The Pony Express existed from April 3, 1860 to October 26, 1861 -- exactly 18 months and 23 days. This was the period in history when stagecoaches were the most modern form of transportation, when Inidan attacks were frequent and when the Wild Old West was exactly that -- Wild.
Created by the freighting firm of Russell, Majors and Waddell, the Pony Express carried 'mochilas' or pouches of official documents and mail by horseback along a 2,000 mile route between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California.
Russell and his associates collected about 400 fast horses, hired approximately 80 riders, and established 190 pony express stations. These stations stood 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometers) apart. The Pony Express route ran along the Platte River in what is now Nebraska, to South Pass and Fort Bridger, both now in Wyoming. Then it turned south to the Great Salt Lake. South of Salt Lake, it headed west across the salt desert to the Sierra Nevada.
To establish the Pony Express "all they had to do," was to get 500 more Indian Ponies, and 300 men to ride them, and to maintain their 60 stations, to be established west of Salt Lake City on the California Trail. Some of those stations were later known as Camp Floyd, Utah, Ruby, Nevada, Cold Springs, Nevada, Carson City, Nevada, Placerville, and Sacramento California.
Only young light-weight men served as Pony Expess riders. Many of them were teen-agers. A day's work consisted of 75 miles (121 kilograms) or more. The rider mounted s fresh horse at each way station along the trail. He ended his workday when he reached a home station, where another rider took his place. Pony Express riders were paid $100 to $150 a month.
The Pony Express ran day and night. Riders worked in all kinds of weather and faced the threat of Indian attacks. Most of the riders carried a pair of pistols and a knife. Only one rider was killed by Indians. The transcontinental telegraph ended the major need for the Pony Express. It opened on October 24, 1861, and the Pony Express officially closed two days later. Russell's freighting firm lost more than $100,000 on the Pony Express.
Before the existence of the Pony Express, the quickest time ever made across the continent was 21 days by the Butterfield Stageline. The Pony Express cut this time in half. Not only did it never once fail to cross the treacherous terrain of the Old West in 10 days, it more than once surpassed any other courier record in history.
In its conception, the Pony Express was never intended to turn a profit or become the phenomenon of its time. However, once word was out, the venture of Russell, Majors and Waddell was billed as "The Greatest Enterprise of Modern Times." On April 3, 1860, excited crowds gathered in St. Joseph and Sacramento to witness the spectacular ceremony. To mollify an excited crowd during a delay, a Pony Express rider's horse was put on display in St. Joseph. The observers began to pluck hairs from the poor beast for souvenirs, prompting a reporter from the St. Joseph Weekly West to observe "The little pony was almost robbed of his tail."
The mail for the first historic run consisted of 49 letters, some copies of Eastern newspapers, five private telegrams and numerous telegraphic dispatches from California newspapers. Together, all of the items in the first batch weighed less than 15 pounds, and even the high delivery charge of five dollars an ounce didn't begin to cover the cost of the service. The mail was locked into three pockets on the 'mochila' and a fourth was left empty to collect mail along the way.
Russel, Majors and Waddell placed "Orphans Wanted" advertisements soliciting riders for the Pony Express in local towns throughout the country. Each competent applicant was sworn in and issues a specially bound copy of the Bible. The riders became local heroes over 190 mail exchanging way stations that dotted the route. Crowds of people, including many pretty girls, continually gathered to cheer them off. They were adventurous young kids with nothing to lose and dreams of adventure and glory spurred them on. Soon to be historical legends William (Buffalo Bill) Cody and James Butler (Wild Bill) Hickok were both Pony Express riders.
Help Wanted Sign -- "Watned. Young, skinny, wire fellows. Not over 18. Must be expert riders. Willing to risk death daily. Ophans preferred."
The OATH -- Every rider was required to say an oath. "I do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during my engagement, and while I am an employee of Russell, Majors & Waddell, that I will, under no circumstances, use profane language; that I will drink no intoxicating liquors; that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employee of the firm, and that in every respect I will conduct myself honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as I win the confidence of my employers. So help me God."
Now with the official signing out of the way, and the rider being hired, he was given several things; a lightweight rifle, a Colt revolver, a bright red flannel shirt, blue trousers, a horn, and a Bible. They were then assigned to the part of the trail that they knew best, and given more instructions.
The Pay -- The average rider recieved only $25 a week. Resulting in $100 a month salary. This was pretty good pay for 1860, plus an added bonus their housing and food was taken care of by the station.
The Trip -- Riders usually covered 75-100 miles a day. They rode 10 mph and switched horses every 10-15 miles. They covered rough rugged terrain, and encountered many dangers.
The Mochila -- The mochila or saddle sack was the pouch that riders carried the cargo in. It had four pockets, each with their own padlock. The mochila had a hole cut on the center to fit around the saddle horn. This allowed it to be securely attached to the saddle, but was also easy to remove from the saddle when a rider switched horses. The mochila weighed somewhere around 13 pounds.
The Stations -- There were any where between 150 -170 weigh stations that covered the 2,000 miles between St. Joe and Sacremento. These stations were placed 5-20 miles apart. The stations were often raided by indians and or drovers.
The Riders -- There were over 200 riders for the Pony Express. Some of the most famous ones were:
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody
James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok
"Pony Bob" Haslam
"Bronco Charlie" Miller
Martha Jane "Calamity Jane" Canary
Pony Express Facts
The Pony Express mail service was established by the freight firm, Russel, Majors and Waddell.
Mail was carried in a specially designed square of leather called a mochilla. The mochilla was thrown over the saddle, with a hole for the saddle horn and a slit for the cantle.
Letters bearing a $5 pony express stamp (later reduced to $1) and a 10-cent USA stamp, were carried in four sole-leather boxes attached to the corners of the mochilla.
The Pony Express carried mail between St Joseph, Missouri and Sacremento, California. It was then taken to San Francisco by steamer.
The Pony Express route followed the Oregon-California trail for the most part, however diverted south of the Great Salt Lake and headed west across the Sierra Nevada Mountains to save over 100 miles.
Each Pony Express rider rode for 75 to 100 miles, exchanging horses every 10 to 15 miles.
The first Pony Express trip took 10 days; later trips were usually made in 8 or 9 days. This was about 12-14 days shorter than the time required by the Overland Mail.
The news of Lincoln's election in November 1860 was carried in a record-breaking 7 days and 17 hours
Pony Express riders earned about $100 a month
In the 18-months the Pony Express operated, the mail was lost only once.
The completion of the transcontinental telegraph line in October 1861 ended all need for the Pony Express.
Many books have been written about the Pony Express, and most of them name "Buffalo Bill" Cody as the greatest of all the riders. There is no doubt that "Buffalo Bill" was a great rider and frontiersman, but it is very doubtful that he ever carried the Pony Express mail. He did work for Russell, Majors & Waddell at that time, but he was then only fourteen years old, and worked as a messenger boy at Leavenworth, Kansas. The stories of his daring experiences as a Pony Express rider were never told until he became famous and had a talented publicity agent.
"Wild Bill" Hickok became most famous of all the men who worked on the Pony Express route, but he was not a rider. He was a stableman at the Rock Creek station in eastern Nebraska. It was there that he gained his first fame -- and the name of "Bill." One of the men whom he and his friend Doc Brink are said to have killed in self-defense gave him the name as well as the fame.
James Butler Hickok was twenty-three years old when he came from Illinois to take the job of stableman at Rock Creek. At that time he had no mustache to cover his buck teeth and protruding upper lip. Dave McCanles, a hard-drinking bully who had a homestead nearby, ridiculed Jim's appearance, laughed at him, and called him "Duckbill." After their famous gun fight, Jim was arrested, tried for murder, and exonerated. But the sheriff misunderstood the nickname. He wrote out his warrant for "Dutch Bill" Hickok. The "Dutch" was soon forgotten, but the "Bill" stuck.
Wild Bill Hickok (1837-1876), was an American frontier army scout, peace officer, stagecoach driver, and gambler. He is best remembered for his brief and violent service as a sheriff and marshal in Kansas. Hickok's adventures and questionable killings made him a legend even during his own lifetime.
James Butler Hickok was born in Troy Grove, Ill. As a youth, he gained a reputation as an expert marksman and a tough, greatly feared fighter. Hickok left home in 1855 and got jobs as a farm worker, police officer, stagecoach driver, and wagon master.
During the Civil War (1861-1865), Hickok served the Union as a spy and scout. According to legend, he was given the nickname "Wild Bill" during this period. Hickok became a deputy United States marshal in 1866. In 1867, he scouted for the army's Seventh Cavalry Regiment, commanded by the famous Indian fighter Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer.
In 1869, Hickok won election to the office of sheriff of Ellis County, Kansas. He spent most of his time in Hays City, Kansas, which was a wild frontier town. As sheriff, Hickok killed two men. He lost a reelection bid in November of that year. In 1871, Hickok served as marshal of Abilene, Kansas. There, Hickok shot and killed a gambler, and by mistake, a policeman. Hickok drew much criticism for his violent responses to rowdy drunks.
During the next few years, Hickok drifted through the West gambling and performing in a play called Scouts of the Prairie. In 1876, he moved to Deadwood in the Dakota Territory during a gold rush. Hickok hoped to strike it rich but was unsuccessful. He was shot and killed by a town worker named Jack McCall while playing cards in the No. 10 Saloon. Hickok fell to the floor, still clutching a pair of aces and eights, known ever since as the "dead man's hand."
THE END -- The Pony Express lasted approximately 18 months. It was a finacial failure. After all was said and done it cost $700,000 to operate and was approximately $200,000 in debt when it collapsed. Russell, Majors, and Waddell did not receive the million dollar contract due to the telegraph, political pressures, and the on coming Civil War. The telegraph lines went up on October 24,1861. This shut down some but not all weigh stations. The Pony Express lasted for a month after the telegraph lines were completed. The last official ride was on November 21,1861. Even in it's short existince, The Pony Express made a huge dent in American History and westward expansion. It still mystifies and intrigues today.
The service commenced on April 3, 1860 and ran through until its demise in late October 1861.
