The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-17
True Story Of the
California Pony Express

The Kansas City Journal declares tina,
the story OF the Pony Express" which
was furnished the Eagle last Sunday by
N. d. Wemple of Oatviiie, is pipe
dream" The journal gives what Il says
is a true story of the PONY Express In
the following:
The Wichita Eagle copies from an old
print a tale TO the erect that the famous
Pony Express came into existence by rea-
son of a bet between William A. Russell
ana a Wall street lobby. The lobby was
2 in Washington trying to get govsrnme Mt
contract for carrying the mails to Cali
fornia Russell bet the lobby 10000 that
he could put on mail system that would
deliver a pouch from St Joseph Mo. to
Sacramento Cal, inside of ten days The
bet was taken. according TO the Eagles
story, and the Pony Express at once
came existence.
History does not record the oircum-
stances of this gigantic wager. history
does record, however the fact that s, ma
tor Gwin, of California, and Alexander
Majors and Daniel E. Phelps-the latter
two being wen-known stage men on the
piains-formed a company for the purpose
Of giving the people of California better
mail facilities, and spent about year in
getting ready 10 launch the Pony Ex-
press. This getting ready involved the
purchase OF. about 600 ponies the employ
ment of about eighty riders, the construc-
ton Of great number of relay stations,
and some costly work upon the mountain
trails. The riders were all athletic and
exerienced plainsmen, selected Tor their
1fxxf.<
They did not average more than 10
pounds apiece and ever one was a proved
rider. Each was expected to ride over a
division measuring from seventy-five to
10 miles, and the relay stations, where
the riders changed horses. were from ten
10 fifteen miles apart. The riders got
from Sl25 to $40 month, depending upon
the danger and difficulties to be encount-
cred on their particular division.
The start was made from Sacramento
and from st. Joseph at noon on April g.
1880 The first rider out Of st. Joseph /
was Henry Wallace. He carried a mes |
sage of congratulations from President /
Buchanan and a pouch full of business
communications. A great crowd assem- ;
bled TO see him off. and there was speak /
Ing, band music and other exercises. At |
the same moment the scene was being
duplicated in Sacramento, the first rider /
at the California end being John Rolf.
though Sacramento made it bigger oc-
casion that did the Missouri city Floral /
arches Were built and a banquet was
served in which the ladies of the Califor-
MIA city We're the moving spirit. The gov
ernor and other state officers made
speeches, cannon were fired from the hill
tops. and Rolf rode away amidst the ac-
claims of thousands Of people. He covered
the first twenty miles in 81 minutes He
reached Placerville, sixty-seven miles
away, In hours and 80 minutes. Ard so
the two riders went gacing towards each
other from starting points about 1900
miles apart.
The Eagles article gives a graphic de-
scription of the manner in which the first &,
pouch from Sacramento reached ST. JOS
eph Inside Of ten days. thus winning the | I
'2oo,oo1 wager for Mr. Russell IL saysi c
The SHOWS were deep In the mountains &
Ind one rider was lost for several hours |; /,
n a snew storm: and after the Salt Lake {
'aley was reached. additional speed be- I
anne Necessary TO reach ST Joseph on 9
line. From there al went well until the | [
Platte was TO be crossed at Julesburg I
rhe river was UP ard running rapidly /
tut the rider plunged his horse into the ! a
iood, only, however. TO mire in the quick v