The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-17
PONY EXPRESSES BOLD RIDERS
OLD RECORDS MADE IN CARRYING
THE PACIFIC MAIL.
Cross-Contnen Racing Of q Half Century
Ago Recalled by tie Australian Mall
Experiment -ROniances OF the Pony
Express -HcroIsm Of the Mall Carriers.

nent record made by the Australian mail.
The old Indian fighter twisted his mustache
thoughtfully,
"There's something very fine about n
race like that" he said. Il never get used
to our fast trains. They are awesome things.
| take of my hat 10 them. But when you
want exciting stories OF Pacific mail you
must get hold Of some one who knew the
pony express. There was a mail service
for you.
Don't know much about 1t? Well. ! sup
pose not. II didn't last very long. and dow
East here you forget everything except
your family pedigrecs.
THE Indian troubles never seemed real
10 New Workers. They couldn't believe in an
Indian massacre later than the French and
Indian War. They heard about the indian
fighting out West, but they didn't take IL
seriously. We did, Good Lord it was serious
enough
The old mar lapsed into silence and sat
staring into the past, with a deep furrow
between his brows.
But about that pony express some
ono asked.
ooh, yes; the pony express. You men
aren't so young, hut dare say you were too
young TO know ANYTHING about those days.
save what you read.
-Iwasnt very old myself in 1859, but re-
member. / was in the midst Of things. That
makes a difference. I've picked up pony
messengers whore they fell with wounds
all over them and their ScalpS missing.
I've seen messenger stations after the
| Indiaus mad visited them and gone on. One
doesn't forget that sort of thing. knew
Aubrey. There was a mar for you.
There was another long silence. No one
| bLnl O., agk Questions The nll fiUltnr OH
jects 10 being prodded. He will tell his story
in his own way. if he tells IL at all. II he
doesn't care to talk, no amount OF question:
ing will stir him to "Reminiscences SO the
other men waited, and finally the Major
went on.
The overland stage had carried the
mail and express. Everybody knows a
good deal about the Overland's history.
II ran from ~. Joe to Sacramento and
! covered the 1000 miles in y-five days.
Taking everything into consideration.
J that was pretty fast travelling. Al first
the stage ran twice a month. Later 1t ran
daily.
I've made the trip and I got more for
nv money than ! did when ] came on from
san Francisco last winter on the fast mail.
The stations were from FIVE 10 ten miles
apart, accounting to the ground, and we
drove like Jehu, day and night.
"1hc driver didn't even leave his seat
al the stations. Horses were ready, the
change was made like lightning and on We
went. There were whippers ar outridors,
heavily armed. who helpei guard the coach
and lashed the horses 10 top speed
1T took steady nerves to enjoy that
travelling There was danger AT every
turn - hostile Indians. desperate road
agents, bad roads, swollen streams, biz
yards. " | We seen all that was left 81 a stage
and its load after the Indians had swoopet
down on IL. To this DAY the very sight
of an lnlun makes me 500" red The road
agents rUhhtd the coach, and perhaps the
driver ana guard were killed in the miN-up,
but they USUALLY left the passengers UNI
harmed.
"The stage drivers had enough 20 try
their nerves, hu' the pony messengers
had even a harder proposition. There
was need If faster mail and express service.
The Overland was too slow.
$50 the pony eNpress was organized for
the carving Of valuable light express,
money and special letters, and IL lowered
tho time record 10 eight days, In place II
the Ov"rland'- twenty-five" DAYS.
-On" pony express carry NJ %ldncoln'S
inaugural address was put through II seven
days and seventeen hour When You
think that that means miles nf hor-"-
back riding over the worst sort 81 country
and with Obstacles - every kind 10 lar
t'r way, % locke "a good deal Lk" a miracle,
ey"u from rlI- distance
There were 2U stations on the route,
and 100 rider IN the service. so other men
were cUplpvoi a. the -i1tioiS. tn" horses
used were Drpncs- ana every rider had 20
~ q bronco buster Of The finest sort. hui
bronco busting was the least 81 TIDE strains
pan h'- urrv"
Thu bronco wa led into the ward. blind
folded 4 blk Mexican saddle, made
.Ntra light Hrd fitted With p~rh'i- fur The
mail and aNrIr VH- -trsUIHd 90 him
Oulv .vruy-f." pounds ui matter was
carried and he rar,- wcr" high il5 for
every I,'',r voivllur hall au ounce
Whom lHo wniI Voc b. ,h" Pc, 80 N"