The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-11
OLD STAGE LINE.
From Kansas to California In Thirty
 Five Days.

From Kansas to California In Thirty Kansas City Star
 'Atchison to California in thirty-five days; fare only s2OO in gold"
 This was the heading of an old hand laid upon the counter in a railway tick ct office the other day. It was an ad- vertisement of a line of stage coaches that ran from Atchison, Kan, to San Francisco during the gold excitement of years ago.
 People seldom stop to think what their poor ancestors had to put up with was comparing the old time table with a modern railway timetable, which told of the luxuries one could have py travelling on that road. No dust. no jarring and all other diSagreeable fea- lures eliminated.
 The old timetable was double sheet of paper, torn and yellow with age. It was issued by the Atchison & Caliror- mia stage-coach line in 1857. The in ducements 1t held forth were in strange contrast with those of the modern railroad advertisement The stage coach line advertised that it had re- gently refurnished the entire road" wita absolutely new wagonettes, and 1t told what kind of coaches they were, how the springs were made and oi what strength they were. It even said that the coaches were painted In the best manner possible" The horses that drew the coaches were described. too, as the best.
 An inducement that was held out on the time table to prospective passen- gers was stop,-oVer privilege.
 Passengers who had paid their en- tire fare from Atchison or other points to their destination" the paper said may register with our agents. A stopover privilege is then given for any place on the road.
 The time of the stopover was un- limited. The timetable provided that a passenger might resume the journey whenever there was an empty seat Tn the stage coach :@*
 SWe make quicker time to Callfor- mia than any other stage coach line and at a cheaper rate, the pamphlet stated It went on to say that for S2OO Atchison, Kan, to the gold 1lelds oi
 The distance is 1918 miles" was was stated on the time table; the iongTss atase coach line, Atchison to California in thirty-five days ..
 A boast was made that there were were twelve telegraph stations on the roaa to california and that eating places had been established along. the road where good meals could be had at the nominal price of $S, Every passenger baggage, consisting of wearing appar- eI and other necessary baggage. All over that amount must be paid for at q rate or 5N cents pOunu
 It was advertised that the risk on the return trip N very great. on account of the amount ot gold dust and mug gets being broGFht back from Califor- mia. The company employed only the hrdvest men. fully armed all the time, But il decnned to carry gold dust un- less paid for at the rate of S3 a pound The company refused to be held re sponslule tor the loss Of the gold dust by robbers Indians or other means.
 The pamphlet also advertised a faat light line between Atchison and Den yer, Col. The round trip was made ir' the short space of twenty days, To ship by this method all merchandise had to be wrapped in waterproof pack ages. A package weighing ten pounds could be shipped by that route for S.. All over that weight was sent at the reduced rate of $2 for five pounds
 In it's advertisement for passengers to aIifornia, the pamphlet. as stated before, allowed every passenger tWeh- ty-fiVe pounds of baggage. However. 1t advised, that as many persons wish ed to take more baggage than the weight limit, 1t would be safer to send It to California by sea.
 And to think that we can get on q train tonight and be in Denver to- morrow" the railroad man said. as he compared the timetablesA