The Pony Express began its 18 months of operation on April 3, 1860.
Mail would leave St. Joseph, Missouri and a relay of riders carried it 1,900 miles to Sacramento, California in 10 days, ideally.
Shown are riders (clockwise, upper left) Billy Richardson, Johnny Fry, Gus Cliff, and Charles Cliff.
As a young man, Johnny Fry had already become a skilled horseman. After he won a horse race near Rushville, Missouri, in 1860, he was approached by Alexander Major, who asked Fry if he would be interested in riding for his newly founded Pony Express service.
Fry accepted the offer and was assigned to the first leg of the westbound route of the Pony Express, delivering it from the stables in St. Joseph, Missouri, to Seneca, Kansas, a distance of about 80 miles.
Weighing in at less than 120 pounds, Fry was to be the first west-bound Pony Express rider from St. Joseph, Missouri.
The service was launched with much hoopla and excitement on April 3, 1860. Amidst the flowery speeches of the local postmaster, Fry’s saddle was loaded with 50 pieces of mail, “including a congratulatory message from President Buchanan to Governor Downey of California.
Fry’s counterpart in the west, James Randall, had already left San Francisco. Fry left the stables in St. Joseph, carrying his mailbag the few blocks to a ferry across the Missouri River, across to Elwood, Kansas, and then on to Seneca, Kansas.
‘To San Francisco in 8 days by the Central Overland California and Pike’s Peak Express Company,” according to an account of the most remarkable mail service ever in existence, and its place in history by Glenn D. Bradley, published in 1913.
“The first courier of the Pony Express will leave the Missouri River on Tuesday, April 3rd at 5 o’clock P. M. and will run regularly weekly hereafter, carrying a letter mail only.
“The point of departure on the Missouri River will be in telegraphic connection with the East and will be announced in
due time.
“Telegraphic messages from all parts of the United States and Canada in connection with the point of departure will be received up to 5 o’clock P. M. of the day of leaving and transmitted over the Placerville and St. Joseph telegraph wire to San Francisco and intermediate points by the connecting express, in 8 days.
“The letter mail will be delivered in San Francisco in ten days from the departure of the Express.
” The Express passes through Forts Kearney, Laramie, Bridger, Great Salt Lake City, Camp Floyd, Carson City, The Washoe Silver Mines, Placerville, and Sacramento.
“Letters for Oregon, Washington Territory, British Columbia, the Pacific Mexican ports, Russian Possessions, Sandwich Islands, China, Japan and India will be mailed in San Francisco.
“Special messengers, bearers of letters to connect with the express the 3rd of April, will receive communications for the courier of that day at No. 481 Tenth St., Washington City, up to 2:45 P. M. on Friday, March 30, and in New York at the office of J. B. Simpson, Room No. 8, Continental Bank Building, Nassau Street, up to 6:30 A. M. of March 31.
“Full particulars can be obtained on application at the above places and from the agents of the Company.”
This sudden announcement of the long desired fast mail route aroused great enthusiasm in the West and especially in St. Joseph, Missouri, Salt Lake City, and the cities of California, where preparations to celebrate the opening of the line were at once begun.
Slowly, the time passed, until the afternoon of the eventful day, April 3rd, that was to mark the first step in annihilating distance between the East and West.
A great crowd had assembled on the streets of St. Joseph, Missouri. Flags were flying, and a brass band added to the jubilation. The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad had arranged to run a special train into the city, bringing the through mail from connecting points in the East. Everybody was anxious and excited.
At last the shrill whistle of a locomotive was heard, and the train rumbled in — on time. The pouches were rushed to the post office where the express mail was made ready.
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Tales of the old west, rousing and rowdy. A movie about the Pony Express, old black and white, was made in the 40s or 50s. I remember seeing it when I was a kiddo. Dangerous work back then; lots of banditos and Indians.
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Such a great story of how America was expanding in the old west era. Brave and tough people. Riding non stop and manning the outpost was a dangerous job by all. Wonder if we have that kind of initiative today?
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Likely not. If so, rare.
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