The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1870-07-14
THE 0SKAL0OsA. HERALD
Thursday, JrIIv "A. 1870.
THE OLD E.STERN STAGE COM
PANY-lC QUITS BUSINESS,


The Register SAYS the Western
Stage Company, which has done a
carrying business in the west for
forty years, is closing up its affairs,
and will go out of existence on the
first of July. Mr.. Henry Alvord,
secretary and treasurer of the com
pany, and son of Mr.. r. S. AIvord,
President, is now in the city closing
UP the company's affairs. The old
time-honored serviceable stage
coach has had its day, and is now
ruled out by the railroads, which
have been driving it westward year
after year--as civilization drives the
Indian.
Some items about the origin and
history OF the company may be OF
Interest. 1t began It's operations in
Ohio, about 1880, under the name OF
Neal, Moore d. Co., with headquar-
tiers at Columbus. In 1914 it was
called the "Ohio Stage Company
and operated over the entire State
and part of Pennsylvania. The
Western was then BRANCH of the
Ohio Company, and operated in
Indiana ana Illinois. After the in
production Of railroads in Ohio the
stock there used was moved west,
ward, and the company was there
after known as the Western Stage
! Company. The first coaches were
brought to Iowa July lst, 1851, the
stock being brought from Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Indiana. Since
that time the company has run regu-
lar lines at one time or another
through every county in the State.
After the introduction of railroads
in parts of Iowa, the company eX-
tended its line into Missouri, Nebras-
ka, Kansas and Colorado. At one
time there was direct through line
from this city to Central City, Col
orado. The company has owned al
one time as many a. three thousand
horses, and coaches in proportion.
Its lines were of great service to
Iowa during the war, III Transporting
soldiers to and from their homes.
The company's main office has been
for many years past at indianapolis,
but the general western office was III
this city. During the whole Of its
Iowa days, until four years ago, Col.
(. +. Hooker, now OF the G. II. |. u
p. Il. r., was prominent in its man
agement, and one Of the mOstindom-
table spirits in its energetic control.
The history Of Col. Hooker is the
history of the Western Stage Com
pany in iowa. He was identified
with our State in the days of Its
pioneers, an / did much, very much,
toward building it up. a book by
Hooker, descriptive Of the early
times in Iowa, and its early men, and
OF the development Of the State, as
witnessed by him, would be highly
interesting and very valuable. LIE
has thousands of friends throughout
Iowa and the West who learned t
like the man i'll pioneer times. Very
few of the old settlers and old trav
GERS when they hear the name q
the " cstern Stage Company men
Toned, bat think OF the prompt, &c
NAL, large hearted Hooker. Mr.. y
i. Johnson, cur cheap carrying, &C
Communicating, popular omnibus man
has been in the employ of the com
pany about thirty years, and ha:
ueid the position OF agent III De:
Molnes for twelve years. lie is EN-
phatically an old Stager. He has {
large acquaintance over Iowa anC
the West, and can relate many i'll
tcrestlng "Reminiscences Of travel il
early days. He says in 1916 he hao
stock enough in the city to sen(
away regiment Of soldiers at ono
shipment, and did it twice i'll tina
l. year. The stockholders are al
rich, and the company now own
property in nearly every town o
Importance in Iowa. Que man VIII,
hid 81 800 worth of stock at the or
ganizatiOn Of the company has draw
since that time $50, 900 in dividends
The company now goes out OF exist
ence because there are no longer an,
paying routes to travel over. 1t clio
SEES up its offices, sells off its stocI
and quits business because there ar
no more unrailroaded Vests TO fat
ten on.