East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-28
TELLS THE STORY
OF PONY EXPRESS
IDkHO MAN RECALLS
THRILLING TIMES
Pony Express Riders Were Pathfind-
ers I'm Pioneer Days-Many of the
Daring Men Were Killed and
Scalped by Indians.

Recently the Salt Lake News re-
ferred to book published by an
eastern concern on the Pony Express,
containing stories of the overland
mail and famous rides and riders,
says the Pocatello Tribune. a friend
OF the News writing from oxford,
Idaho, expresses appreciation of the
synopsis given of the book, and adds
a few "reminiscences, some of which
correct certain statements of the au-
thor, which. in the view of our es-
teemed correspondents, are not en-
tirely in accordance with facts. The
writer says:
"The riders routes were never to
exceed 20 miles. Each rider usually
rode from 40 to so miles. l carried
the first pony express myself, from
Ruby Valley coming east, to Eagan
canyon. about April I, 1860,
81 held that ride until the following
| July. once q week each way, then
carried the express until July, 1861,
from salt Lake City to Faust's station
in Rush valley, passing through Camp
Floyd each way. Major Howard
Egan carried the first pony express
from the west to Salt Lake City, and
his son. R. E. Egan, carried the first
express from Salt Lake City west to
Rush valley. Major Howard Egan
was the superintendent of the division
west from salt Lake City to Sacra-
mento, Cal.
Bolivar Roberts, however, was not
in the employ of the Pony Express
company. as stated. He was at one
time division agent on the old Geo.
Chorpening semi-monthly mail route.
George Thatcher never rode west of
Salt Lake City, in fact he only rode
a very short time from Salt Lake
City east to Hanks station. When
the Pony Express first started from
April to July, 1860, we only made one
trip per week each way, after that
until the telegraph line was estab-
lished. the number OF elders were
doubled and we made two trips a
week each way.
"The riders from Salt Lake, going
east after semi-weekly service was
put on. were Henry Worley and Tom
King. the riders from Salt Lake, go
ing west to Faust's station in Rush
valley. via Camp Ford, were 'Ras'
Egan Or. E. Egan) and Billy Fisher
(W. F. Fisher, myself.
Most of the old riders have pass
ed away. I know of only a very few
now living. | made one of the long
est rides, and fastest for the distance
owing to only having nine changes of
animals, the Indians having burnt the
station, killed some of the riders and
run off the horses between Ruby val
ley and Salt Lake City, l brought the
express pouches from Ruby valley to
salt Lake City, 800 miles, in "a hours,
l took the election returns, Salt Lake
to Rush valley GO miles) in three
hours and 40 minutes.
MY comrades, or many of them,
were killed, some scalped, some
burned up, others horribly mutilated.
Many scenes of horror and Indian
outrages are still fresh in my men,
ory. Yours truly,
"WM F. FISHER"
Very few of the younger generation |
have any conception of the nature of
the work performed by the pathfind-
ers who made possible the establish
ment of civilization in these regions. |
1t is a subject we'll worth contem-
plating. Any contribution that sheds |
light on the early days of this west
ern empire is therefore welcome.