The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-17

sand and drown. The courier succeeded
in reaching the shore, with his mailbag
IN hand, and travelled ten miles on foot
to reach the next relay. Johnny Fry, a
popular rider of his day, was to make
the finish He had sixty miles TO ride
with six horses to do it. When the last
courier arrived at the sixty-nlile post out
from St Joseph he was one hour behind
time. A heavy rain had set in and the
roads were slippery. Two hundred thou
sand dollars might turn upon a single
minute Fry had just three hours and
thirty minutes in which to win. This
was the finish of the longest race for the
largest stakes. ever run in America.
When the time for his arrival was nearly
UP at least nearly 5000 people stood upon
the river bank, with eyes turned towards
the woods from which the horse and its
rider should emerge into the open coun-
try in the rear of Elwood-one mile from
the finish. click, tick. tick went the thou
sands of watches, The time was nearly
up, But nearly seven minutes remained
Hank. a shout goes up from the assem-
bled multitude. He comes. he comesr
The noble little mare. Sylph, the daughter
from the bow and makes the run of the
last mile in one minute and fifty seconds
landing upon the ferryboat with five
minutes and a fraction to spare
Unfortunately for this pretty description
it is not true to history The fact is that
while the westbound pounch arrived in
Sacramento at g. a. m. on April 13. thus
coming within the ten days limit, the
eastbound pouch did not arrive in ST. Joe
until the evening of April a. Thus elev-
en- and one-half days were consumed on
the eastern journey, due to greater OBJ
stacleS which the eastbound riders had
to overcome. But both performa noes We're
wonderful. The scheme had been sneered
at by even the westerners who were
ready to dare most anything. 1t was be-
iieved that the riders would all be mas
sacred by the Indians; that 1t would be
impossible to maintain the relay stations.
and that the mountains would show
themselves to be impossible in stormy
weather. But ali of these prophecies
were discredited as time went by. 1t is
true that a number of the riders were
killed by the Indians and that stations
were sometimes looted. but still the Pony
Express operated as regularly as clock |
work. sending a rider from each end ev- |
cry weekday, and 1t remained in success
full operation until the completion of the ,
trans continental telegraph line in 1852 (
rendered its services unnecessary.
The enterprise was a financial success.
1t charged S. an ounce for all matter
A rider with twenty-five
pounds in his pouch was earning 81, coo
for his company. Counting from both
ends it was not unusual to have $4,000
worth of mail start in single day Cali
Fornia depended almost entirely upon the
riders for its business and other eastern
The fastest time ever made was in De- =
,ember. 1862 when the last message of
Buchanan reached Sacramento
rom ST Joseph in eight and one-half
lays. The news of the attack on Fort
sumter went through in eight days and
ourteen hours. The Californians used to
fer bonus for fast riding. and on ev-
ny occasion of Importance a big prize
Example. l,oJ0 was divided among the
iders who fetched some Chicago papers
living an account of the battle of An
ietam. y magnificent jeweled watch was
ung up for the rider who should beat
is schedule time in carrying the inaugur-
] message of President Lincoln. This
7as won by Tommy Drum, long a famous