The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-22
RUSSELL WON 100000.
He Carried Mail Overland 1850 Miles
in Ten Days on q
Wager.
Vivid Description Of the Greatest
Accomplishment of Pony
Express Days.

Va 1 Wy
Express Days.
Perils from Indians, Swollen Streams,
Heavy SHOWS and High Mountains
Five Minutes to Spare.
The pioneer days of the western country
could contribute many interesting pages to
history which have not been written. In
1859 st. Joseph was the western terminus
of railroad communication. West of the
Missouri river the stage coach, the saddle
horse and the OK train were the only means
of commerce and communication with the
Rocky mountains and the vast Pacific slope
territory, writes st. Joseph correspondent
of the Globe-D Democrat. In the winter of
1860 there was Wall street lobby at Wash
ington exerting a strong influence on the
government to get subsidy of $50, COG, 900
for carrying the mails for one year from
New York to San Francisco. In those early
times this seemed an enormous sum of
money to ask congress to appropriate for
such purpose, and the lobby did not meet
with much encouragement.
The discussion attracted universal atten-
ton, and finally VIM. II. Russell, we'll
known western character, offered to bet
800, 600 that he could put on q mail line
between San Francisco and st. Joseph that
ten days. He was given encouragement by
Secretary of War Floyd and set to work
making arrangements to carry his bigswager
to successful issue. The bet was taken,
and April 8, 1860, was fixed as the date for
starting. Mr.. Russell called in his partner
plains. Mr.. A. B. Miller, now prominent
citizen Of Denver, Col, for conference.
After informing Miller of what he had
done, Miller concurred in his opinion that
the feat could be performed by pony ex-
press. In order to accomplish this Miller
purchased 300 of the heetest horses he
could find in the west. and employed
to be post riders, and thsy were selected
with reference to their light weight and
their known bravery and courage. It was
very essential that the horses should be
loaded as light as possible; Therefore the
lighter the man the better. The rate of
hour, according to the smoothness of the
country. In the mountainous portions the
speed was often less than ten miles an hour.
The horses were stationed from ten to TWEEN
ty miles apart, and each rider was required
to ride sixty miles. For the change of ami
horse to another only two minutes were al
lowed. Where there were no regular stage
stations at the proper distances tents sutfi-
Gent te hold one man and two horses were
provided. Indians would sometimes give
chase to the express riders, but their COM
the chase after Miller's thoroughbreds,
many of which could run single mile in
1:52.
As may be supposed, the transmission of
the message over this line was effected at
no trifling cost, and only telegraph dis
patches were carried for a Time. Persons
who had occasion to avail themselves of its
convenience, made it point to study brew
ity of expression. A very'amusing incident
is told as having transpired in this connec-
tion. A man named Baldwin, the leading
theatrical manager of San Francisco. sent
the following dispatch to Artemus Ward, in
New York:
s'What will you take for forty nights?''
The great humorist, who never lost an
opportunity for a joke, promptly replied at
the expense of the manager:
Brandy and water"
Baldwin, it appears, had the good sense
to accept the joke, and by means of per-
ward effected mutually profitable engage
ment with the witty and jocose Artemus.
The Sd of April, 1860, came, and arrange
ments had been made for the starting of the
pony express. Several thousand people
conqregated in front of the Pixies Peak sta
BILE, where the start was to be made, and all
being anxious to secure memento of the
flying messenger, the little pony was almost
robbed of her tail. Jack Kelley and John
Fry were selected as the riders to alternate
between st. Joseph and Kennekuk. Kan,
which was the first station west. Kelley
- nlxoA I,1 u%o~ co Mi H.,
pony at signal given by firing a cannon a
mile away, he dashed off to the river. There
he found the ferryboat Gen. Gaines, with
steam up and the bell ringing, awaiting his
arrival. In few. moments he was landed
on the Kansas shore, and was soon speed
ing away to Kennekuk. a distance of forty
five miles, which he made in four hours
and fifteen minutes.
An express rider was started from San
Francisco with east-bound dispatches at
exactly the same time the messenger left
st. Joseph. He made his ride of twenty
miles in forty-nine minutes. The SHOWS
were deep in the mountains, and the rider
From Salt Lake valley all went well until
the Platte river was reached, at Julesburg,
Neb. The river was very high and running
rapidly, but the rider plunged his horse
into the flood, only to mire, however, in the
Gaicksand and drown. The courier sue
CoCOON III IchCAluS Gu6 buOIo "lUu lib mail
bag in hand, and travelled ten miles on foot
to reach the next relay.
When the last courier arrived at the sixty
mile post, out from st. Joseph, he was one
hour behind time. John Fray was to make
the finish of sixty miles, and he had six
hours with which to do it. heavy rain
had set in, and the roads were very slippery,
Two hundred thousand dollars might turn
upon single minute, and Fray had just
three hours and thirty minutes in which to
win. This was the finish of the largest race
and stake ever run in America. When the
time for his arrival was nearly up at least
600 people stood upon the river bank at
St. Joseph and watched tho Kansas shore
with eager eyes. The time was nearly up.
Only seven minutes remained. At that
moment John Trays horse dashed from the
thicket and ran on the ferry boat, winning
the wager of 500, 1000, and having five min
utes to spare.
The regular time table for the pony ex-
press from st. Joseph was:
Hours.
Marysville KAN. Observation-Disclosures. -
Fort kearney, Neb... ........................ ~
laramie, Wyo. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 50
nru9er, Mont. !oo
anp Iosu Gtih. '''''...'... 1 co
larson Slty Idaho. ........................ ioo
oeIse, Ne' 80
Sacramento, Cal. 232
san francisco, CAL. Observation-Disclosures. 2iO
The pony-express riders were the greatest
men IN the western country in those days,
and more to be admired than the president
OF the United States.