The morning call., 1894-06-26
EARLY STAGING.
"reminiscences of Pioneer
Driver Miller.
He Was on the Box for Years, but
Was Never Robbed of a Dollar
of WeIls-Fargo's Money.

''There is quite a difference between
staging in the early days of the State and
now," said William Miller, the owner OF
the stage line running from CaZadero to
Ukiah. during conversation with CALL
re porter last evening.
Mr.. Miller was speaking of the days
before the rumble of caT-wheels was heard
through the valleys or the shrek of the
locomotive whistle aroused weird echoes
among the mountains. AS one of the
oldest stage-drivers in the State Mr.. Miller
is good authority on "reminiscences of that
kind.
"Not that mean to say" ontinued the
old veteran of the ribbons, that there
ISN'T certain amount of danger connected
with it, and. possibly, even better chance
of being stood up by highwaymen. but
there was a romantic tinge TO the life in
t be old times which is now lacking. The
roads then were rougher and our way led
through wild and desOlate places of which
there are very few left, even in the most
out-Of-the-way sections.
Then again. the class of passengers
was different. We had no nattily dressed
tourists with band-boxes and fishing and
hunting parapheInalia. The men who
rode with US were the rough men of rough
lllncS. mOSEl1 UIEt DlumUy lbllOWS.
hearted, rough and ready and sOeiable, or
prepared TO fight whenever the occasion
might require.
when L came here from Boston in 1854,
drfted about biz, and finally went into
the service of Charles Mclaughlin, the
man who was afterward killed by Jerome
Cox. lie was the owner Of the longest
stage line in California at that time. 1t
ran with relays from San Jose to Los An
geles. There was also a branch running
from Oakland TO San Jose through Mis-
sion San Jose and Warm Springs. b. F.
Mann was the general superintendent. He
died in Oakland three or four years ago.
My run was from point sixty miles this
side of San Luis ObispO TO that place, and
the travel was considerable, being mostly
made up of miners gong south and men
who had business interests along the route.
The drivers along that route were a
jolly lot of good fellows, and were the best
drivers that ever sat on box. Some of
them are dead, but there are many still in
service. There were Andy Horn. who
is driving one OF my stages in Mendocino
now, JIe DunniDg, Jack Mills, Johnny
Griffin, 'Buckskin Bob Rowell, Webster
and Tiiton.
'Along the route were many nasty
places. but they whirled their six horses
along at make or break speed, and acci-
dents were as scarce as oranges in
Alaska"
Did you everihave any standupsP"
Not any successful ones. In all the
them can say that never lost dollar OF
Wells-Fargo's money, and I've carried
more of their millions than any other
stages. That is something which 1 can't
help feeling pleased about" added Mr..
Miller, with pardonabe pride.
81 remember once. in a lonely Coast
Range canyon through which the road
wound" he continued, i've had little
experience that was thrilling for the mo-
ment. 1t was about 10 O'clock aud moon
light night. | was just putting the horses
through. The stage was full of passengers
and there was heavy treasure-5ox.
Just as | got around bend in the road
L saw figure of a man on horseback
standing by the side CT the road. He
yelled to stop, and | saw a gun-barrel
gleam in the moonlight. The horses were
going at a speed that might be called
knock. and l just made up my mind to
take the chance of getting through. l saw
the gun raised to the fellows shoulder as
we approached. | had my long whip in
my hand, and with a desperation born of
peril Of the moment made vicious swipe
at him.
81 don't know how it occurred, but the
lash wound Itself around the gun, and as
we dashed by the whip was drawn taut,
and L knew 1t had caught, SO held fast. |
was nearly pulled out OF the seat, but the
gun was dragged from the robbers hand
and fell TO the ground, al the same time it
was discharged by the shock. 1t ratified
along the road for quite distance before
the whiplasn unwound itself. l don't know
what the highwayman thought, but II bet
be was surprised.
After several years of service on the
San Luis Oblspo division was transferred
TO the Oakland route. and drove the
last stage which ran south to San Jose.
The Western road. over which the fatal
feud between Cox and Mclaughlin began,
was completed, and there was no more
need for q stage. While the road was
building the stage route was shortened as
the track was extended"
The veteran stage drivers next expert
ence was In Colusa County, where for
years he drove stages, ard owned them as
we'll, over the road between Marysville
and COlusa. He was a familiar hgure
around Bartlett Springs for years, where
he ran the stage line when the road there
was as rough as the famous rocky avenue
to Dublin.
In later years he has owned stages run
ming through Mendocino and Sonoma
counties, and Is now preparing for the ex-
tension Of his line from Ukiah TO Grim
wood, distance of fifty miles.
During his long and varied career he has
won quite reputation as an opposition
driver. On account of his experience and
popularity he has never failed TO come out
victor In an opposition fight. Though past
the prime of life Mr.. Miller is still hale
and hearty. and can even now mount the
box and handle six horses with the most
expert drivers. Whenever he comes TO
town IL Is his delight TO meet a coterie of
Old-timers like himself and swap reminis-
cences Of pioneer staging.