The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-05-24
Pony Express

St. Joseph, Mo.,-The Pony Express
probably the most colorful and ro-
mantle paragraph in American history
will live again.
Next September, roads between this
city and Sacramento will resound to
the hoofbeats Of the mustang. 1t will
be like the reawakening of characters
from an old book. For the Pony Ex-
press has come to be but fascinating
memory.
The Pony Express Revival Organ
ization now is mapping final plans
to reproduce the famous mail route of
1860-61. 1t will be in connection with
the joint Mark Twain and Bret Harte
celebration to extend throughout the
west.
Hundreds of horses and several
score of men will be used. And re-
cruiting of the latter now is reveal
ing heated competition.
It was on April 8, 1860, at p. M,
that Johnny Frey, 20, leaped on
black pony at st. Joseph and rode west.
At the same moment, in Sacramento,
Harry Hoff, another youth, saddled
another dashing mount and turning
eastward, was off like shot.
Thus started the Pony Express.
Now, on September day yet to be
named, two youths, like their predeces-
sors of SD years ago, will stand at at
tention beside two impatient mustangs
here. Each will be handed a COPY of
a message signed by President Hard
ing.
At signal they will leap to the
saddle and gallop down a street lined
with cheering people. The faces Of
each will be grim. The ponies will
head west. The 1000 mile race will
be on.
A hundred relay stations or more.
Hundreds Of horses and scores of
riders will be waiting at points across
the distant plains-waiting for their
turn in the pageant.
That message in duplicate from the
president will be relayed across the
route Of the first western mail route
the same route that became a fore
press companies of today
Charles Cliff, now gray and old, will
be at the starting point here to bid the
riders Godspeed. Sixty three years ago,
as boy Of 16, he, too, rode mustang
on the Pony Express. He was one of
the first to cross the perilous, Indian
ridden plains.
At Sacramento another veteran of
the plains, John Seebeck, will be wait
ing to greet the last relay, eight or
ten days later. In 1860, Seebeck, then
q years old, rode with Cliff.
Most of their con AIDES, including
Buffalo Bill, whose real name was
William Cody, have gone into the sun
set. Cliff and Seebeck alone are left
Sole survivors they are Of that hardy
band of adventures who risked death
to carry the mails.
No perils like those of the original
Pony Express will face these modern
riders. From the day the old line be-
gan until its close in the fall Of 1861,
when the first transcontinental tele-
graph line was completed, danger con-
stantly rode beside the intrepid horse
men. Sometimes they were killed. But
in only lone instance did the mail
fail to get through.
1t is said that when Ebert Hub
bard wrote his famous essay, "a Mes
sage to Garcia" he had in mind that
band of mere boys who braved life
for the sheer love Of adventure.
The roads, too, will be better now,
and bridges will Garry the riders
across swollen streams. 1t was not
thus in olden days.
But despite the absence of the
danger from lurking Indians, despite
the removal of hsrdships, conditions,
wherever possible will be much the
same ss in 1860.
Seebeck, commenting on the coming
ride, recalls his adventures. He rode a
strip OF 80 miles through Nevada.
"The worst thing I had to contend
with was the terrible sand-storms,
he says.
AT times they would blind both
me and my horse. The Indians also
were troublesome. But they didn't