The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-12

no trains out of San Francisco or Oakland.
Mr.. Banta estimated that the distance be-
tween Fresno and San FranclSco-zlO
miles via Gllroy and San josef DIVIDED
into relays, could be covered In aoout
eighteen hours. He had several thousand
| circulars printed. which were IIeoly uis-
tribuied in Fresno and surrounding
country. They read as follows:
The undersigned begs 10 announce to the
public that ne will establish messenger route
TO San Francisco on BICYCLES via Whites Bridge,
Pacheco Pass. GilrOy and San Jose. ualiy
service will be established between Fresno auu
San Francisco, beginning Saturday mornlng'
July z. 1894. The rate for letters 10 san fran"
cisco ana Intermediate points VIII be 20 cents:
All mail matter should be addressed TO street
and number and will be stamped and deposited
at the postotjcr at destination. All mail must
De left at 1870 Tulare street, not later tnan
~ p. NJ. TO insure delivery on he following day.
me San francisco headquarters Will be corner
Larkin and MeAllister streets, and San Jose
at Marr1got & Co.'s. Call or communicate with
ARTHUR e. BANTA.
Oftlces were also opened at Selma and
Fowler. and a bicycle messenger made
daily runs TO these towns.
AT nrst letters came in slowly. People
doubted whether the undertaking would
De successful. The idea of riding
bicycle over the mountains to San Fran
cisco. distance of more than 200 miles, In
one day seemed preposterous. But when
San francisco Office, on the morning Of
July 9 as follows: messenger arrived
with mail from Fresno S :45 this morning."
the people changed their minds and mail
began pouring in at the Fresh Office. The
mail mentioned in the telegram was a
package which left Fresno at A. NJ. Sum
day morning, July 8, and which was de-
layed near Giroy by the inner tube fn one
of the wheels giving out. The rider, now
ever, was fortunate In securing a convey
anee TO carry his wheel TO Gilroy, but less
fortunate on his own account, be was COM
PEELED to walk six miles. causing quite a
delay. But this was made up aud the re-
turn mail was rushed through to Fresno
the same day, arriving early the next
morning about 3o'clock. The men had rid
den all night, thu entire distance being
covered 10 eighteen hours from the time of
leaving San Francisco.
Only the best Of riders were employed.
and their names with their relays were as
follows: B. j. Treat of Fresno was as
signed TO the tWenty-mie ride between
Fresno and the Twenty-mile House; ID.
S. Gangbin of Sanger covered the twenty
miles between the Twenty-mile House and
Firebanghs; r. 0. Puryear of Fresno rode
the thirty-five miles between Firebanghs
and Los Banos; Arthur W. Drummond,
the twenty miles from Los BanOs to the
foot of the mountain, six miles beyond st.
Louis ranch; ". b. Atwater of Fresno,
the fifteen miles from the end or Drum
mond's relay to Bells Station; Joseph NJ.
Smith of Selma, the thrty-two miles be-
tween Bells Station and Madrone; George
ColQuhoun of Fresno, the thirty-elght
miles between Msdrone and Menlo Park.
and G. S. Shaffer made the final run OF
thirty miles from Menlo Park to San Fran
cisco.
Mr.. Sbaffer was specially selected for
this run because of his hard riding quail
ties. According TO the arrangements made
BY Mr.. Banta. Shaffer had TO make the run
tn San Francisco and the return trip to
Menlo Park without rest, as each man was
required to run to The north end of his
route with mail and wait for the return
matter. This gave Shaffer run OF sixty
miles without opportunity for rest.
The first mail left Fresno at 80 A. NJ.
July and was carried to San Jose by the
Fresno riders and thence to San francisco
by Mcfarland brothers of San Jose. On
July the regular riders were all in posi-
ton and III good condition, and thereafter
made their respective runs on Rood time,
the only delay being an occasional pune
tured tire. By the arrangements men
toned there was one mail per day each
way.
In case Of accident TO a wheel the men
were instructed to push ahead on foot.
while the next man was to wait a reason
able time for the rider to appear, then
push forward to meet him. BY this means
mucl valuable lime was saved.
Some idea of the Importance of this
service will be manifest when il Is stated
that by its means a very important legal
document was delivered with promptness
at San Francisco and recorded by the re-
cipient just in time to save the parties in
terested great expense; that by ITS means
there was delivered IN San francisco
letter containing draft for large sum
of money, the assessment of a fraternal
society of Fresno, which had to be in San
ance of the entire membership of the
Fresno lodge would have been jeopardized,
and that 1t also made it possible to send
| letters East and to Europe via San Fran
| cisco and the Canadian Pacific, as well as
TO all points with which San Francisco
! was In water communication.
The service continued in operation until
the 18th of July. when the raising of the
| blockade caused 1t to be withdrawn. Dur
ing the period it was in operation about
| $50 letters were carried, which brought its
originator an income OF sos so for an out
lay of S134 10. leaving him loser 10 the
extent of S25 30.
1t was not until the first mail had left
Fresno that the idea of issuing a stamp
was suggested TO Mr.. Banta. He then had
design engraved on a copper plate, from
which were printed nun Der of adhesive
labels. About 800 stamps were printed
before it was discovered that an error had
been made by the engraver in the spelling
of the word San Francisco. as follows,
'San Francisco" The IS" was then
touched up so as 10 resemble "c' and a