The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-05-24
AN OLD STAGE LINE.
Il Ran From Kansas to California in
Thirty FIVE Days.

II Ran From Kansas to California IN
Thirty Ave Days.
"Atchison to California ia thirty
days; fare. only 5000 in gold"
This was the heading Of an old hand
hill, yellow with age, which traveller
laid upon the counter ia a railway tick
ct Office the other day. II was an adj
vertisement Of a line of stagecoaches
that rar srom Atchson. Kan. to San
Fraacisco during the gold excitement
of years ago.
People seldom stop to think what
their poor ancestors had to put up with
in the old days" the man said. He
was comparing the old time table VITA
modern railway time table, which
told OF the luxuries one could have by
travelling on that road. no dust. no jar
ring aud all other dlsagreeable fca-
lures eliminated.
The old time table was a double
sheet of paper, torn and yellow with
age. Il was ;ssuca by the Atchlson
and California sttgecoach line in 1857.
The inducements 1t held forth were in
strange contrast with those of the
modern railroad advertisement. The
stagecoach line advertised that 1t had
recently refurnished the entire road
with absolutely new wagoneties, and
It told what kind of coaches they were,
how the springs were made and Of
what strength they we're. II even said
that the coaches We're painted in the
best manner possible" The horses
that drew the coaches were described,
too. as the best
An lnducement that was held out on
the time table to prospective passen-
gers was a 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 stop
over privilege is then given for any
place on the road"
The time Of the stop over was un-
limited. The time table provided that
passenger might resume the journey
whenever there was an empty seat in
the stagecoach.
I'VE make quicker time TO Califor-
MIA than any other stagecoach line and
at cheaper rate" the pamphlet stat
ed. 1t went on to say that for $500 a
person could ride all the way from
Atchison, Kan, to the gold fields of
California.
"The distance is 1913 miles," was
stated on the time table, "the longest
distance ever attempted by stage
coach line Atchison to California in
thirty-five days.
A boast was made that there were
twelve telegraph stations on the road
to California and that eating places
had been established along the road
where good meals could be had at the
nominal price of SO. Every passenger
was allowed twenty-five pounds of bag
gage. consisting of wearing apparel
and other necessary baggage al over
that amount must be paid for at a rate
Of 30 cents pound.
1t was advertised that the risk on
the return trip was very great on ac-
count Of the amount of gold dust and
nuggets being brought back from Cali
fornia. The company employed only
the bravest men. fully armed all the
time. But 1t declined to carry gold
dust unless paid for at the rate OF 81
pound. The company refused TO be
held responsible for the loss of the
gold dust by robbers, Indians or other
means
The pamphlet also advertised fast
freight line between Atchison and Den
yer. che round trip was made in the
short space o. twonty days TO ship
by this method all merchandise had
to be wrapped in waterproof packages
A package weighing ten pounds could
be sent by that route for 50. All over
thst weight was sent at the reduced
rate Of 50 for Ave pounds.
In its advertisement for passengers
TO California the pamphlet. as stated
before. allowed every passenger TWEEN
ty-five pounds of baggage. However
it advised that as many persons wish
ed to take more baggage than the
weight limit 1t would be safer to send
II TO California by sea.
"And TO think that we can get on q
train tonight and be in Denver tomor
row." the railroad man said as he com
pared the time tables.-Kansas City