The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-07-26
RIDER OF FIRST
pONYfxPRESS
Hot Controversy at St. Joseph,
Mo-, Settled by Girl Who
Finds Sailor First.

ST. IO0EUlt NO. 0ts SO1SkN
ed. Groups gather on street corners
in pool halls and near-beer shops to
talk about the situation And the
cause Of 1t all is a controversy over
the identity of the first rider to leave
ST. Joseph in the now famous Pony
Express ride.
The Pony Express Is experiencing a
revival, and the historic ride of hardy
horsemen Is to be relived this fall,
when riders will ser out again 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 f1rst riders passed.
When the proposal to revive the ride
was made, no n thought # would re
suit In such a furore. The movement
started Ia the West, and since then
committees have been at ioggerheads
over the tfrst rider. There seems to be
no doubt about the mar who left San
Francisco with the first bag OF mali,
but in st. Joseph opinions differ.
While no homes have been divided
IN the strife, some very heated tlts
have occurred. OF course, none Of
the first riders are now living, as the
date Of the, initial trip was April 8,
1850. Those FIRST" riders who r
backed Tor honors are Johnnie Fry,
John Burnett and n sailor named
william Richardson. At the present
writing Richardson seems to have the
contest tucked away. but at any mo-
ment an antique letter or document
may be sprung on the committee and
swing the contest In another direction
Wranale Over Horse's Color.
The argument does not stop with the
name of the first rider. The epscg o&
the horse he rods, the hour Of the dag
and the par Of the city from wfAcm
the rider set on are all In question.
Strangely, the interest in such an old
affair is not confined to the old f0&
Usually In a Ease like this the younger
and, Of course, smarter set are contaut
to sit back. casting supercilious siefeD
at the petty arguments OF their grand
parents. But not this time.
In fact, the strongest hacker Of Rich
ardson, and the one who placed him at
the head of the race, Is q young WON
an. And If she had not discovered him,
Johnnie Fry would now. in all prob
ability, Do riding at the head of all
''frst" riderE.
But while some were willing to agree
to let the shade of Mr.. Fry absorb all
Of the glory, this young woman went
quietly about the libraries, gathering
up data on the ride. She dug up musty
new spapers and faded letters on which
the writing was hardly discernible. 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 1869 the
Eastern outpost of railroads was st.
Joseph. Mail destined to the Western
territories had to be sent by sailing
vessels around Cape Horn.
However, the Pony Express COM
eminent that 1t might have the con-
tract for carrying the mail If 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
we're purchased. On the appointed
day, April 8. 1880. a horseman set out
from San Francisco, carrying the mail
eastward. At the same time another
horseman was being ferried across the
Missouri river, bound for Seneca,
Kan. q 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 a 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
tance, and the riders were supposed
to make the distance in eight hours.
1t was a hazardous undertaking. as the
plains were at that time overrun by
Indians, and many a rider was found
On the trail, his body pierced with a
poisoned arrow.
But when the ride Is made this fall
the hOrsemen will find conditions diff
fersnt, and II old William Richardson
should wander back to this earth he
would probably be surprised to see his
replica hurrying along over a hard-sur-
faced highway, while unfamiliar OBJ
jects, which people call motorcnrs.
speed by the horseman at a terrific