, 1897-04-24
FRONTIER
T

Residents OF Colorado and the great
plains region of today, even the Oldest
OF them, have almost forgotten the story
Of the pony express, although a few Of
the original riders are still among US.
In the winter Of 1S59-60, Senator Will
lam M. Gwin Of California, Alexander
Majors of this city and Daniel E.
Phelps, who had been managing one of
the stage coach lines across the country
for several years at good profit, met at
Washington, and receiving assurance
from the business men Of New York and
Boston and the United States govern
ment officials that a fast express line
from the Missouri river to California
would be patronized by them they do
cided upon a pony express.
A company was Immediately incor-
pornted, in spite OF the ridicule that
many plainsmen cast upon the enter
prise for. its lack of practical sense. For
a few weeks the company did nothing
toward carrying it's plan into execution
because of a fear that it was, perhaps,
too bold, after all. In May, however,
Senator Gwin and Alexander Majors
furnished the capital and issued orders
to start the enterprise at once. Agents
were sent out to buy along the frontier
and in Texas 600 broncos, combining
feetness, toughnes and endurance, and
the animals were bought and ready by
September. Seventy-five men were en-
gagged as riders. None of the riders
weighed more than LILO pounds, and few
more thar 100 pounds. They were Sc
lected from among several hundred
young men on the. plains on account Of
their intrepid bravery, capacity to suf-
fer long privations from food and drink,
and ability to ride in the saddle for $50
or 200 miles at a stretch without rest
when necessary.
They were chosen also for their shoot
ing ability and their knowledge OF the
craft and mode Of attack Of Indians. The
pay was fixed at $125 a month, but a
few riders like Buffalo Bill and Dan
Westcott, who were assigned to ride
through regions infested by the Com
manches. Arapahoes and Cheyennes. the
most feared savages Of the plains Of
Colorado and Nebraska in those days,
got $3.50 for their extra hard riding and
for taking their lives in their hands al
los daily. Relay stations were estab-
lished along the 1000 miles trail from
the Missouri river. and broncos and sew
eral men, all equipped with rifles and
pistols. were stationed at each. Between
Salt Lake City and Sacramento. where
the trails were even more lonely than
on the great plains and where very hos
tile savages were numerous in the nj
tain canons and the foothills of the Sier-
ra Nevada range. relay stations were
established every 40 miles.
Nearly a year a occupied and many
thousands Of dollars were spent in get
ting ready for the fast pony express
line. The trial trip started from Sacra-
mento on April Bird, 1860, and St. Joe
was reached in 11k days. When the
first transcontinental telegraph went in
to operation in June. 1862, the pony ex-
press came to an end, and seven years
later the first transcontinental railroad
system wac finished connecting the
oceans. The pony express was a finan-
cial success. Nothing showed congress
and the capitalists more clearly the ex-
traordinary demand there was for quick
communication across the plains. and
the profit there would be in transconti-
mental telegraphs and railroads to inves-
tors and projectors.