The herald., 1893-09-03
MUSTANG STAGE LINE.
PASSENGERS HAD TO CATCH THE
COACH ON THE FLY.
Mr.. Condee Drove Between San Ber-
nardfno and Temecula and Was
Bold Western
aAtA Wonder.

Condee when he lived in San Bernardo
no, long before he settled in Moreno"
said San Bernardino man. "He has
since acquired large land interests in
Moreno, and was recently elected county
clerk Of Riverside county. When first
knew Condee he was in the drug busi-
ness. Early in the 1908 he sold out, and
from that moment he was like fish out
of water. The Santa Fe had just fin
ished its line from San Diego to Temec-
ula caiion. As the line from Orange to
San Diego was not then projected there
was no communication between San
Bsrnardino and San Diego except by
team to Temecula and thence by rail to
San Diego.
"The general passenger agent OF the
Santa Fe advised Condee to put on
stage line from San Bernardino to Tenn
ecula. He thought 80 well of the matter
that he purchased secondhand stage.
just at this time Mexican came into
been lariated on the plains and never
The Mexican offered the band to Oondee
for $40 apiece. Thanking his lucky
stars for being able to get horses go
cheaply, Condee bought the whole outfit
and sent half of them to Box Syringe
station, where he proposed changing
horses. No one but Condee would have
had the nerve to attempt running stage
with such stock.
"The distance from San Bernardino to
Temeculs is 35 miles, and he made daily
trips, connecting with the II a. m. train
to San Diego and returning with the
passengers of the 8 p. m. train from San
Diego.
81 can tell you there was a circus
when Condee harnessed those mustangs
| for the fret time. He had six men to
help him. There was full load booked
for San Diego for the first trip. 0f
.----l- ---.--a-'A s4cen enough w nrLCn
up those mustangs and call round to the
notels Tor his passengers. He hitched
up couple of livery horses and gath
ered up his unsuspecting passengers,
then drove around to the livery stable
and changed horses. He had eight men
to help, two men to each horse, and be.
fore the passengers had chance to be.
come alarmed Condee snapped his whip
and the mustangs were off like q rocket.
He didn't pretend to be able to stop
them, 30 went by Box Springs, the half
way station, on the fly, BY the time he
reached Temecula, however, they were
pretty well Jagged and partially under
control. On the return he changed at
Box Springs and went clattering down
the canon at pace that made the pas.
sengers' hair stand on end.
"The ticket agents on the railroad
sold through tickets for Condee's stage,
He carried great many passengers and
was making money hand over fist. al
though never heard of passenger rid.
ing With him q second time If he could
help himself. Condee's success finally
resulted in an opposition stage line
being put on, and as he never dared to
stand in front OF the depot, hitched up.
the opposition had the advantage.
rode down with him one day to attend
to some business and he confided to me
his difficulties. The only thing that
saved him was the through tickets. The
opposition secured all OF the transients
and those who had failed to buy tickets
in San Diego. He said his mustangs
had become tame and he intended driv-
ing to the depot for his passengers, as
the other stage did.
"When the train came in, gathered
Condee's passengers together for him
and had them waiting on the platform.
We soon saw Condee bearing down on
the depot with his horses on dead run.
just before reaching the platform he
yelled out all aboard and of course we
expected him to stop, but he went by
like shot. He pulled his team around,
making great circle on the plain and
came bearing down on the depot, yell
ing all aboard at the top OF his voice as
he shot by again.
"All the passengers were eastern
people, and they were terrified at the
prospect OF riding behind such animals.
but there were no accommodations al
Temecula and the opposition stage had
pulled out. tried to reassure them bv
telling them that Condee was one Of
those eccentric, daredevil Californiana
and was only trying to strike ter
ror to our hearts, but he was in real
ity as gentle as a lamb. Somehow this
did not seem to calm them. After Con-
dee had swung around the circle several
times, yelling all aboard each time as
he went by, l felt satisfied that he
would never be able to stop the beasts.
80 told my fellow passengers that this
extraordinary man must expect us to
Jump on while the stage was in motion.
l went up the road away and when Con-
dee came tearing down again / jumped
on. We swung around the circle and
when Condee shouted 'all aboard an
other passenger made run anc caught
the stage. In this way he finally got
all of his load and we started for San
Bernardino, beating the opposition in.
"Condee was disgusted with his mus
tangs and, as he didn't think the busi- |
ness warranted purchasing new stock,
he abandoned the mustang stage line. +;
Wall Paper at Cost.