Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-05-29

| pllshment WAS one or the mafvelb OF tn
lime. The Pony exprvss route had IL
beginning ut st. Joe, Missouri, In tb
East, anu II ended In the West wher'
the Pacific ocean prevented Its turtle
| extension. Arrange ments had beef
J made with the railroaus to carry tn,
I dispatches rom New YORK, Washit q
| ton ala other eastern points Il
| st. Joe, where they were tskei
! from the Iron horse and transferred
to the real one--io the one that wa
mans faithful irlepd end servant
thousands OF years before the NOR,
ropid and powerful one was evei
dreamed OF.
HORSE TAIL SOUVENIRS.
"When the train arrived at 81. JOS
1t would be 10 find one OF these pOnIe:
sadoled, brldied, mounted nnJ reaO y
TO make tue first lap In the trenBopntI.
mental relay. Not moment was lost.
The inhtant the precious pouches
that were TO be borne away with tb.
speed OF the wiud could be thrown ON
the pony's back he would be started
of. First OF all he would bp
taken across the Missouri on u
Jerry boat. The second the
Wcslciu OHuh WE IchtHuu tuc IiutI
would put spurs TO hie steet and be
Oft. The excitement, enthusiasm and
cheers on some OF these occas ons
were wonderful. The bysianuers aud
passengers would rush like people
pUssessod to where Tho poor pony wac,
pull the hair from his tail and dis
rinute 1t 10 souvenirs among the
CT WI.
"ihc limit for any one pony to osi-
ry, In addition 10 the rider, saddle anu
nIacheers, was sixteen pounds. The
macheers consisted uf sort OF leather
blanket with holes cut In for the horn
ana tree OF the saddle to come through
when thrown over. Attached to
the mncheers were four leather
pouches or pockets for the dil-
patches, two on either side, on,
riders leg In each case. The mes.
sages Were written on the Iightest and
thinntst Tissue paper and sealed In
silk Wrappers, aud then locked SECURE
ly in the mncheer pouches, all tnis
urecsutiOn being taken ON account OF
lhe heavy rains that fell anu the rivers
and creeks that hal to be forded. The
packages were absolutely water pro u.
AaANp W PShShNo
affairs and the brass locks that hell
them iaet were only opened at eacn end
OF the route. The fourth one was soft
of accommodation or way pouch for
when each stationkeeper had key.
This pocket als1 contained the wsy
bill OF time card ON which tho station
keeper was required 10 write the exact
lime OF the arrival and departure o
the rider. Each rider would cover
rom i0fiy 10 seventy miles, aud in
that distance would use from two to
four horses, which were always pressed
TO their luil power. These animals
were mainly UIah an 1 Caiifor Ia b cd
aud noted Tor their endurance and gem
eral oussednets. But under oil the
circumstances they might have been
worse. They were purchased Tor their
melIle aud get thsre qualities, both OF
which they possessed IN nigh degree.
AWE STRUCK INDIANS.
"a great deal has been said, doctor,
regaroit q the fabulous salaries said to
have been paid toe daring riders OF
these poHies on account al the harr-
ships they were compelled to endure
a1d the dangers they hat to run TO
keep from being killed by the Indians
what do you know OF this2"
"5imply that 1t 10 oil moonsbipe
taib," replied the doctor. "rhey are
like the wild romantic tales told ami
written about scores of the riders bt-
ing misses cred. The iaet Is that one
and only one Pony Express rider was
ever killed en- route ny Indians In am
bush. He was snot OF his horse on the
Platte. Poor chap. his scalped body was
picked up and buried near 10 where he
gave up hie life. The pony was found
three or four days Afterwards grazing
along the river bottoms, still esddleI
and bridled and with all dispatches
undisturbed. They were transferred
to another horse anu sent on 10 their
destination. 1t ID q fact that u gool
many riders anu station men were
killed ut different times at the stations,
but not while travelling. 1t was q
st' uge and notable truth that the Iu-
dis .s often stood by anu looked with
wonder upon the daring riders anu
almost flying horses. There was
a mystery about it-somelhing
they admit quito undeIstand, and
the Indian, full OF euperstiti,us fear as
he always IL, had DO desire to solve Il.
Again every frontiermsu knows the
dread an lndianhas OF destroying any
thing In the shape OF writing.
proved this once 10 the extent OF
saving my own life and 1 know OF
numerous other such incidents. II
was this suLerstitious something that
protected the brave mail carriers from
the bullets and arrows OF scalp hunt
ing, blood thirsty Indians. Then
again the boys were we'll armed and
could take pretty good caro- OF them
aelves. Tins was seldom lost In their
travelling. Station keepers anu fresh
riders were always on tho leok-
cut for them. In the daytime
they could be seen at u considerable
distance and In the pisht few vel
Enown yells would bring everything
into readiness for them and Tor the
continuance Of the dispatches on their
way with the least y yssible loss oi time.
While one tier OF riders was crossIn1
the continent from Missouri 10 CALI
fornia another was crossing from Gal
fornia TO Missouri.
VENTURE WAS A MONEY LOSS
"As financial enterprise the Pony
Express wss failure, anu a big one
Notwithstanding lhat the charges for
uansmitiing newa were very high, be.
ipg av much us IS Tor half an on nee.
fhe loss TO the pTomot, rs exceeded
500, 900. But as "a news anu iniorma.
t,Un distributing medium 1t was The
biggest Kind OF success and viii
8 me day be given ID prominent anu
a. m p Ial ttNNf ha., lat