The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
PROFITABLE STAGE LINES.
How the Companies Made Money in
the Days That Are Past.
Tacoma Ledger.

THE stagecoach days are about over in
Montana and Idaho" said S. F. Shannon at
the Tacoma last night. With the extern
sion of the Northern Pacific branch into
Lewiston, Ida, the little stage line into that
town will have to give way. There are but
three stage lines left in Montana, and it Is
only matter of time before they will be
gone. But those were great days when the
great Gilman aulsbury lines were operat-
ing in Montana, and Mr.. Shannon lapsed
into silence a moment as he thought of the
old days when he was auditor of that line,
stationed at Helena.
With the stagecoach lines from their in
fancy to their days of power, and then with
the railroad when it was finally completed
through to the Pacific, and now in other
business, to look back on those earlier and
at least equally happy days, has been Mr.
quanted with the heads of the Northern
Pacific, and was with that road long before
the present management came to the helm
He is a personal friend Of the old-time from
tiersman, and withal good business man
of the later days.
Staging now is not what it was in the
early days" he continued. THE trouble
now is that whenever a stage line begins
to pay railroad is built, and the stages
sections of the country. l took a ride up
through Okanogan county to the British
Columbia line a short time ago on the
stages in operation there, and it was one
of the worst experiences l ever had. The
stages are little more than mere wagons
not the easy going, six to twelve-horse
dations for any number up to thirty-six,
that we had in Montana. The roads are
bad, and one jolts along over the trails
expecting every minute that the next will
be his last and he arrives at his destination
thoroughly exhausted.
But in the old days we had stages.
Equipment is the word for their furnish
ings. They were as luxurious as ii was pos
sible to make them. They rode like rocking
chairs. On our lines running from Mandan
to Missoula. and from Corinne over in Ida
no TO Helena, by way of Deer Lodge the
coaches had accommodations for eighteen,
| twenty-f and thirty-six, and were drawn
] a matter of get there" with them. They
| had the mail contracts, and they were re-
| ceiving 1854 for every mile they carried 600
| pounds of baggage and $3.50 for each extra
! traffic, and that is what caused the star
| route investigation in 1884. The coaches
could carry 1000 pounds of express and the
| same amount of mail and baggage. be-
sides their passenger lists. They averaged
! eight and one-third miles over the entire
| distance, or nine and one-half miles actual
| and plains and in all kinds of weather.
| Our stages used to leave BoZeman in the
morning and arrive in Helena. ninety-eight
| miles away, in the evening.
| Montana was in its stage lines second
| only to California. There Will never be an
| other country such as those two for stage
! lines. The roads were all good and hard
through all kinds Of weather. and the horses
! could fairly fly There was money In stag
| ing then. The Gillman-Saulsbury Company
| is said to have made SIG 900 900 out of their
| stage lines. and / guess that is true. The
| mail contracts and the heavy passenger
! lists. to say nothing of the express, made
| divided with those in charge OF the mail
| contracts. and after the government had
| forced them TO give up part OF their steal
There were several hold-ups by road
| agents in those days. but. as far as car
remember. and was connected With the