The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-26

''pony express" on April 3. 1850. The
facts and incidents connected with this
ride of 1000 miles to San Francisco form
3 most interesting chapter in the story Of
early western progress.
In 1859 St Joseph was the western ter
minus Of railroad communication. Be
yond the Missouri river the stagecoach
the saddle horse and the OK trains were
the only means of commerce and eommu
nication with the Rocky mountains and
the Pacific slope, across a space now tray
ersed by dozen yeStibucd trains daily
In the winter Of 1860 Wall street lob.
by was in Washington trying to get 50.
100000 for carrying the mails one year
between New York and san Francisco.
The proposition was nothing more or
less than an attempt 10 bunko the govern
ment. William II. Russell who was then
interested largely in frci-htiug business
on the plains backed by Floyd, the see
rotary Of war, resolved 10 give the .lhy
n cold shower bath. Russell offered ~
wager 100000 that he could put On a
mail line between san Francisco and 81.
Joseph that could make the distance,
1850 miles. in ten days. The wager was
accepted, and April :, 1850. was fixed
upon as the date for starting.
Mr.. Russell summoned his partner and
general manager of business on the plains.
A. b. Miller, for many years prominent
citizen of Denver, told what he had done
and asked if he could perform the feat.
Miller replied, Yes, I'll do it, and III DO
1t by pony express
To accomplish this service Miller bought
800 of the tlccte>t horses he could find in
the west and employed l25 brave and
hardy riders. These men were selected
with reference to their light weight and
courage. Ii was highly essential that the
horses should be loaded rs lightly rs pos
sihle, because some sections of the route
had to be covered at the rate of 20 miles
an hour
The horses were stationed from 10 to
20 miles apart and each rider was re-
CURED to ride GO miles. For each change
of animals and the transfer Of the United
States mails two minutes were allowed.
Where there We're no stage stations at
proper distances tents capable Of accom-
modating one man and two horses were
provided. Indians it was supposed.
would sometimes give chase. but their
cayuse ponies could make only sorry show
In pursuit of Mler'S thoroughbreds, many
of which could make Il mile in l minute
and 30 seconds.
All arrangements being completed for
this great undertaking. a signal gun on n
steamer at Sacramento proclaimed the
meridian of April s. 1860 the hour for
starting. At that signal Mr.. Mller's pri.
vate saddle horse, Border Rutiian. with a
brave rider in the saddle, bounded away
toward the foothills Of the Sierra Neva-
das. The first 20 miles were covered in
az minutes. and this feat was repeated
until the mountains We're reached The
SHOWS were deep in the mountains and
one rider was lost for several hours in a
snowstorm. After Salt Lake valley had
been reached additional speed became
necessary 10 reach st. Joseph in time.
From there on, however, all went well un-
I'll the Platte river was to be crossed at
Julesburg.
The stream was swollen and running
rapidly, but the horse plunged into the
Hood, only, however, to mirc in quicksand
and drown. The courier succeeded in
reaching the shore with his mail bag safe
and Travelled ten miles on foot to reach
the next relay. The journey from this
point 10 within go miles of St. Joseph
was made quickly and without incident.
Johnny Fry, popular rider Of lis day,
was TO make the finish. He had 60 miles
to ride with six horses upon which TO do
it When the last courier arrived at the
6O mile post ont from st. Joseph he was
one hour behind time. \ heavy rain had
set in and the roads were slippery.
The loss and gain of 100000 might
turn upon a single minute.
Fry had just > hours and 80 minutes in