The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-05-30

terest in the public domain.
The first stages in the West were
operated by Hockaday & Liggett to
carry mail and express and passen-
gers to Western army posts. In
1851 the business was extended, the
company running semi-monthly be-
tween St. Joseph, Mo-, and Salt
Lake, the round trip occupying AZ
days. Horses were changed at Ft
Kearney, Ft. Laramie, Ft. Hall and
Salt Lake. The driver fed his ami
mails by simply turning them out on
the prairie to Craze.
Matters assumed a more business
like aspect when, in 1858, the stage
business was purchased by Russell,
Majors & Waddell, who had made
a fortune freighting on the Santa
Fe trail. The new proprietors built
stations every 10 or Is miles be-
tween Atchison and Salt Lake and
ran stages every day. They changed
horses at each station and made the
1,2Oc miles In 10 days. The line
was supplied with Concord coaches
and the animals used were Kentucky
mules. This line connected with
Ben" Holladay's line from Salt
Lake to San Francisco.
Owing to the depredations of In
dians, Russell, Majors & Waddell
became financially involved. Alex
ander Majors, the prime mover in
the firm, was idolized by his thous-
ands of employees. He was of a
deeply religious turn of mind and
would tolerate no whiskey drinking
or profanity among his men. To
abuse horse or mule was equiva-
lent to asking for ones dismissal.
1t was largely Majors foresight that
gave the country the pony express
which made such a notable record in
carrying dispatches across the coun-
try before the days of the tele-
graph.
Ben" Holiday, who succeeded
Russell, Majors & Wadde1l in operat-
ing the eastern division of the over
land stage line, was remarkable
character. He knew the value OF
advertising and he started in to
break transportation records on the
trail. He offered prizes to his stage
drivers for fast trips. The equip
ment was of the finest. Many thous-
ands of dollars were spent in secur-
ing the best horses and mules.
Freight trains were kept busy haul
ing grain and other supplies to the
numerous stations. There were re-
pair shops at division headquarters,
and also travelling blacksmith shops
which were kept going from one end
of the line to the other. 1t was i'm
possible for traffic to be delayed
more than q few hours at time.
Generally the coaches rolled into the
home stations, which were so miles
apart, with the regularity of modern
railroad trains. All the equipment,
even to the clothing of the men, was
especially manufactured for Holla-
day.
When Holiday travelled it was in
the finest stage coach that money
co~ld buy. This coach was suspend
ed on coil springs instead OF on
the customary straps of the ordina-
ry. Concord. 1t was equipped with
bed, a reading table and "all the
comforts of home" Only the best
and most daring drivers mounted
to the box, and to fail to break the
speed record when Holiday was
Inside" was a disgrace.
Holiday demanded results a long
his stage line, and he cared moth
ing about any mans past, so long
as he delivered the goods" This
was evidenced in the case of the
notorious desperate, Joseph A., or
"Jack" Slade, who was appointed
division superintendent, first with
headquarters at Fort Laramie and
later at Virginia Dale, when the
route was moved south. SHADES d.
vision was from Virginia Dale to
Julesburg, and it was the most dan
gerous part of the transcontinental
trip, as the route was infested with
Indians and outlaws.
Slade had orders to clean up the
division and he started in with
vengeance. He soon had the Indians
terrorized. If report came in that
Indians had driven off the stock at
station Slade was soon on hand. He
would take the trail after the In
dians and would shoot down every
redskin he met. He slew several
outlaws who held up coaches, and in
a short time he had his division run