The Washington critic., 1888-04-21
A COLOSSAL WAGER.
The Distance from Frisco 10 81. Joe
Covered in Ten Days.


San Francisco Alta California.
"I may be little hazy as to the
exact figures, but in the main my
recollection IS correct"
The speaker was an elderly gentle
man on the Oakland ferry-boat, yes
terday, who had just returned to Cali |
fornia, after an absence Of many years !
in the East. lie had been contrasting
the five overland railways of the
present time with the slow, toiling OK
team with which he crossed the plains
in 1850, and the conversation had in
cidentally drifted to the pony express,
so famous in its dav.
"Twenty-nine years ago ST. Joseph,
Mo-, was the western terminus of the
railway systems of the country. Be-
yond ST. Joseph the stage coach, OK
train and kindred methods Of trans,
portation were rosorted to for the pur-
pose of maintaining communication
with the Pacific slope. The coast was
by that time pretty well settled, and
business men began TO wish for rapid
overland mail service.
"In the winter of 1860 Wall street
was at work in Washington endeavor-
ing to get subsidy of $4,000, 900 for
carrying tho mails overland one year
between New York and San Fran
cisco.
civilian II. Russell, backed up by
Secretary Of War Floyd, looked upon
the scheme as very extravagant
proposition, and said that he could
put on mail line from San Francisco
to 81. Joseph that would cover the
distance-1 $50 miles-in ten days.
So confident was he that he professed
himself willing TO wager 100000 on
the proposition.
"The schemers for the big mail
contract felt bound to meet the bluff
and took up the wager, April s, 1860,
being fixed for the time of starting
"a. b. Miller, who died in Denver
about four years ago, was RusselPs
partner and general manager, and to
| him Russell looked for the successful
outcome of the venture. Miller was
| positive that a pony express could be
| established which would enable his
partner to win his prodigious wager.
| "There was no time to be lost, and
| Miller set about his task with energy.
He purchased 800 of the fleetest
| horses he could procure, and engaged
| the services of 125 men. Eighty of
these men were engaged as postriders,
| and of course were especially chosen
| for their daring and light weight
, the lighter the man the better for the
| horse, as some parts Of the route had
| to be covered at the killing rate of
| twenty-five miles an hour.
"By the day set for starting every
| thing was in readiness, and before
the smoke cleared away from the
muzzle of the signal gun on the
steamer Sacramento at the hour of
noon, April 8, 1860, Billy Baker,
mounted on Border Rufiian, Mr.. Mil
ler's famous saddle horse, dashed
away toward the Sierras, covering his
twenty miles in 40 minutes.
"Deep snow lay in the mountain
passes, and TO Salt Lake valley slow
time was made, so that from the val
ley OH ii was necessary to make extra
fast speed to win the huge wager.
CAL went well until the crossing at
Julesburg was reached. To his dis
may the courier found the Platte
River high up in its banks and
strong current running. Fearlessly
horse and rider plunged into the
turbid stream, but only the man
reached the opposite bank. His
gallant steed mired in the quick
sands and was drowned. The courier
saved his precious mail pouch and
had to walk ten miles to the next
relay station.
Johnny Fry--I remember him
well-was one of the famous men of
his day ON the border. Tough and
wiry, he was as light as cat, and as
rider he never knew an equal. To
him fell the duty of riding the last
sixty miles Of the long race. He had
six horses, thoroughbreds they We're,
too, to do it with.
"When the courier arrived at the
sixty-mile post out of st. Joseph he
was one hour behind time. Johnny
had to make up that lost hour or the
wager was, lost. Miller had con-
sidered all this when he selected
Johnny Fry to make the final dash.
'Three hours and thirty minutes in
/ which to make the ride of sixty miles,
Never before nor since has such a
purse been run for in America as
| would be won or lost by Johnny's
! success or failure.
t GAS the hour drew near for Fry's
: arrival at st. Joseph thousands oi
A people lined the river bank, gazing
t with feverish expectancy in the di
rection of the woods from which the
j. horse and rider should emerge into
the open country-one mile from the
a finish.
Q GAS the minutes flew by the excite
Q ment became intense, and the people
= spoke to each other in subdued sor
of way. Seven minutes and the
j wager would be lost, when suddenly
y bright eyed Soungster caught sight O
K the anXiously looked-for courier, anc
a the yell that went up from the crowt
reached the ears of the rider mile
away.
"Horse and rider fairly flew on the
wings of the wind. Feathery fake
of foam streaked the painting flank
y of the noble steed, as she, witt
wide distended and blood-red nos
Il trils, bore the courier to his Journey
a end, covering the last mile in min
ute and so seconds. The little mare
!. Sylph, had won the wager, and ther
:, were five minutes and fraction t.
a spare"
% Chairman Barnum Emphatic.
n The Hon. VIM. ii. Barnum, chairman
q Of the Democratic National Committee
n is now IN ST. LOUIS arranging for tn
b meeting of the National Convention. o
T. being told of rumors current in st. Loui
h that he was an anti-Cleveland man, II
q said "Say for me that all reports of tina
n kind are not only unfounded, but false
e There Is no stronger Cleveland man i