The chronicle=news., 1913-04-04
FAMOUS PONY
EXPRESS RECALLED

Sacramento. April +.--Th. famous
pony express established by Wells
Fargo 4 Company was In operation
only two wears. and yet Its reputation
has rcsounded down the years. II was
u daring experiment. Think OF IL
Two thousand miles ON horseback.
across u country ovcrrun with hos
lilo Indians. destitute OF all cuitiNa-
tion. through II region wild. dcsolat"
and unknown. Hut an imperative
duty was performed. Messages OF W
tai importance were transmitted
from state to state. without the aid
Of the mail coach or the railroad.
which had not up TO that time pcne-
rated tn. mountainous regions of
the West.
The need for quick comuuni,a.
,ion between the country east OF 'hs
Missouri River and the West was
recognized from an early time. The
overland stage routes proved ioo
slow for mail aud express In the
Journey from tho Missouri to the
Pacific. The hest Of the stage lines
brought the time down tn 2" days.
but the pony express did better. Ry
hard riding II crossed the 1000 miles
within an average Of 10 days.
Few OF the oidtimcrs. personally
Acquainted with the Wcils-FxrI0
Pony Express In these early days
viii ever forget ths exciting dashcs
thos. intrepid riders made. ench
Drawing all peril. regardless of ~li
and intent only upon the speedy
delivery Of his precious mochillu to
til. mex; hardy hOrscinan.
IL VIA In 1853 that tho Wcliai
Fargo Pony Express was sxta blishcd.
taking u rout~ due west from tn"
historic getaway town Of ST. Joseph.
aio.. to For; kcarney. up the Platte
to Julcsburs. thence the Fort LARA
nile. and Fort BridEcr and Salt Lake
CITY. thence to camp Floyd. Ruby
Valley. the Humboldt. Carson CITY.
Placcrvili.. Folfom aud Sacramento.
from which San Franci.co could bc
reached by boat.
Mark Twain had u nnppy facility
tor telling the story OF the pony TX.
press rider.
There was no idiinR Of time for
, IN. pony rider on duty" h. says.
III. rod" 30 miles without stopping.
, 10y daylight. moonltkht. starlight OF
through the blacknes. Of darkness
lust ~ II happened. lie rode n splen.
did horse that WAS horn u racer. aud
fed aud lodged as a gentleman. lie
KEEP, him al his utmost speed for /"
miles. and then nx he came crashing
mp to tn" station. where stood two
men holding fast u fresh. impatient
stcc,f. the transfer u rider and mail
bag WAS made in the t~inkltnE Of mn
eve. aud away flew tho eager pair.
and were out OF siKht before the
spt ctator could hardly get ghost OF
u look Both rider nnd horse were
Trying light
| AMI OIL every day. except sunday.
for, two years u rider lett st. Joe n
noon and Sacramento At 8 q. m.
When. on October ~. 1861. the first
transcontincntal telegraph went In
to operation. tho Pony Express SER
vice had been Supplunted. Hut. In
spite OF It's brief career. the enter
prize was y great success, and IL
plainly Indicated the extraordinary
demand for quick communication be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific sca-
boards. The fastest time ever made
from Washington to the California
coast. with tho aid OF the Pony Ex-
press, was achieved in transmitting
President ISuchanan's last message
to Congress TO Sacramento In eight
and onc-half days. The news Of the
attack on ~. Sumpter came through
In eight days and ~ hours. and froni
that time on California business
men gave u bonus to the Pony Ex-
press company TO be- distributed
among the riders for carrying war
news as fast M possible. Later quick
delivery Of the news OF the battle Of
Antiataut and Of President Lincoln's
inaugural speech Nbrough: special rc-
wards for the vcn,urcsonc pony rid
ore.