessary were nominally-required in making the +journey. Yet the postal authorities believed that this would be more +than offset by the southerly course being to a great extent free from +winter snows. + +On September 15, 1858, after elaborate preparations, the overland mails +started from San Francisco and St. Louis on the twenty-five day schedule +- which was three days less than that of the water route. The postage +rate was ten cents for each half ounce; the passenger fare was one +hundred dollars in gold. The first trip was made in twenty-four days, +and in each of the terminal cities big celebrations were held in honor +of the event. And yet today, four splendid lines of railway cover this +distance in about three days! + +These stages - to use the west-bound route as an illustration - traveled +in an elliptical course through Springfield, Missouri, and Fayetteville, +Arkansas, to Van Buren, Arkansas, where the Memphis mail was received. +Continuing in a southwesterly course, they passed through Indian +Territory and the Choctaw Indian reserve - now Oklahoma - crossed the +Red River at Calvert's Ferry, then on through Sherman, Fort Chadbourne +and Fort Belknap, Texas, through Guadaloupe Pass to El Paso; thence up +the Rio Grande River through the Mesilla Valley, and into western New +Mexico - now Arizona to Tucson. Then the journey led up the Gila River +to Arizona City, across the Mojave desert in Southern California and +finally through the San Joaquin Valley to San Francisco. + +Today a traveler could cover nearly the same route, leaving St. Louis +over the Frisco Railroad, transferring to the Texas Pacific at Fort +Worth, and taking the Southern Pacific at El Paso for the remainder of +the trip. + +As has been shown, the outbreak of the Civil War in the spring of 1861 +made it necessary for the Federal Government to transfer this big and +important route further north to get it beyond the latitude of the +Confederacy. Hence the Southern route was formally abandoned[37] on +March 12, 1861, and the equipment removed to the Central or Salt Lake +trail where a daily service was inaugurated. About three months was +necessary to move all the outfits and in July 1861, the first daily +overland mail - running six times a week - was started between St. +Joseph and Placerville, California, 1,920 miles by the way of Forts +Kearney, Bridger, and Salt Lake City. + +The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad had been built into St. Joseph and +was doing business by February 1859. For some time that city enjoyed the +honor of being the eastern stage terminal; but within a year the +railroad was extended to Atchison, about twenty miles down the stream. +The latter place is situated on a bend of the river fourteen miles west +of St. Joseph, and so the terminal honors soon passed to Atchison since +its westerly location shortened the haul. + +In transferring the Butterfield line from the Southern to the Central +route, it was merged with the Central Overland California and Pike's +Peak Express Company which already included the Leavenworth and Pike's +Peak Express Company, under the leadership of General Bela M. Hughes. +This line was known to the Government as the Central Overland California +Route. As soon as the transfer was completed, through California stages +were started on an eighteen day schedule a full week less time than had +been required by the Butterfield route, and ten days less than that of +the Panama steamers. This was the most famous of all the stage routes, +and except for three interruptions, due to Indian outbreaks in 1862, +1864, and 1865, it did business continuously for several years. + +Within a few months came another change of proprietorship, the route +passing on a mortgage foreclosure into the hands of Benjamin Holladay, a +famous stage line promoter, late in 1861. Early the following year +Holladay reorganized the management under the name of the Overland Stage +Line. This seems to have been what today is technically known as a +holding company; for until the expiration of the old Butterfield +contract in 1863[38], he allowed the business east of Salt Lake City to +be carried on by the old C. O. C. & P. P. Co.; west of Salt Lake, the +new Overland Line allowed, or sublet the through traffic to a vigorous +subsidiary, the Pioneer Stage Line[39]. + +Holladay was fortunate in securing a new mail contract for the Central +route which he now controlled. For supplying a six day letter mail +service from the Missouri to Placerville together with a way mail to and +from Denver and Salt Lake City, he was paid $1,000,000 a year for the +three years beginning July 1, 1861. At the expiration of this period he +was to get $840,000. + +In the meantime gold was discovered in Idaho and Montana, and Holladay, +encouraged by his big subsidy from the Government, put stage lines into +Virginia City, Montana, and Boise City, Idaho. + +In 1866 the Butterfield Overland Despatch, an express and fast freight +line, was started above the Smoky Hill route from Topeka and Leavenworth +across Kansas to Denver. Within a short time this organization, mainly +because of the heavy expense caused by Indian depredations, and was +consolidated with the Holladay Company. Just prior to this transfer, Mr. +Holladay received from the Colorado Territorial legislature a charter +for the "Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company," which was the full +and formal name of the new concern. This corporation now owned and +controlled stage lines aggregating thirty-three hundred miles. It +brought the service up to the highest point of efficiency and used only +the best animals and vehicles it was possible to obtain. + +In addition to his federal mail bonus, Holladay had the following rates +for passenger traffic in force: + +In 1863, from Atchison to Denver $75.00 + +In 1863, from Atchison to Salt Lake City $150.00 + +In 1863, from Atchison to Placerville $225.00 + +In 1865, on account of the rise of gold and the depreciation of +currency, these rates were increased; the fare from the Missouri River +to Denver was changed to $175.00; to Salt Lake $350.00. The California +rate varied from $400.00 to $500.00. A year later the fare to Virginia +City, Montana, was fixed at $350.00 and the rate to Salt Lake City +reduced to $225.00. + +These high rates and Indian dangers did not seem to check the desire on +the part of the public to make the overland trip. Stages were almost +always crowded, and it was usually necessary for one to apply for +reservations several days in advance. + +Late in the year 1866, Holladay's entire properties[40] were purchased +by Wells Fargo and Co. This was a new concern, recently chartered by +Colorado, which had been quietly gaining power. Within a short time it +had exclusive control of practically all the stage, express, and +freighting business in the West and this business it held. + +Meanwhile the overland stage and freight lines were rapidly shortening +on account of the building of the Pacific railroads, and the terminals +of the through routes became merely the temporary ends of the fast +growing railway lines. By the early autumn of 1866, the Kansas Pacific +had reached Junction City, Kansas, and the Union Pacific was at Fort +Kearney, Nebraska. The golden era of the overland stage business was +from 1858 to 1866. After that, the old through routes were but fragments +"between the tracks" of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific roads +which were building East and West toward each other. + +Wells Fargo & Co., however, clung to these fragments until the lines met +on May 10th, 1869, and a continuous transcontinental railroad was +completed. Then they turned their attention to organizing mountain stage +and express lines in the railroadless regions of the West, - some of +which still exist. And they also turned their energies to the railway +express business, in which capacity this great firm, the last of the old +stage companies, is now known the world over. + + + +[34] Authority for Early Mail Routes is Root and Connelley's Overland +Stage to California. + +[35] The reader will keep in mind that during the early days of +California history, practically all communication between that locality +and the East was carried on by steamship from New York via Panama. + +[36] In June, 1860, Congress got into trouble with this company over +postal compensations. The steamship company, it appears, thought its +remuneration too low and it further protested that the diversion of mail +traffic, due to the daily Overland Stage Line and the Pony Express would +reduce its revenues still further. Congress finally adjourned without +effecting a settlement, and the mail, which was far too heavy for the +overland facilities to handle at that time, was piling up by the ton +awaiting shipment. Matters were getting serious when Cornelius +Vanderbilt came to the Government's relief and agreed to furnish steamer +service until Congress assembled in March, 1861, provided the Federal +authorities would assure him "a fair and adequate compensation." This +agreement was effected and the affair settled as agreed. At the +expiration of the period, the war and the growing importance of the +overland route made steamship service by way of the Isthmus quite +obsolete. + +[37] The contractors are said to have been awarded $50,000 by the +Government for their trouble in haying the agreement broken. + +[38] See page 153. Holladay secured possession of the outfits of the C. +O. C. & P. P. Exp. Co., between the Missouri and Salt Lake City. + +[39] The Pioneer Line which had recently come into power and prominence +had gained possession of the equipment west of Salt Lake. This line was +owned by Louis and Charles McLane. Louis McLane afterward became +President of the Wells Fargo Express Co. + +[40] Holladay is said to have received one million five hundred thousand +dollars cash, and three hundred thousand dollars in express company +stock for his interests. Besides these amounts which covered only the +animals, rolling stock, stations, and incidental equipment, Wells Fargo +and Co. had to pay full market value for all grain, hay and provisions +along the line, amounting to nearly six hundred thousand dollars more. + + + + +Chapter IX + + + +Passing of the Pony Express + + + +When Edward Creighton completed the Pacific telegraph, and, on October +24, 1861, began sending messages; by wire from coast to coast, the +California Pony Express formally went out of existence. For over three +months since July 1, it had been paralleled by the daily overland stage; +yet the great efficiency of the semi-weekly pony line in offering quick +letter service won and retained its popularity to the very end of its +career. And this was in spite of the fact that for several weeks before +its discontinuance the pony men had ridden only between the ends of the +fast building telegraph which was constructed in two divisions - from +the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Missouri River - at the same time, +the lines meeting near the Great Salt Lake. + +The people of the far West strongly protested against the elimination of +the pony line service. Early in the winter of 1862 it became rumored - +perhaps wildly - that the Committee on Finance in the House of +Representatives had, for reasons of economy, stricken out the +appropriation for the continuance of the daily stage. Whereupon the +California legislature[41] addressed a set of joint resolutions to the +state's delegation in Congress, imploring not only that the Daily Stage +be retained, but that the Pony Express be reestablished. The stage was +continued but the pony line was never restored. + +As a financial venture the Pony Express failed completely. To be sure, +its receipts were sometimes heavy, often aggregating one thousand +dollars in a single day. But the expenses, on the other hand, were +enormous. Although the line was so great a factor in the California +crisis, and in assisting the Federal Government to retain the Pacific +Coast, it was the irony of fate that Congress should never give any +direct relief or financial assistance to the pony service. So completely +was this organization neglected by the government, in so far as +extending financial aid was concerned, that its financial failure, as +foreseen by Messrs. Waddell and Majors, was certain from the beginning. +The War Department did issue army revolvers and cartridges to the +riders; and the Federal troops when available, could always be relied +upon to protect the line. Yet it was generally left to the initiative +and resourcefulness of the company to defend itself as best it could +when most seriously menaced by Indians. The apparent apathy regarding +this valuable branch of the postal service can of course be partially +excused from the fact that the Civil War was in 1861 absorbing all the +energies which the Government could summon to its command. And the war, +furthermore, was playing havoc with our national finances and piling up +a tremendous national debt, which made the extension of pecuniary relief +to quasi-private operations of this kind, no matter how useful they +were, a remote possibility. + +That the stage lines received the assistance they did, under such +circumstances, is to be wondered at. Yet it must be borne in mind that +at the outset much of the political support necessary to secure +appropriations for overland mail routes was derived from southern +congressmen who were anxious for routes of communication with the West +coast, especially if such routes ran through the Southwest and linked +the cotton-growing states with California. + +At the very beginning, it cost about one hundred thousand dollars to +equip the Pony Express line in those days a very considerable outlay of +capital for a private corporation. Besides the purchase of more than +four hundred high grade horses, it cost large sums of money to build and +equip stations at intervals of every ten or twelve miles throughout the +long route. The wages of eighty riders and about four hundred station +men, not to mention a score of Division Superintendents was a large +item. + +Most of the grain used along the line between St. Joseph and Salt Lake +City was purchased in Iowa and Missouri and shipped in wagons at a +freight rate of from ten cents to twenty cents a pound. Grain and food +stuffs for use between Salt Lake City and the Sierras were usually +bought in Utah and hauled from two hundred to seven hundred miles to the +respective stations. Hay, gathered wherever wild grasses could be found +and cured, often had to be freighted hundreds of miles. + +The operating expenses of the line aggregated about thirty thousand +dollars a month, which would alone have insured a deficit as the monthly +income never equaled that amount. + +A conspicuous bill of expense which helped to bankrupt the enterprise +was for protection against the savages. While this should have been +furnished by the Government or the local state or territorial militia, +it was the fate of the Company to bear the brunt of one of the worst +Indian outbreaks of that decade. + +Early in 1860, shortly after the Pony Express was started, the Pah-Utes, +mention of whom has already been made, began hostilities under their +renowned chieftain Old Winnemucca. The uprising spread; soon the +Bannocks and Shoshones espoused the cause of the Utes, and the entire +territory of Nevada, Eastern California and Oregon was aflame with +Indian revolt. Besides devastating many white settlements wherever they +found them, the Indians destroyed nearly every pony station between +California and Salt Lake, murdered numbers of employes, and ran off +scores of horses. For several weeks the service was paralyzed, and had +it been in the hands of faint-hearted men it would have been ended then +and there. + +The climax came with the defeat and massacre of Major Ormsby's force of +about fifty men by the Utes at the battle of Pyramid Lake in western +Nevada. Help was finally sent in from a distance, and before the first +of June, eight hundred men, including three hundred regulars and a large +number of California and Nevada volunteers, had taken the field. This +formidable campaign finally served the double purpose of protecting the +Pony Express and stage line and in subduing the Indians in a primitive +and effective manner. Order was restored and the express service resumed +on June 19. Desultory outbreaks, of course, continued to menace the line +and all forms of transportation for months afterwards. + +During this campaign, the local officers and employes of the express +gave valiant service. It was remarkable that they could restore the line +so quickly as they did. The total expense of this war to the Company was +$75,000, caused by ruined and stolen property and outlays for military +supplies incidental to the equipment of volunteers. + +This onslaught, coming so soon after the enterprise had begun, and when +there was already so little encouragement that the line would ever pay +out financially, must have disheartened less courageous men than +Russell, Majors and Waddell and their associates. It is to their +everlasting credit that this group of men possessed the perseverance and +patriotic determination to continue the enterprise, even at a certain +loss, and in spite of Federal neglect, until the telegraph made it +possible to dispense with the fleet pony rider. Not only did they stick +bravely to their task of supplying a wonderful mail service to the +country, but they even improved their service, increasing it from a +weekly to a semi-weekly route, immediately after the disastrous raids of +June, 1860. Nor did they hesitate at the instigation of the Government a +little later to reduce their postal rates from five dollars to one +dollar a half ounce. + +This condensed statement shows the approximate deficit which the +business incurred: + +To equip the line .....................................$100,000 + +Maintenance at $30,000 per month (for sixteen months). $480,000 + +War with the Utes and allied tribes ................... $75,000 + +Sundry items ...........................................$45,000 + + _________ + +Total ................................................ $700,000 + +The receipts are said to have been about $500,000 leaving a debit +balance of $200,000. That the Company changed hands in 1861 is not +surprising. + +While the Pony Express failed in a financial way; it had served the +country faithfully and well. It had aided an imperiled Government, +helped to tranquilize and retain to the Union a giant commonwealth, and +it had shown the practicability of building a transcontinental railroad, +and keeping it open for traffic regardless of winter snows. All this +Pony Express did and more. It marked the supreme triumph of American +spirit, of God-fearing, man-defying American pluck and determination - +qualities which have always characterized the winning of the West. + + + +[41] Senate Documents. + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Story of the Pony Express +by Glenn D. Bradley +******This file should be named ponye10.txt or ponye10.zip****** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, ponye11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, ponye10a.txt + +This etext was produced by David A. 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