Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-03

miles out. Then it diverged north
westerly across the kickapoo Indian
reservation via Granada, Log Chain.
Sececa, Ash Point, Guittard's. Marys-
vile and Hollenberg; on over rolling
prairies to the Platte river and due
west to Fort Kearney. Often the
rider passed close to great droves of
deer and antelope and vast herds of
buffalo. The trail followed by the ex-
press riders was the one taken by
the Mormons a decade earlier. and af-
forwards by the Argonauts who went
overland to California after gold was
found there.
OF the so riders employed on the
line, at times 40 were in the saddle
going west and 40 riding east, Each
day every rider covered an average
distance of 40 miles. The weight of
the mail carried was limited to 20
pounds. At first SIS per half ounce
was charged for carrying letters, but
shortly after the express went into
operation the government ordered the
rates reduced to 81 per half ounce,
which continued until the telegraph
was completed and the express went
out of business.
The riders often had to grapple with
sudden and unforeseen dangers, such
as snowslides in the mountain passes,
roaring torrents, terrific wind storms
and binding rain, but it was seldom
that q stage was not completed on
time. The schedule settled down TO
ten days for eight months of the year
and II days for the other four months.
The most serious interruption of
the express came within two months
of its establishment, when an out
break of Piute, Shoshone and Bannock
Indians resulted in the burning of sew
eral stations and the murder of sew
eral station keepers. The riders had
several desperate races for life, but
most of them were able to outdis-
lance Indians who attacked them be-
cause of the unusual fleetness of their
horses. For risking their lives on the
prairie and mountain trails the riders
received from $50 to $3.50 a month and
board, the pay being graduated accord
ing to the nature of the country Gov
cred and the perils to be faced. Will
liam +. Cody, famous later as Buffalo
Bill, and a few others, who rode
through q dangerous country infested
with Cheyennes and Comanches, were
paid the larger figure.
Unsuccessful Financially
The Pony Express lasted less than
10 months. 1t was followed by the
daily Overland st~age-coach i'll July,
1861. Four months later came the
first telegraph, and in May. 1869, the
first railroad was completed across
the continent. The express, while sue
cessful in every other way, proved dis
astrous to its %originators in n finan-
cial way. Russell and his associates
lost more than $25O,OOO in the enter
prise. During it's brief existence it
proved to be of the utmost value to
the government and to Pacific coast
business men. The investment re-
quired to equip the line was very
great and the cost of maintaining it
was enormous, due to Indian hostility
and the long distances necessary to
carry supplies. Five hundred of the
best saddle horses Obtainable were in
use and nearly 200 men were employed
as station keepers, in addition to the
so riders. One hundred and ninety
stations were scattered along the route.
Grain used to feed the horses between
st. Joseph and Salt Lake City had to
be transported from Missouri and Iowa