The Tucson citizen., 1902-04-15
OLD STAGECOACHES.
THE LINE THAT RAN BETWEEN KAN
sAS AND CALIFORNIA.

i
and seats often Brought BAG
Bonun-HOw One Load of PnSSen-
gers Amused Themselves.
The stage line between Atchison and
Placervilc, Cal, which ran daily
eoaches for about FIVE years in lS6O-Oo'
was the finest ever known In the stage
coach business. In equipment no sim
liar line could equal 1t. 1t was the
greatest stage line on the globe, carry
ing passengers, mail and express.
In 1SG4-G5 1t cost more for meals be-
tween AtchisOn and Denver than the
railroad fare now costs, with meals
added. The run from Atchison 10
Denver is now made In something ike
fifteen hours as against six days In the
staRecoach days. At one time the rare
from Atchison to Denver was $lIo; the
railroad fare ut present Is SID Inc
ouickest time ever made by stage be-
tween Atchison and Denver was four
and n half days. Ben Holiday, own
or of the line, Travelled by special
ison. 1000 miles, in twelve days ana
two hours, beating the regular daily
schedule five days. This feat cost Hoi-
Iaday $4,000, but it was great ad-
yertisement for his line, The stages,
when crowded, carried fifteen persons,
besides great quantities or mail ana
express,
One of the coaches used on the Atch-
ison Placervile line is now In the
Smithsonian institution at Washing
ton. After leaving Atchson it was
operated on the Deadweod line ana
was several times captured by Indians
aud outlaws. Orce when captured by
outlaws 1t carried 100000 in gold. In
this attack three guards were killed.
Buffalo Bill heard that the old coach
had been abandoned and went after 1t.
using it fol years in his wild west
show. In London 1t carried the Prince
Of Wales, and all the notables of Eu-
roDe examined 1t with interest. On the
Fourth Of July. 1895, this famous old
coach was exhibited with the wild
west show at Concord. N. H.. where 1t
was made The owners and employees
Of the stagecoach factory gave the his
toric old stage great deal OF atten-
ton, and In the parade 1t bore this
sign: 1853 Home Agaln-1S95."
Including Atchison and Placerville,
there were 153 stations on the line, the
longest IN existence 0.913 milesk The
fare was 1925, or about 10 cents mile
The stations were from ten TO fourteen
miles apart. Some days $1,000 was
taken in at 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 to Denver during the war was
SlT5. or 27 cents a mile per passenger.
The stages were nearly always crowd
ed. and passengers were often COM
PEELED to wait several days at Atchison
before they could be accommodated.
4 minister once refused TO travel on
Sunday and abandoned his place. He
did not get a chance TO go until the
following Sunday. and this time he con
'luded that. under certain circumStan-
'es. travelling on Sunday was excusa-
Die. Sometimes passengers booked for
certain day sold out for bonus of
rom 500 10 $50 and waited for later
stage.
The quickest route between New
ork and San Francisco at that time
vas hy way or Atchison. The western
"rninus OF the line was changed from
Il. Joseph 10 AtchIson on completion
t the IlaunibaI and st. Joseph road to
his point, as Atchson was eight miles
cartI Placcrville than ST. Joseph. The
tagc line ran a little north OF west
rom Atchison, crossing the Big Blue
/ MarysviIle. 100 miles west; thence
outlining In northwestcrly course
!. the north side OF the Little Blue
I'd over the divide into the Platte val
y; thence by way of Fort kearney,
'lurn Creek and Julesberg to Denver.
he road between Atchison and Den
er was i'll the form of crescent.
J 'Fal,on's Bluff was 100 miles north of
.tclison and Denver. The easiest part
t the line was between Atchison and
'ort keagney. The schedule time. OF
he stages was four and half miles
n hour, night and day. including stops
occasionally the drivers would make
ftecn miles an hour. and the pasSen-
crs thought it very fast. The express
messengers received $3.50 month
vith free meals, and were compelled
o ride beside the driver six days ana
lights without rcst, except as they
ould sleep Willie the stage was in mo ,
ion. They received lay over of nine
lays every three weeks. ON going to I
'od after a trip thcy frequently slept