Daily Republican., 1888-05-22
A COLOSSAL WAC sB.

L
recollection is correct i"
The speaker was an elderly gentle
man ON the Oakland ferry boat, who
had just returned to California, attel
an absence of many years In the east
He had been contrasting the five over
land railways of the present time with
the slow, toiling OK team with which
he crossed the plains In 1850, and,
says the Ban Francisco Alta, the con
yersation had incidentally drifted 10
the pony express, so famous In It's
day.
Twenty nine years ago st. Joseph,
No., was the western terminus of the
railway system of the country. Beyond
St. Joseph the stage coach, OK train
and kindred methods were resorted TO
for the purpose of maintaining com
munication 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 $40, 900, 900 for
carrying the 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 extravaganza
proposition, and said that he could put
on mail line from San Francisco 10
st. Joseph that would cover the dis
tance-1 $50 miles--in ten days. So
confident was he that he professed
himself willing to wager $40, 900 on
the proposition.
"The schemers for the big mail con-
tract 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
a few years ago, was Russells partner
and general manager, and to him Rus.
sell looked for the successful outcome
of the venture. Miller was positive
that pony express could be estab.
lished 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 three hundred of the
feetest horses he could procure, and
engaged the services ct one hundred
and twenty five men. Eighty of the
men were engaged as post riders, 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 25
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 Sac.
ramento at the hour of noon, April 8,
1860, Billy Baker, mounted on Border
Rufiian, Mr.. Miller's famous saddle
horse, dashed away toward the Sier-
ras, 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 on it was necessary to make extra
fast speed to win the huge wager.
"All went well until the crossing at
Julesburg was reached. To his dismay
the courier found the Platte river high
up in its banks and a 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
auicksands and was drowned, The
courier saved his precious mall pouch
and had to walk ten miles to the next
relay station.
"Johnny Fry-T remembered him
well-was one OF the famous men of
his day on the border. Tough and
wiry, he was as light as 2 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 were,
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 considered
oil this when he selected Johnny Fry
to make the final dash.
Three hours aud thirty minutes in
which to make the ride of sixty miles.
Never before nor since had such a
purse been run fer in America as
would be won or lost by Johnny's sue.
cess or failure.
"As the hour drew near for Fry's
arrival at st. Joseph thousands of peo-
pie lined the river banks, gazing with
ieverish expectancy in the direction of
the woods from which the horse and
rider should emerge into the open
country-one mile IRON the finish.
"As the minutes flew by the excite
ment became intense, and the people
spoke to each other in q subdued sort
of way. Seven minutes and the wager
would be lost, when suddenly bright
eyed Soungster caught sight of the
anxiously looked for courier, AMI the
yell that went up from the crowd
reached the ears of the rider mile
away.
"Horse and rider fairly flew en- the
wings of the wind. Feathery flakes
of foam streaked the painting tanks oi
the noble steed as che, with wide dis
tended and blood red nostrils, bore the
courier to his journeys end, covering
the last mile in one minute and fifty
seconds. The little mare Sylph had
won the wager, and there were five
minutes and a fraction to spare"