The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-10-05

thrilling story of the Battle of Beechers Island
fought in eastern Colorado in September, 1868,
that name is familiar. For Tom Ranahan was
one of the party of so scouts, commanded by
Col. George A ('Sandy") Forsyth of the regu-
lar army, who wrote their names high in the
history of the West by their desperate defense
of the little island in the Arickaree river against
the hosts of Cheyenne warriors led by Chief
Roman Nose, who was killed there. Ranahan
of the three last survivors of the Forsyth
Scouts" and one of the few real surviving Pony
Express riders.
One of the best short accounts of the Pony
Express, dealing with its organization, operation
and it's historic importance is the chapter de-
voted to it in the book 1.-THE Overland Mail,
1S49-1S69" by Dr. LIE Roy Hafen, Colorado state
historian which was published by the Arthur II.
Clark company of Cleveland in 1926.
In it Doctor Hafen points out that 1.-THE Pony
Express" was not an end in itself, but means to
an end There had been previous suggestions
for the establishment of fast overland express
and an attempt was made in congress in 1855
to provide such service but these first efforts
did not succeed. With the establishment of the
overland stage lines rivalry had arisen between
the Butterfeld (the Southern) and Central
routes and with the assembling of the thirty
sixth congress in December, 1859, everything
pointed in the direction Of a general revision
of the overland service. Partisans of the Central
route were active but they met with consider
able opposition 1t was with the idea of demon
strating the practicability of the Central route
for year-round travel and to secure an enlarged
mail contract that the Pony Express scheme was
conceived.
During the winter Of 1S59-6O, while William
H. Russell was in Washington he discussed the
xx,fth Hxp;n 81
California The senator contended that it was
necessary to demonstrate the feasibility of the
Central route before he would be able to get
from congress the desired contract. He appealed
to Russell to launch q swift overland express
and agreed to obtain from congress subsidy
to reimburse the firm for the undertaking. The
plan appealed to Russell and he agreed to put
through the enterprise"
Put it through he did and on April 3, 1860
the historic Pony Express went into operation
with riders starting simultaneously from the
Eastern and Western feminist. Joseph, Mo-.
and San Francisco, Calf 1t continued until the
through telegraph line was in operation. Then,
says Hafen, when the telegraph line was COM
pleted on October "a. 1861, the Pony Express
came to a close. The pony was fast but he
could not compete with the lightning"
Unfortunately for its founders it was far from
being a financial success. 1t cost Russell and
his partners 100000 to operate it during its
brief existence and their receipts were only $780,
600 leaving them with a net loss of 100000.
But "from the standpoint of the nation the Pony
Express was eminently successful. 1t demon
.strated the praeticabity of the Central route and
marked the path for the first trans-continental
railroad By shortening the distance between the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts it helped unite the
Pacific coast and the Rocky mountain region
fho Tint he of
the Civil war. 1t showed the conquest of the West
in one of its most spectacular phases and 1t is
an act in the great western drama that win al
ways be recalled and re-enacted as one Of our
precious heritages"
@by Western Newspaper Union.