Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-11-11

pounds; but this weight was rarely
reached. 1t was carried in peculiar
leather arrangement, which fitted
closely down on the saddle, with Sits
made to fit over the horn and tree OF
the saddles, which were all alike. On
this were four leather pockets, two OH
each side, one in front and one behind
the riders legs. All were locked. One
was for way-mail, to which each sta
tion.keeper had key, and in which
was way-bill. on which the time Of
arrival and departure wer e recorded.
The other three could be opened only
at military posts, and at Salt Lake
City. This quadruplex saddle bag was
transferred from horse to horse, and
from rider to rider, along the entire
route, until it reached the other end
of the line.
Everybody knows that the present
rate Of letter postage is two cents " for
each ounce, or fraction thereof" The
rate at first by the Pony Express was
IS per half ounce. AS a consequence
letters were written on thin, tough
paper, so as not to exceed the half
ounce limit. Large sums OF money
were carried, but always in the form
of drafts or bank notes. Certain East
ern newspapers got out special issues
on tissue paper-but these were more
to show enterprise than anything else,
for few people we're able to pay SIS to
$40 postage on a single newspaper.
The rate was later reduced to $3.50
per half ounce.
The original plan was to have sta
tions, with fresh horses, every % miles.
The rider who started from st. Joseph
Cor Sacramento) mounted his horse at
the appointed moment. Accuracy in
this was needful, because (so far as the
st. Joseph rider was concerned) the
time of departure was widely adver.
tised in the East, and he could not
start earlier than the minute which
had been reported to the business
world. For example, the first start
was made westward at 4 P. NJ, on Tues.
day, April 3, 1850, Immediately on the
arrival OF the train and mail from the
East over the Hannibal & St. Joe
railroad. A ferry boat was in waiting
TO carry tho mail saddlehags"
across the Missouri, where the Pony
Express rider took charge and started
westward. The first express left st.
Joseph at $50 +. NJ. April 3. 1t ar.
rived in San Francisco at l A. NJ. April
IA.
The original plan was to have its
stations 25 miles apart. The rider
went these 25 miles on one horse.
When he reached the station, second
horse, saddled and bridled, was waiting.
He lifted his mail saddlebags to the
second horse, and started off, not a
half minute being lost in the transfer.
A second transfer Of the same kind
was made at the second station, so
miles ont. At the third station-75
miles-the rider transferred his mail
saddlebags. and so it went across the
continent, east and west.
At Placerville and Carson City we're
the eastern termini of tho telegraph
lines from San Francisco. There was
wild excitement in the latter city
when the telegraph flashed a summary
of general news. only nine days old,
instead OF % days, the shortest possible
time by the Panama route, up to that
time the quickest. The California
people, especially the business men,
went wild. At Sacramento the whole
city turned out with bands and cannon
to greet the rider. The only time lost
was enough to deliver the mail for
that city; then the carrier was hus.
tied on board waiting steamer, and
hurried to San Francisco, which was
reached at l A. NJ, April IA, 1860. A
huge procession of citizens, with the
fire department, escorted the messen.
ger from the wharf to the Office OF the
Alta Telegraph, the end Of his journey.
The distance from St. Joseph, Mo-,
to Sacramento, CAL, by the Pony Ex-
press route, is 1850 miles, which was
covered in q schedule time of eight
days, as against % days by the Pan
anna route. The shortest time ever
made by the Pony Express was in the
delivery of President Lincoln's inau-
gural address, made on March 4, 1861.
Special arrangements were made for
this, because the whole Pacific coast
was interested in knowing what the
new President had to say on secession
and tho preservation of the Union.
Extra ponies were at hand every ten
miles. and the 1850 miles from St.
Joseph to Sacramento we're covered in
Z days, 19 hours--the quickest time
the Pony Express every made.
The exigencies of the service soon
led to changes, due to the character
OF the country. The distances be-
tween stations were shortened, wher-
ever it developed that the natural OBJ.
stacles were too great to make the best
time. The original schedule provided
for an average rate of eighteen miles
an hour. Eventually this was cut to
ten miles per hour. The improve
ment OF the service. in the interests OF
fast time, called for a better equip
ment when the Pony Express got into
poyeoct workipo nrder when IL had