The Pony Express
Purpose:
To provide the fastest mail delivery between St. Joseph,
Missouri, and Sacramento, California, and to draw public attention
to the central route in hope of gaining the million dollar
government mail contract for the Central Overland California
and Pikes Peak Express Company.
Date:
April 3, 1860, to late October, 1861.
Mechanics:
The relay of mail by horses and riders. The Pony Express ran
day and night, summer and winter.
Riders:
183 men are known to have ridden for the Pony Express
during its operation of just over 18 months.
Rider Qualifications:
Ad in California newspaper read: "Wanted. Young, skinny,
wiry fellows. Not over 18. Must be expert riders. Willing to
risk death daily. Orphans preferred." Most riders were
around 20. Youngest was 11. Oldest was mid-40s. Not many
were orphans. Usually weighed around 120 pounds.
Riders Pay:
$100 per month.
First Riders:
Johnny Fry was the first westbound rider from St. Joseph, and Billy
Hamilton was the first eastbound from Sacramento.
Rider Relay:
New riders took over every 75 to 100 miles.
Horse Relay:
Riders got a fresh horse every 10 to 15 miles.
Speed:
Horses traveled an average of 10 miles per hour.
Horses:
400 horses were purchased to stock the Pony Express route.
Thoroughbreds, mustangs, pintos, and Morgans were
often used.
Stations:
Approximately 165 stations.
Trail Length and Route:
The Pony Express Trail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California,
was 1,840 miles in length. Upon arrival in Sacramento, the mail was placed on a
steamer and continued down the Sacramento River to San Francisco for a
total of 1,966 miles. Though the western terminus (final destination) of the Pony Express was
Sacramento, on a number of occasions, do to missed boat connections,
the Express was routed overland between Sacramento and Oakland. The Trail
went through the present states of Missouri, Kansas,
Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California. When the Pony Express
began, it went through only two states, Missouri and California, because the rest
of the present states were still called Territories.
Departure:
Once a week from April 3 to mid-June 1860. Twice a week
from mid-June to late October 1861. Departures were from
both the east and the west.
Scheduled Delivery:
10 days in summer. 12 to 16 days in winter.
Fastest Delivery:
7 days and 17 hours delivering Lincoln's
Inaugural Address, westbound.
Longest Drive:
In present-day Nevada, Pony Bob Haslam rode 370 miles from Friday's Station to
Smith Creek and back.
Cost of Mail:
$5.00 per 1/2 ounce at the beginning. By the end of the
Pony Express, the price had dropped to $1.00 per 1/2
ounce.
Founders:
William Russell, Alexander Majors, and William Waddell were the
owners of the Central Overland California Company and the Pikes
Peak Express Company. The Pony Express was a subsidiary of
these famous freight and stage companies.
Successes:
Improved communication between east and west. Proved
the central route could be traveled all winter. Supported the
central route for the transcontinental railroad. Kept
communication open to California at the beginning of the
Civil War. Provided the fastest communication between
east and west until the telegraph. Captured the hearts and
the imagination of people all over the world.
Failures:
Financially, the owners spent $700,000 on the Pony
Express and had a $200,000 deficit. The company failed
to get the million dollar government contract because of
political pressures and the outbreak of the Civil War
Telegraph Completed:
October 24, 1861. This date marks the Official end of the Pony Express.
