Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1923-09-07
Rider OF FIRST
PONY EXPRESS
Hot Controversy at St. Joseph,
No., Settled by Girl Who
Finds Sailor First.

st, Joseph Most. Joseph is excit.
cd. Groups gather on street corners,
In pool halls and near-bcer shops to
tnlk about tho situation. And the
cause Of II NIL IL q controversy over
tho Identity OF the first rider to leave
st. Joseph In the now famous Pony
Express ride.
The Pony Express Ia experiencing a
revival, and the historic ride OF hardy
horsemen Is to be elived this fall,
when riders will ser our ngain from
st. Joseph and San Francisco over the
old route. Towns and cities along the
way are preparing for the event, which
Will be celebrated In all the states
through which the frst riders passed.
When the proposal to revive the ride
was made no one thought II would re-
suit In such furore. The movement
started In the West, and since then
committees have been mt loggerlleads
over the first rider There seems to be
no doubt about the man who left San
Francisco with the first bag OF mail,
but in st. Joseph opinions differ.
While no homes have been divided
in the strife. some very hented tits
nave occurred. OF course, none Of
the first riders nre nov living, MS the
date of the initial trip was April g.
1850. Those FIRST" riders who are
backed for honors nre Johnnie Fry,
John Burnett and one sailor named
William Richardson. At the present
writing Richardson seems to have the
contest tucked away, but NJ any mo-
ment an antique letter or document
may be sprung on the committee and
swing the contest In another direction.
WrangIe over Horse's Color.
The argument does not stop with the
name OF the first rider. The color Of
the horse he rode, the hour Of the day
md the part Of the city from which
the rider set off are all In question.
Strangely, the interest in such an old
affair is not confined to the old folk.
Usually In n cnse like this the younger
and, Of course, smarter set are content
to sit back, casting s,ipercllious sneers
mt the petty arguments Of their grand
parents. But not this time.
In fact the strongest hacker Of Rich.
ardson, md the one who placed him at
the head Of the race, is young wom-
an. And If she had not discovered him,
Johnnie Fry would now, in all prob
ability, be riding ut the head Of all
''flrst" riders.
But while some were willing to agree
to let the shade of MIR. Fry absorb all
Of the glory, this young woman went
quietly about the libraries gathering
up data on the ride. She dug up musty
newspapers and faded letters on which
the writing was hardly dlscernible. She
compared dates and more dates, and
then one day she startled the home
folks by appearing before the ride
committee and demanding that Mr..
Fry be hauled out Of the saddle and
his place be given to Sailor Richard
son. who left the bounding main to
ride away over the rolling prairies.
She proved to the committees salts
faction that Fry was the second rider,
and that he left st. Joseph seven days
after the first rider departed.
Dangerous Dash Across Plains.
The Pony Express was the first
means by which mail was carried over
land to the Pacific coast. In 1859 the
Eastern outpost Of railroads was st.
Joseph Mall destined to the Western
territories had to be sent by sailing
vessels around Cape Horn.
However, the Pony Express com.
pany was given assurances by the gov
eminent that 1t might have the con-
tract for carrying the mail II 1t could
make faster time than the vessels took
The company then prepared for the
initial ride on which hung the fate Of
the contract.
The best riders Of the West were
secured, and hundreds of fast horses
were purchased. On the appointed
day, April 8, 1860, horseman set out
from San Francisco, carrying the mail
eastward. At the same time another
horseman was being ferrled across the
Missouri river, bound for Seneca,
Kan, distance of 20 miles.
The result of the ride Is known. The
trip was completed in ten days, and
the company received the contract.
Seneca was the first stop for rider
from st. Joseph. He was relieved
there, and waited for the rider from
the West, whom he In turn relieved
Six horses were used in riding the dis.
lance, and the riders were supposed
to make the distance In eight hours
1t was hazardous undertaking, as the
plains were at that time overrun by
Indians, and many rider was found
on the trail, his body pierced with n
poisoned arrow.
But when the ride is made this fall
the horsemen will find conditions diff
ferent and II old William Richardson
should wander back to this earth he
would probably be surprised to see his
replica hurrylng along over a hard-sur-
faced highway, while unfamiliar OBJ
jects, which people call motorc"rs.
speed by the horseman at terrific
rate.