The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-21
DAYS OF MAIL COACH
ROMANTIC PERIOD IT coUN.
 TRY's HISTORY ALMOST 4f5 FOR0O TEEN.
Vehicles Were an Important Factor in Western Development-Talss of Adventure on the Plains
 Mostly Fictitious-Horace Greeley's Famous Ride.

meht on one or the stOne-cOver0d p0rC- cos of the massive granite structure in which the general postofice department is located Is e venerable relic of the old-time Rocky mountain coaches, the wheeled mall carriers that in the sos and eos superseded the pony routes and the cool-headed and intrepid mail boys of those periods. The old vehicle is among the curios of the department Its dimensions are too great to admit of its presence within the museum of the of- flee and 1t has enjoyed an al fresco ex- istence.l therefore, in an entryway. This old pioneer among mail coaches has an eventful history. It was among the first to carry the mails over the Montana plains when that State was only terri tory within the nations domain the ser- vice then being conducted only once in a week. whereas now over the railroads 1t speeds to and fro four times per day. Even now it has not been long a veteran on the retired list. and up to a quarter of century ago carried the malls in some parts of the then far West. It was always more or less a target for the redskins. always on the alert for a lone- ly stage coach in a wild region. and In 1877 was captured by band of marau- ders, but was soon. after a hot pursuit. recaptured by a party of troopers un- der command of General Howard.
 Tenacious of Life.
 Even after the railroads were doing the bulk of the mail-carrying work on the plains and along the boundless west ern prairies this old coach had its uses. and some very distinguished passengers Garfield. before he became President, took a trip in 1t at one time while visit ing the western section of the country. and President Arthur. when he visited Montana fin 1888. committed himself to its tender mercies, and later on, in 1887. General Sherman made 1t his carriage of state, while he was on tour of inspec- ton among the forts and army stations of the West. Notwithstanding it's anti quity the reverend old traveller does not appear to be dilapidated or knocked out altogether. A little tinkering by a wheel wright and blacksmith might put 1t in shape for an emergency call. That. how ever would be showing gross disrespect for advanced age, and the old wagon will now for all time remain enrolled among the has beens."
 It is not to be supposed that stage mail routes in the Western country have been altogether dispensed with. In fact, there are many of them in operation at this very day at points not contiguous to the railroads, but the glamour and renown attached to them in the olden time has in a great measure vanished. Years ago the reports to Congress from the Postmaster General frequently con veyed information of the captures of coaches and the massacres of drivers and passengers on the overland routes by the Sioux, Comanches. Arapahoes and other tribes of Indians. On more than one occasion the service for the whole Pacific coast and the territories was obliged to be suspended and 1t became necessary to send the mails by sea from New York. In the long series of the Postmaster Generals reports filed among the archives of the department rather brief mention was made of the disturb ances. Usually the stages were guarded by a small contingent of soldiers, who generally drove the red rascals away, and frequently drivers. always faithful, fearless and energetic, and passengers as weil joined in lively skirmishes with their assailants. These were more apt to be detailed in war department re- ports.
 Robberies Were Rsre. Two-thirds of the grand and paculiar stories that have entertained 60 many folks, and particularly the youthful ele- ment, of attacks upon stage coaches by bandits or Indians have little or no part in the official records of the department. Tn many cases they are figments of the brain, though there have been cases where there has been a sufficient Quan- tity of adventure to make magnificent yarns of the dime novel order. It is de- lightfuI to read them, but when one goes into the ofiicial libraries for con- flrmation of them the quantity of chafR far exceeds that of the genuine grain in the unofficial stories. Indians were oftener inclined to attack the well-eQuip- ped emigrant wagons than they were the mail coaches in the service of the government. For all this. however. driv- CTS had to possess nerve In a superla- tive degree and passengers also were nervy. This was particularly so on the old California trail. reaching from Leav- enworth. Kan, to Sacramento. a stretch of 2,00O miles. Attacks on the coaches were frequently made and at one period of the service on this stretch of country before the completion of the Pacific Rail- road assaults were common. reaching a frequency of once @ week. Usually, as records show, the raiders were cOmpara- lively few and the soldiers accompanying the mail nearly always drove the marau- ders off. These. as 1t Is shown by of- ficial data. lessened as the operations of the Postofice Department became more rapid and extensive. and that condition became very prevalent in the early 50's California was then a State. but Oregon, Minnesota. New Mexico and Nebraska were in the list of territories.
 Western Bandits Gave Trouble.
 The many stories that from time to time are recorded among the annals of stage robberies in wild regions have more reference to the pale faced pirates of the plains, whose motives differ alto gether from those of the savages, than they have to Indians. The savaRes sought slaughter as well as plunder. The average bandit sought only plunder. With him the mail bag Is secondary con- sideration. Treasure boxes are his spe- cial demands, and why their enterprises have been more successful in the long run than the redskins is due to the fact that his prey-the stage coach-is 10 ssmp uI SD sIspIos 6q pspIBnS 1ou variably have been.
 Nearly every one can remember the great overland trip once made by Schuy- Ter colfax. who was Speaker of the House and afterward Vice President of the Unit ed States. It was a great trip and has become a part of the history of the dis- tinguished Indiana statesman. It was just at the point where the railroad ter minated, or rather what might not in- aptly be called the eastern section ofFtt temporarily terminated, and that long stretch across the plains until they met the western section of its building east ward. that had to be made by coach the coach that carried the mail-until they caught up with the projecting arm of the California railways at Placerville
 Rafore the n,rtv embarked on the four wheeled prairie schooner the news reach ed them ttnt or'" the day before the In-
 dians had 4t,a Srl the overland staga com lg rdst'i '' i''i'S was wei Da'-