Swift Steeds Tie East to West

Swift Steeds Tie East to West. . , "The Mail Must Go Through" , From April 3, 1860 to November 21, 1861, mail was delivered by the Pony Express between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. It was a relay system between 190 stations along the route. A fresh horse was used every 12-15 miles and a new rider was used every 75-100 miles. It took 75 horses to go one-way. Approximately 1900 miles took 10-12 days in the summer and 12-16 in winter. The service had an almost perfect track record. Only once the mail didn't make it because horse and rider were killed. The Pony Express was short-lived due to the completion of the transcontinental telegraph in 1861, which could send news in just a few minutes., The Equipment , Two Navy Colt revolvers and rifle . Bowie knife . Horn to sound arrivals . Bible for courage . Mochila pouch to carry mail . Some riders carried less so they weren't overloaded. , The Horses , Between 400, 500 horses were picked for their great spirit and endurance. These tough horses could carry riders with little worry about food or water. They galloped over rocks, desert sands and snow. They bravely outran Indian attacks. Breeds like Morgans and Thoroughbreds often were used on the eastern end of the route; Pintos in the middle; and Mustangs in the west. , The Riders , Riders had to swear they would drink "no intoxicating liquor". Booze bottles found along the trail show this oath was not always honored on the isolated route., The stationmasters and attendants also had a lonely and dangerous job. Not only did the riders have to watch out for Indian attacks and brave horrible conditions, stationmasters also were in constant danger and many lost their lives., Famed rider Robert "Pony Bob" Haslam rode 380 miles round-trip in 36 hours. It was billed as the longest and fastest run in Pony Express history., At age 15, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody made the longest non-stop ride when his relief rider was killed. He rode 322 miles in just over 21 hours, using 21 horses, over the most dangerous territory on the route. , Average Age: 20 , Youngest rider: 11 , Oldest rider: 40+ , Monthly pay: $50, $100, ”When I arrived at Cold Spring, to my horror, I found the station had been attacked by Indians, the keeper killed, and all the horses taken away, I decided in a moment what course to pursue – I would go on.” , Robert “Pony Bob” Haslam