The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-02-21
OLD STAGEC0ACHES.
THE LINE THAT RAN BETWEEN KAN.
SAS AND CALIFORNIA.


The stage line between Atchison and
Placerville, Cal, which ran daily
coaches for about five years in 1S60-65,
was the finest ever known in the stage
coach business. In equipment no sim
ilar line could equal it, II was the
greatest stage line on tine globe, carry
ing passengers. mail ana express.
In 1SG4-GJ it cost more for meals be
tween Atchison and Denver than the
railroad fare now costs. with meals
added. The run from AtchiSon II
Denver is now made in something like
fifteen hours as against SIX days in the
stagecoach days. Al one time the fare
from Atch.son To Denver was $40; the
railroad fare at present is So. The
quickest time ever made 10y stage be-
tween Atehison and Denver was four
and a half days Ben Holiday, own
er Of the line. travelled by special
coaches from Placcrville. Cal. to Atch-
isou 2.O00 miles. i'm twelve days and
two hours. beating the regular daily
schedule five days. This fear cost Hol-
ladar 100000 but it was great ad-
vertiSement for his line. The stages.
when crowded. carried fifteen persons.
besides great quantities of mail and
express.
one Of the coaches used on the Ateh-
ison.Placerville line is now in the
Smiths man institution ar Washing
ton. After leaving Atchison il was
operated on the peadwood line and
was several times CAPTURED by Indians
and outlaws. once when captured by
outlaws il carried Saou00 In gold In
this attack three guards were Killed
Buffalo BIZ heard that the old coach
had been abandoned and went after it.
using il fur Years In his wild west
show. In London it carried the Prince
Of Wales. and alb tile tables of Eu-
rope examined ii with interest. on the
Fourth Of July. 1898. this famous Old
coach was exhibited with the wild
west show M Concord. \. H.. where it
was made. The owners AMI employees
Of the stacecoach factory gave the his
toric old stage great deal Of atten-
ton. ana i'm the parade il bore this
sign: "lSG3-Home Asain-1S95."
Including AtchiSon and placerville.
there were 153 stations on the line, the
longest in existence 19l3 niles. The
fare was So. or about - cents mile.
The stations We're from ten to fourteen
miles apart. Some days $1,000 was
taken in ut the stage office in Atchison
for fares alone Each passenger was
allowed twenty-five pounds of baggage:
each pound of excess cost 81. which
was the price for carrying express.
The fare 10 Denver during the war was
$l1j or - cents mile per passenger.
The stages We're nearly always crowd
ed. and passengers were often com
peeled to wait several days nj AtchiSon
before they could be accommodated.
y minister once refused to travel on
Sunday and abandoned his place. He
did not get n chance TO 60 until the
following sunday, and this time he con-
cluded that. under certain circumstan-
ces, travelling on Sunday was eXcuSa-
BILE. Sometimes passengers booked for
certain day sold out for bonus of
from so 10 500 and waited for later
stage.
The quickest route between New
York and San Francisco at that time
was by way of Atchison. The western
terminus Of the line was changed from
St. Joseph to Atchison on completion
of the Hannibal and ST. Joseph road to
this point, as Atchison was eight miles
nearer Placerville than St Joseph The
stage line raH little north of west
from Atchison. crossing the Big Blue
at Marysville, 100 miles west; thence
continuing in a northwesterly course
up the north side of the Little Blue
and over the divide into the Platte val
ley; thence by way of Fort Kearney,
Plum Creek and Julesberg to Denver.
The road between Atchison and Den
yer was in the form of crescent.
O'Fallon'S Bluff was 100 miles north of
Atchison and Denver. The easiest part
of the line was between AtchiSon and
Fort Kearney. The schedule time OF
the stages was four and a half miles
an hour. night and day. including stops.
Occasionally the drivers would make
fifteen miles an hour. and the passen-
gers thought it very fast. The express
messengers received $3.50 a month.
with free meals. and were compelled
to ride beside the driver six DAYS and
nights without rest. except as they
could sleep while the stage was in mo.
+io, r-i,o,- ,,o.,,f,-o.l q. L.. $500. - .;..,