White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-05-20
OLD PONY EXPRESS CUTOFF
STARTED BY INDIAN KILLINGS

II vas because of several people
being killed by Indians, and partly
TO ave distance. that the Pleasant
valley road between Fish springs
and Tippett originally came into use,
instead Of the Deep creek road. ac-
cording 10 William Henroid, q pio-
neer of Pleasant valley who has lived
there for more than forty years.
A mile or two northwest Of the
present Eight-mile or Georgetta
ranch. which is eight miles south
and a little west of Deep creek, there
Is a narrows between two little rocky
cliffs. The overland road ran there
and Indians used to hide among the
rocks on both sides and shoot the
stage drivers. passengers and pony
express riders as they passed through.
The stages were the worst sufferers.
as the horsemen could ride around
and have a chance for their lives,
but the stages had to go between the
two points II they came by the Deep
creek road.
Mr.. Henroid does not know how
many people were Killed bur says
there we're several and that 1t hap
pened on n number of different oc-
caslons. II was TO fool the Indians
and escape their bullets that the
Pleasant valley road came into ex-
~istence.
or course Mr.. Henroid has no per-
sonal knowledge but his testimony
as irst-hand hearsay IS relevant, for
1t ranks much higher than mere ira
dition. Others living in that part
of the country claim that the pony
express used the Pleasant valley
road mostly and this to save twenty
or twenty-five miles in distance,
which, Of course. takes the form of
eircnmstantial evidence.
Monday a representative Of the
White Pine News called upon Mr..
Henroid at his ranch. being 4 per-
sonal friend. and was shown the
route OF the old pony express and
stage trail. II does not come up
Pleasant valley wash from the east
canyon mouth as the present road
does. BY the present road 1t Is
twenty-three miles from Trout Creek
to Mr.. Henroid's ranch, where the
postofice OF Parker, New. is situated.
BY the pony express trail it Is fifteen
miles.
To start at the beginning it Is es-
timatcd TO be thirty-three miles from
Fish springs to Trout Creek. In the
old DAYS there was a ranch a nile
south of Trout creek called the Will
low ranch and the old road appears
to have been by ii. About two miles
out on the present road from Trout
creek this old road crosses the pres
n road. following 1t for about forty
wards. East of the present road the
old one is not used, but west OF 1t 1t
has been used for years and up to
n week ago as the mail road, and In
that vicinity II Is jocularly called the
skinner highway because Harp KIN
mail carrier, used il by team on
his contract between Trout creek
and Parker, but since George WORE
h~ouse's contract requires the use OF
an automobile he must use the Pleas-
ant valley automobile road arouno
tho t~wenty.three miles by the wash.
and II has been designated accord
ingly. a,.ro
The old pony express and stage
trail as shown by Mr.. Henroid, en-
Tors pleasant valley by a saddle
something like a mile north ana a
uttle east of his ranch. To ascend
,ha, saddle or divide 1t is quite a
c,imb from the northeast side. 1t IS
nretty much of a climb for an au-
,omobile and many a one has bee
milf hat would eve have made IL
The extra eight miles around Is net
Ter for all OF them, but Tor a stagt
team or pony 1t is altogether dif'
,orent. as the ups and downs OF the
old road are both a wind and TIME
saver for the animals, except Tor ont
Tong climb. The state line crosses
Tho old trail in this saddle.
After crossing the saddle eomih'
so,,hwest Mr.. Henroid showed WHERE
Tho road swerved almost due souti
and he indicated to the News repre-