Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1902-08-01
Stage Coach Days in the West,


Holladay stage line which ran be-
tween the Missouri river aud Cal
ifornia:
The stage line between Atchison
and Placerville, Cal, which ran
daily coaches for about five years,
in 1860 5, WAS the finest ever known
in the stage coach business. In
equipment no similar line could
equal it. It was the greatest stage
line On the globe, carrying passen-
gers, mail and express.
In lS64-5 IL cost more for meals
between Atchison and Denver than
the railroad fare now costs, with
meals added The run from Atch-
ison to Denver is now made In
something like fifteen hours, as
against ak days in the stage coach
days. At one time, fare from AT
Gibson to Denver WAS $40; the
railroad fare At present IL $l5. The
quickest time ever made by stage
between AtchieI n and Denver was
four and half days, Ben Holla-
day, owner OF the line, travelled by
special coach from Pacerville, Gal
to Atchlscn. 10000 miles, in twelve
days and two hours, beating the
regular daily schedule five days
This feat cost Holladay $2O,00O
but il was a great advertisement
for his line. Tho stages, when
crowded, carried fifteen persons
beeidee great quantities OF mail and
express.
One OF the coaches used on thu
Atchison Placeryille line IL now IL
the Smithsonian Institution Al
Washington. After leaving Atch
ison, IT was operated on the Dead
wood line and was several timeI
captured by Indians and outlaws
Once when captured by outlaws i
carried 100000 in gold. In thu
attack, three guards were killed
Bnflalo Bill heard that the old coacl
had been abandoned and went afte
it, using 1t for years II his Will
West show. In London II carll,
the Prince of Wales, ard all tn
notablee Of Europe have examiner
il with interest. On the Fourth o
July, 1895, this famous old conc
was exhibited with the Wild Wet
show at Concord, N. H., where
wae made. The owners and en-
ployes OF the stage coach factor
gave the historic old stage u greu
deal OF attention, and in the pnrad
it bore this eigu: 1868 Hon
Again = 1896" Another one OF I'll
old coaches is owned by j S!erlin
Morton, at Nebraska City, and NJ
other ia owned at Topeka, where
ia sill IN use for tally ho purpose
Including Atchisop and Placer
vile, there were $50 stations G
the line, he lonpest in existeUt
(l,9l3 miles The fare was W.
or about - cents "a mile. The stl
tioIs were from ten 10 fourtfe
miles apart. Some dnys 500
, were taken in at the stage Office
! Aichisnn for inrea alone. Enc
: passenger was allowed twenty-h'
!, ponds of .baQRage; each pont
!, OF excess cost 81. which was Il
price for carrying express ~
fare to Denver during the war vi
$J75, or % cents per mile per pa
senger. The stages were near
always crowded aud passenRe
y we're often compelled to wait seye
al days at Atchieon before th'
could be accommodated A mini
ter once refused to travel on Su
dny, and abandoned his place. |
:. did not get a chance to 60 unl
the following Sunday. and th
] time he conclnd q that, under CT
\ tain circumstances. travelling {
: Sunday was excusable. Som
TINES ppssfgeas booked Tor a CO
tain day sold out for n bonus
= from $50 to $50, and waited for
later stage.
The quickest route between Ne
York aud San Francisco at th
time Was by way of Atchison. II