Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-12-07
The Overland was too

press service. The Overland was too
slow.
$50 the pony express was organized
for the carrying Of valuable light ex-
press, money and special letters, and it
lowered the time record to eight days,
in place Of the Overland's rs days.
Zone pony express carrying Lincoln's
inaugural address was put through in
seven days and seventeen hours. When
you think that that means 1000 miles Of
horseback riding over the worst sort Of
country and with obstacles Of every
kind to bar the way. 1t looks a good
tance.
There were 200 stations on the route,
and 100 riders in the service; 500 other
men were employed at the stations.
The horses used were broncos and
every rider had to be a bronco buster
Of the finest sort; but bronco buster
was the least Of the strains upon his
nerve.
1.-THE bronco was led into the yard
blindfolded. A big Mexican saddle
made extra light and fitted with pock-
cts for the mail and express, was strap
ped on him. Only rs pounds Of matter
was carried and the rates were high
SIS for every letter weighing half an
ounce.
when the mail was in the pockets
| the rider sprang into the saddle, the
| bandage was jerked off the horses
eyes, and for few minutes there was
a lively bucking seance. Then the
bronco started off on a dead run, and
he kept that run up until he reached
the first station, where the rider sprang
on fresh horse and tore along.
"The runs were only about 10 or 12
miles; but q horse always reached the
station dead beat and exhausted. The
riders knew what horse could stand
and ran each one 20 his limit, hus-
banding his strength to make him last
the distance.
stretch and it was wild riding. The
messenger was absolutely alone, fol-
lowing perilous trail, at top speed,
day and night, through the widest Of
country.
ANY rock or tree might hide an enc
my. Any ravine might shelter a band
Of Indians. The rotting wheels and
bleaching bones scattered along the
road told stories that were not reas-
suring.
There were streams almost impos-
sible to swim. There was the desert
heat and drought and mirage madness
In summer, and the blizzard in winter.
"Snow fell steadily, hour after hour,
hiding all trace Of the trail, and the
messenger plunged along through the
storm. trusting to the instinct of his
pony and his own craft. There wasn't
any going back or sheltering. The
mail was to 60 through on schedule
time.
1T was common enough thing for
messenger and pony to ride of a preci-
pice in the binding storm. Sometimes
they fell on soft snow, piled in the
ravine below and were not hurt.
There were scores Of escapes fairly
miraculous. Sometimes no one knew
what had become Of the messenger un-
til the searchers found him and his
pony buried in the snow.
Several times the pony in his plung-
ing after the fall broke the riders arm
or legs. One man rode into a station
after such an experience with his hip
dislocated and one arm broken; but
with the mail safe.
The Indians got a number Of the
boys; but the latter died game, and a
good many Of the messengers led the
Indians wild chases and came out all
right after hairbreadth escapes. You
see, a messenger would leave the trail
to avoid Indians, and then he had the
DEVILS own time hiding among the
mountains, starving, desperate, expect
face peering at him, or get an arrow
in the back and feel the scalping knife
run around his head.
IT wonder whether there would be
men of this generation to take the job.
We've become what Jim Bridger used
to call too doggone civilized fer
grit
did I ever tell you about Bridger?
Oh, we'll, he wasn't pony messenger,
and never knew him myself; but he
was great old fellow. I'd like to write
a story Of the scouts. Nobody has
ever done them justice.
But coming back to the express bus
mess there was Aubrey. He was what
nowadays you'd call the real thing.
He started out with the mail one night,
and when he reached the end Of his
ride, found the man who was to take
his place had been killed by Indians
and the country ahead was swarming
with Indians on the warpath.
He was pretty we'll used up after his
go mile run; but he shifted the mail to
a fresh horse, mounted and went
ahead, leading an extra horse. He
knew there was little or no chance of
his striking the next few stations for
he couldn't keep to the road, and then
the probabilities were that the Indians
had already wiped out the stations.
$50 he struck off the trail and made
his way ahead as best he could, al
most stumbling over bands Of Indians
time after time, hiding and holding
his breath to let the red devils pass