The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-06-05

Hardship Nothing Carriers

r ROM ST. Joe. No., to Sacramento,
Cal, -in JWenty-One days, That
sounds archais. but until the
spring of 1851 the fastest overland mail
had been able no do no better. To
remedy This iutoIerable condition. Sem
arur Quinn of California proposed his
pet scheme or the pony express Fail
ing of government support he sue
Ceedcd I'm Interesting Colonel Russell
of the great firm of Russell. Majors
q WaddcU overland traders and gov
-rnment contractors. I'm the face OF
certain financial loss. these gentlemen
determined t0 $40 their share toward
welding east ana west. TO their un-
selfish patriotism we owe the exist
euce OF tie pony express.
The task was enormous. IT involved.
at the outset the building OF 200 sta
lions in am uuinhabited country the
employment oft as many Keepers, the
selection of So expert riders and She
purchase of 800 PONIES. The route.
which WAS necessarily "a toTtuou- one,
rSteuded irom ST. Joseph No. north
westerly through Colorado. into Wyu-
ming. lp Sail lake city. the HALFWAY
station between Tie Missouri and The
Pacific From hero The Trail laE west
ward across the Utah desert. over The
=HeV-capped SieIEas t9 california and
Sacramento
This Ions journey covering over HaIt
the width of the continent was divided
unto sections or 10 "f l09 miles. Each
rider was assigned to section which
Included several relays Of ponies. The
men were mostly natives OF Nevada
brave. fearless riders, selected for
their ighIuess. agility ana leVei-nead-
adur--. TIE LraUuiues ri man and
beast were very Hgl- The riders carr
ried reVOlVcrs and lUuluEs knives and
rH b.
month. and they earned it, The ponies
under them were California. cdyuSeS.
fourteen and one-lalf hands high.
7reiehius under 900 pounds. They were
sound. fleet haId-stomaChed and full
of energy. The men wore no regular
uniform. pTcferrinE tie sl0ueh hat.
bucksIn shirt ana uigh boots of The
st1ry-book COW boys IneE NeI- Hot
lovely men. but they We're brave ones.
This was the pledge they signeu-
.I do hereby swear before
the Great and Living Coo, that during
my engagement. and while I am in the
employ Of Russell. Majors a. WaQCeH
VIII. under 100 circumstance. use pro-
fame language. that I sriu drink no i'm
rdEieating liquors. that HiIl uqJ quar-
Tel 0F night with any other empiOye or
the hrm- ana that in every respect /
viii conduct myself honestly, pe faith
mai go my duties. and $50 direct All mV
employers So held me Cod
The arrange Iueuts were all made aHa
The riGers were ready 90 mount bv noon
~ Aur g. 1866 The people of SacTa-
meuto rang bells and feed salute as
Harry Ron galloped away with the
precious mail on the road &c Placer
WILLIE Here Boston smith TOOK zap
the burden. An SO on The mail sped
eastward under the saddles or sam
Hamilton. Pony Bob Haslam. Jock
FISHER and the rest of THAI brave band
Meanwhile in faT-0r ST.. Joe. euthusi-
asIs had plucked the last souvenir hair
from the tail of the fiery pony. and
the western mail was 0n its way.
The hFsL express took ten dags-eleF-
en OF the record at the nrst clip,
Later on weekly and semi-S eekly trips
IF eight and pine days rendered
service almost equal 10 thal or the
earlier trains The pony mail that