Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-12-30
A LETTER FROM "PONY.
Re Likes the Idea Of Having "Hankn
Monks stage Kun 10 the Midwinter
CoMo, Dec. q, 1893.

Como, Dec. II, 1898.
ED. TIMEs:-I have seen in sew.
eral papers that it is proposed to take
the old stage in which the founder
of the N. Y. Tribune was whirled
over the Sierras by Hank" Monk
to the '49 camp at the Midwfnter
Fair to be driven by Doc Benton of
Carson City. The proposition is a
good one. 1t would add largely to
the attractions of the '49 camp.
That old stage is historic outside
of the fame given it by the Greedy
trip overFthe mountains for Hank"
afterward became a part owner of
the same old coach. 1t came about
in this way. Mr.. Chorpening for
whom blank" drove Mt the time of
the "Greely ride" had the contract
to carry the U. S. mail between
Salt Lake and Sacramento and be-
came so much involved that ilis
property was being attached and
Mart Smith, Chorpening's agent for
this end ofthe route advised Hank"
to make his salary secure by secret.
ing some of the stage property.
Hank" acted on the advice and
hitched up two of the stages In
Guiding the historic one and drove
them across Van Sickles ranch aud
the Carson river just above Genoa,
dismantled and secreted them in
tules and turned the horses loose,
and by so doing secured his back
wages
Hank" made another famous
trip over the mountains in 1863 or
.64, taking over a load of Comstock
magnates from Virginia City. They
chartered a special coach from
Wells, Fargo & Co., who then own
ed the line, with, of course, the stip-
ulation that blank" was to drive.
So well satisfied were they with his
driving that they presented him
with a 1900 watch and a gold
mounted six-horse stage whip. He
was very proud OF his trophies
though they were seldom seen save
by his intimate friends. If Doc.
Benton drives the old coach over
the mountains and into the 40 CAM
Of the Midwinter Fair he will doubt
less use the gold mounted whip for
"Hank" told the writer short time
before he died that the watch and
whip were for Doc. Benton and his
wife. They were his true friends. to
the last and staid by him until THE
bake finally slipped from his grasp.
Mart Smith spoken of above as
the stage agent ought to go over
with Doc and the old stage, foFshe
was on the box with Hank" when
the great editor took his famous
ride, and Mr., Greeley was the only
passenger.
Hank" acknowledged that
Mart's presence probably prevented
serious mishap for as they were
descending steep grade trace on
one of the wheels became unhitched
and was dangling around his legs.
In moment every one of those
wild mustangs was doing his very
best to get away from that particular
spot. At the foot of the grade a
short turn to the left. took them on
to the bridge which SPAWNED the
south fork of the American river,
while off of the road to the right,
was a fiat covered with heavy tim
Der. The horses were running
away and no human power at hand
could stop them on that down grade.
"Will you try to make the turn"
asked Mart. No" said Hank, p
Il am going to steer them for that
timber, and if l can skip the trees,
We are all right and If l don't it is
better than the river. He skipped
the trees and by the time Horace
got his head out to make inquiries,
Smith had the trace hitched and
they were ready to commence MAX
ing time again, and their passenger
never knew but the ride through
that grove was the correct;thing.
Well, at that time, it certainly was.
PoNY..
A sad Death.