Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-03
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Grated by the firm OF Majors Russell
& Waddell. But up 20 1853 mail from
the Atlantic seaboard was carried by
steamer to the lsthmus Of Panama. ana
then by steamer again up the western
coast, and at the least the trip re
quired twenty-five days. Senator Gwln
OF California believed that the estab-
lishment OF the overland express would
lead TO increased immigration, and nm
ally lead TO the building Of railroad and
telegraph lines, which II did. Senator
Gwin. II might be said In passing, sub
sequently Joined Macmillan, was made
duke OF Sonora" and has since been
known in history az Duke Gwln.' He
persuaded Colonel Majors and his part
ners to start the pony express, and
Colonel Majors al that time became the
virtual head Of the Overland freight,
Overland stage line and pony express.
Up To that time the fastest time ever
made by news from the Missouri river
to San Francisco was twenty-one days.
The pony express curtailed this to ten
days, taking dispatches from the wires
az st. Joseph Mo-, and carrying them
the rest Of the way on horseback. The
route was divided into 100 stations, and
600 horses and $50 men were required
for the work. Eighty Of these men act
ed as riders.
The riders were all old plalnsmen and
scouts, brave and daring, and the story
Of the pony express is one OF thrilling
adventure. Two hundred and fifty miles
a day was made by the express, and
none OF the riders carried an extra
ounce Of weight. The horses were why
mustangs used TO the trail. full Of en-
durance. and as sure-footed as mount
ain goats. The trail was infested with
road agents" and with Indians who
thought no more Of scalping rider
than Of shooting buffalo. The ex-
pressman carried his dispatches In a
case and bundle OF 100 made pack
ct no larger than the ordinary writing
tablet. Each dispatch was written on
the thlnnest Of tissue paper for the
rates OF carriage were 50 a half ounce,
and no letter was carried for less than
IS. Only correspondence requiring IN
most rapid transit possible went by
pony express" In addition to his
packet OF letters an expressman carried
two mail pouches, not exceeding TWEEN
ty pounds in weight, for the New York
newspapers early utilized the pony ex-
press. Special editions OF the papers
were printed on tissue paper, and there
was great rivalry to get them through
by early riders.
The packets inside the mail pounches
were covered with oiled silk 10 protect
them further from the weather were
sealed, and not opened between st. Jo-
seph and San Francisco. The whole
country was wrought up by stories OF
the unparalleled speed Of the express
through Fort kearney, Fort Laramie,
Salt Lake City, the route lay over
sand, over snow, a stretch Of 1000 va
riegated miles.
Verify" said a newspaper OF the
day, "the riding Is like the riding Of
Jehu, the son OF Nismi, for he rideth
furiously. Take out your watch. We
are eight days from New York. eight
cen from London. The race is 10 the
swift"
Each rider made an average OF thir-
ty-three and one-third miles In a day,
riding at gollop changing horses In
two minutes at each station, and dash
ing away again. Sometimes emergen-
cies came up and then an express made
two and three. and even as high as
ten, regular runs. For example, one
summer day IN 1860 an important gov
eminent disupatch for the Pacific coast
was brought into Midway station in
Western Nebraska. Ii was necessary
TO forge ahead with It to Julesburg by
special messenger.
Jim" Moore, one OF the riders, mount
ed the pony and galloped off, riding the
l40 miles without rest. except 70 change
his mount at the ten-mlle stations. At
Julesburg he found another important
for Washington. The messen-
ger who should have carried the east