Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-18
LAST or The GLDSTACELINES
Pioneer Trails EfaOsd BY Extension o
Northwestern Railway.
ONLY LATER LINES ARE NOW txIAN1
hit of History Concerning Those old
Coach Roads from the Middle
west 60 the Pacihe
Coast.

Win the extension OIL the NortnWeetern
railway from Casper westward toward
Lander, wyo., will forever Danish the last
vestige OF the old stage coach days, ex-
cepting a scattering few star routes" for
short distances through the mountains from
railway terminals to minor postoffices or
intermountain resorts.
OF the old stage coach days, the line be-
tween Atchison, Kan. and Placerville, Cal,
which ran daily coaches for about hve
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES probably the finest
ever known in the stage coach business.
During those days Il cost more for meals
between Atchison and Denver than the
railroad fare costs with the meals added.
The run was made in about six days. and
the fare was SIS. The quickest time ever
made between these points was four and
one7half days. Ben Holiday was the
owner Of the line. On one occasion he
made the trip from Atchison to Placervile,
1900 miles in twelve days and two hours,
beating the regular daily schedule five
days. This feat cost Holiday $4,000. but
was worth 1t for the advertisement 1t gave
his line.
He had a nervy competitor in the Butter
field line, which followed the old Santa Fe
and Smoky Hill trail that ran from Inde-
pendence. Mo.
Followed Overland Trail.
The Holiday line was wealthy. The
historic line following the overland trail"
between New York and San Francisco. at
that time was by the way of Atchison.
The western terminus OF the line was
changed from St. Joseph to AtchIson upon
the christening Of the Hannibal & st. Jo-
seph railroad to Atchison, as Atchison was
eight miles nearer Placerville than St. Jo-
seph.
The stage line ran northwest from Atchi-
son, crossing the Big Blue at Marysvlle,
Kansas, 100 miles west, then continuing
northwest up the north side OF the Little
Blue in Nebraska, over the divide into
the Platte valley. thence west on the south
side Of the Platte from old Fort Kesrney.
Plum Creek (now lexington to Julesburg.
From Julesburg the road forked. one
| route going southwest along the South
Platte to Denver. The other crossed the
South Platte at Julesburg and thence
wended across the divide to Ash Hollow
and Court House Rock. Scott's Bluff on
the North Platte. following the south side
| Of that stream past Fort Laramie, Horse
shoe, Wagon Hound, Ia Bonita La Porte
and Deer creek. to North Platte crossing
at what is now Casper, wyo From here
the trail followed due west to independence
Rock, Three Crossings OF Sweetwater, South
Pass, Green River. Millerstown (now
Ogden, Utah). Salt Lake. across the Hum
boldt and sink of the st. Mary's river,
Virginia City and Carson, Nevada: and
thence across the Sierra Nevadas to Placer
ville The Denver branch followed UP the
eastern. slope OF the mountains and struck
| the overland trail again at South Pass.
! Montana and Oregon Trails.
The Montana and Oregon trails debouched
from Millerstown northwest by way of
Fort Hall, near where iPocatello is now
located. ~ sYrtsist.. .
| The schedule time OF the stages was four
and one-half miles an hour. night and day,
including stops. 1t was not an unusual
thing for drivers TO ofiiake fifteen miles al,
hour. +- Ho' so.
The express messengers received So. 80 a
month with free meals and were compelled
to ride beside the driver six days and
nights without rest, except as they could
sleep while the stage was in motion They
received layover Of nine days every three
weeks.
Drivers received $40 to SIS month and
board.
On the main Holiday line there were
1850 horses and mules and 100 coaches. The
annual cost of operating the line was ST.
$4,000
| lncluulng Atcnlson ana PlacerVille, there
were 1853 stations on the line. The fare was
IL cents per mile, and the stations from
ten 70 fifteen miles apart Each passenger
was allowed twenty-five pounds OF baggage
each pound in excess cost ST. which was
also the price for carrying express
The stages were nearly always crowded
and passengers had often to wait several
days at the starting point before they could
be accommodated. Sometimes a passenger
booked for certain day would sell out for
bonus Of $50 and wait for later stage.
] The fare to Denver during the war was
| Sl75, or q cents per mile per passenger