Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-04-21
5ftistellanruns &eadiug.
RACE ACROSS THE PLAINS.


nus of railroad communication. Beyond,
the stage coach, the saddle horse and OK train
we're the only means of commerce and com
munication with the Rocky Mountains and
the Pacific Slope. In the winter of 1860
there was wall street lobby at Washington
trying to get S5,O0O,000 for carrying the
mails overland for one year between New
York and San Francisco. The proposition
was extremely "cheeky," and William II.
Russell, backed by Secretary Of War Floyd,
resolved to give the lobby cold shower bath.
He therefore offered to bet 100000 that he
could put on mail line from Sacramento to
St. Joseph that should make the distance
1850 mles-in ten days. The bet was taken
and the 9th of April fixed upon as the day
of starting Mr.. Russell told his partner and
general manager of business upon the plains,
Mr.. A. B. Miller, what he had done, and
asked if he could perform the feat. Mr..
Miller replied: "Yes, sir; will do it, and do
it by pony express" TO accomplish this Mr..
Miller purchased three hundred Of the feetest
horses he could find in the West, and en-
ployed 126 men. Eighty of these men were
to be post riders. These he selected with
reference to their light weight and known
daring courage. 1t was very essential that
the horses should be loaded as lightly as
possible. 1t was necessary that some parts
of the route should be run at the rate Of
twenty miles al hour. The horses were sta
toned from ten to twenty miles apart and each
rider would be required to ride sixty miles.
For the change of animals and the shifting
of the mails two minutes were allowed.
Where there were no stage stations at proper
distances, tents sufficient to hold one manand
two horses were provided. Indians would
sometimes give chase, but their cayuse ponies
made but sorry Show in their stern chase
after Miller's thoroughbreds, many of which
could make mile in minute and fifty Sec
onds.
Arrangements being completed, single
gun ON the steamer at Sacramento proclaim
ed the meridian of April 8, 1S60-the hour
for startiug-when Border Rufian, Mr.. Mil
ler's private saddle horse, with Billy Baker
in the saddle, bounded away toward the foot
hills Of the Sierra Nevadas, and made his
ride of twenty miles in forty-nine minutes
The SHOWS were deep in the mountains, and
one rider was lost for several hours in snow
storm and after the Salt Lake Valley was
reached additional speed became necessary tc
reach St. Joseph on time. From here al
went well until the Platte was to be crossed
at Julesburg. The river was up and running
rapidly, but the rider plunged his horse into
the flood, only, however, to mire in the quick
sand and drown. The courier succeeded in
reaching the shore, with his mail bag in hand
and travelled ten miles on foot to reach the
next relay. Johnny Fry popular rider Of
his day was to make the finish. He had sixty
miles to ride, with six horses to do it. Whel
the last courier arrived at the go mile post
out from St. Joseph, he was one hour behind
time, a heavy rain had set in and the roads
were slippery. Two hundred thousand dol
lars might turn on single minute. Fry had
Just three hours and thirty minutes in which
to win. This was to finish the longest race
for the largest sta kes, ever run in America
When the time for his arrival was nearly up
at least FIVE thousand people stood upon the
river bank, with eyes turned toward the WOOD
from which the horse and its rider should
emerge into the open country in the rear OF
Elmwood -one mile from the finish. Tick
tick, went thousands of watches The time
was nearly up! But seven minutes remain
ed Hark shout goes up from the assem-
bled multitude, "He comes he comesT The
noble little mare, |Sylph, the daughter o.
little Arthur, darts like an arrow from the
bow and makes the run of the last mile in
one minute and fifty seconds-landing upon
the ferryboat with five minutes and a fraction
to spare-t&. Joseph (Mo.) Ners