EARLY TRANSPORTATION METHODS
One of the oldest of the great trails to the west, and one of the most noted, with the Santa Fe Trail, which was declared a Government highway in 1824, through the efforts of Thomas H. Benton, then United States Senator from Missouri. The line of this trail is now marked by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, which follows it closely from Kansas City, Mo., to Santa Fe. From 1825 to the beginning of the Civil war, the trade that passed over the Santa Fe Trail amounted to several millions of dollars. This trail did not touch Wyoming, but its starting point was also the starting point of Wyoming's historic route of early days to the Pacific Coast, viz.:
After Fort Leavenworth and St. Joseph became active competitors of Independence in the outfitting business, a trail from those places intersected the main road not far from the present Town of Blue Rapids, Kans. From the Kansas line the trail continued in a northwesterly direction until it struck the Platte River where Grand Island, Neb., now stands. A short distance above Grand Island the trail crossed the river and followed the north bank to Fort Laramie.
Another trail left the Santa Fe, not far from the present City of Great Bend, Kans., and followed up the Arkansas River to Bent's Fort where it turned northward and descended the South Fork of the Platte River for some distance, when it crossed over to the North Fork, striking that stream a little below Scott's Bluff, Neb. It then ascended the North Platte to Fort Laramie, where it joined the main trail. From Fort Laramie the trail followed the river for about fifty miles, when it left the Platte to strike it again near the present City of Casper. At this point the road crossed to the north side of the river and proceeded via Willow Springs and Independence Rock up the Sweetwater River to the South Pass. At Pacific Springs, a few miles west of the South Pass, the trail divided, one branch crossing the Green River not far from the mouth of La Barge Creek, in what is now Lincoln County, and the other running southwest to old Fort Bridger and thence to the upper waters of the Bear River. Near the western boundary of Wyoming the two were united for a short distance, only again to be divided into two separate trails. The northern branch ran by way of Fort Hall and Boise to Oregon, and the southern by way of Great Salt Lake to the Sacramento Valley in California. The latter was known as the "California Trail," though the Mormon emigrants called it the "Mormon Trail" or the "Salt Lake Trail." The distance from Independence to the mouth of the Columbia River over this historic trail was 2,124 miles.
Some writers give to Wilson P. Hunt and his expedition of 1811 the distinction of being the first explorers over the Oregon Trail, but this is incorrect. Hunt ascended the Missouri River and came into what is now the State of Wyoming from the north. That part of the trail between Independence and Grand Island was in use at a very early day. perhaps before the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, but no record of when or by whom it was first used can be found. That portion between the upper waters of the Green River and Grand Island was no doubt first traversed by the six Astorians who left the Walla Walla Valley in June, 1812, to return to St. Louis. Gen. William H. Ashley discovered the route through the South Pass in 1824, and the first written account of the trail was that of John B. Wyeth, published in 1833.
| Big Springs | 12 |
| Bitter Cottonwood | 10 |
| Willow Branch | 7 |
| To Where Road Leaves the River | 23 |
| Big Timber Creek | 16 |
| Marble Creek | 5 |
| Mike's Head Creek | 12 |
| Deer Creek | 16 |
| Crossing of the North Platte | 25 |
| Mineral Springs | 8 |
| Willow Springs | 5 |
| Independence Rock | 22 |
| Devil's Gate | 5 |
Governor Carey appointed as the members of the commission A. J. Parshall, state engineer; H. G. Nickerson, of Lander: and Mrs. Emily A. Patten, of Cheyenne. Subsequently Dr. Grace Raymond Hebard, of the State University, succeeded Mrs. Patten and Mrs. J. T. Snow, of Torrington, succeeded Mr. Parshall. Under the auspices of these commissioners markers have been placed at the most noted stopping places along the trail in Wyoming, the most eastern monument being located at Torrington, the county seat of Goshen County.
The census of 1860 showed nearly half a million inhabitants west of the Rocky Mountains, and the Government saw that better service was necessary, especially as war was imminent. There were then three recognized lines of mail transit between the East and West. First, the Panama line, which was most patronized, but which would be greatly endangered if the Southern States withdrew from the Union, on account of its location: second, the "Butterfield Route." which started from St. Louis and ran far to the southward, entering California at the southeast corner of the state: third, the "Central Route," which followed the Platte River into Wyoming and reached the State of California via Salt Lake City.. The Gwin bill of 1855 recommended this route, and in 1860 it was regarded as the most practicable, as it could be controlled by the North in the event of war.
In the winter of 1859-60. William Russell, senior member of the firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell. was in Washington in connection with some freight contracts with the Government. An overland mail route was discussed by him and Senator Gwin and he saw an opportunity to secure a profitable contract with the Government for carrying the mail, if he could manage to keep the route open during the winter seasons and equal or lower the time schedule of the Panama line. He even went so far as to commit his firm to the undertaking without first consulting his partners. Upon his return to Leavenworth, he found Majors and Waddell rather unfavorable to his scheme, but as he had agreed to make the trial they joined him in the incorporation of the "Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company." which was granted a charter by the Territory of Kansas, and which was empowered to operate a passenger and freighting business in addition to the "Pony Express."
The first Pony Express rider left St. Joseph, Mo., on the afternoon of April 3, i860, and at the same hour the east bound mail left San Francisco on a fast steamer and sent up the Sacramento River to Sacramento, where it was transferred to the Pony Express. Johnny Frey took the first mail out of St. Joseph, and Harry Roff was the first rider out of Sacramento. At the stations along the route relay riders and steeds were stationed and when the two mails met the riders set out upon the return trip. Each rider received a salary of from $125 to $150 per month, and was required to take an oath to abstain from intoxicating liquors and profane language while in the employ of Russell, Majors and Waddell as a mail carrier.
The route followed in general the Oregon Trail, except where some distance could be saved by a short cut across the prairies. From Fort Kearney, Neb., it followed the south bank of the Platte for about two hundred miles. At Cottonwood Springs (the junction of the North and South forks of the Platte) the rider took a course almost directly westward, past O'Fallon's Bluffs, Beauvais Ranch, Alkali and Diamond Springs to Julesburg. There he forded the South Fork of the Platte and then followed the course of Lodge Pole Creek to Thirty Mile Ridge. From that point to Scott's Bluffs he pursued nearly a direct line ; then via Fort Laramie, Platte Bridge and South Pass to Fort Bridger; thence to Salt Lake City; then crossing the Humboldt River into Nevada he passed by Carson City to Placerville, Cal., and from there by the shortest route to Sacramento. A large part of this route traversed the wildest regions of the United States, and there were but four military posts along the line.
The saddle-bag used for carrying the mail was called the "mochila." It contained four pockets—two in front and two behind the rider's legs. Letters were wrapped in oiled silk to protect them from moisture. The postal charges were at first $5 for each half-ounce letter, but this rate was afterward reduced to $1. Eighty riders were employed and they were always on the go, except for the few hours' rest between the change from east to west, one-half riding in one direction and the other half in the opposite direction. They were men who could be relied on to retain their presence of mind in an emergency, were strangers to fear and expert horsemen. Stories of the thrilling experiences of the Pony Express riders discount fiction. Among the most noted of these riders may be mentioned "Jim" Moore. Johnny Frey, Harry Roff, William F. Cody (better known as Buffalo Bill), Robert Haslam (commonly called "Pony Bob"), J. G. Kelley, George Gardner. Dan Westcott, "Boston," Sam Hamilton and the one known as "Irish Tom,"
Cody's "run" was from Red Buttes to the Three Crossings on the Sweetwater River, so called because the trail crossed the stream three times within a quarter of a mile, a place always difficult to negotiate and in times of high water actually dangerous. Yet he rode this "run" back and forth as long as the Pony Express was in existence. The distance was seventy-six miles. On one occasion, when he reached the Three Crossings, Cody found that the man who was to take the mail on west had been killed the night before. He therefore continued his ride to Rock Ridge, eighty-five miles, and then returned to Red Buttes, making a total of 322 miles without delay or rest, the longest run on record in the history of the Pony Express. Another time, when he carried a package containing a considerable sum of currency, fearing he would be held up by road agents, he provided himself with a dummy mochila and concealed the real mail bag under his saddle blanket. Sure enough, at a lonely spot on the route he was met by two highwaymen who commanded him to "throw up his hands." Confronted by two rifles leveled at him, he obeyed, remonstrating with the robbers, who commanded him to throw them the mail pouch and not try to reach for his gun, threatening to fill him full of holes if he did not obey orders. He loosed the dummy mail bag and, watching his opportunity, hurled it at the head of the robber nearest him, who dodged, and, while thus taken off their guard momentarily, Cody quickly drew his revolver and by an accurate shot disabled the other man. Then, putting the spurs to his horse, he rode over the one who had stooped to pick up the mail bag. Before the bandit could recover his equilibrium and take aim, horse and rider were out of range and the mail was saved.
When Edward Creighton completed the Pacific Telegraph in October, 1861, the Pony Express went out of business. It had been a losing venture financially. The purchase of some four hundred good horses, the establishment of stations every ten or twelve miles along the route, the wages of the riders and station keepers, the transportation of supplies, etc., absorbed the receipts and left a deficit. But while the Pony Express was in existence it added romance and adventure to the Great West about which volumes have been written. During the sixteen months from April, 1860, to October, 1861, the Pony Express riders traveled over six hundred and fifty thousand miles in the aggregate. All had adventures with hostile Indians, blizzards and road agents, and some of them lost their lives while in the discharge of their duty, but the history of the West shows no more courageous, faithful and persistent men than the Pony Express riders.
W. F. McGraw, of Maryland, began operating a stage line between Sacramento, Cal., and Salt Lake City in the early '50s. At Salt Lake City his stages connected with those of the Hockaday & Liggett line. In 1854 Congress voted to appropriate $80,000 annually for direct mail service from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific Coast. McGraw received every year $13,500 of this appropriation, but even with this assistance from the Government he failed in 1856.
On September 15, 1857, the Butterfield Overland Mail Company entered into a contract with the United States postoffice department to carry the mails between some point on the Missouri River and California for a period of six years, service to commence within One year from the date of contract. St. Joseph, Mo., was selected as the starting point and the first Overland stages started from St. Joseph and San Francisco on September 15. 1858. The principal promoters and largest stockholders of the company were John Buttertield and William G. Fargo. The route followed by the Butterfield Company's stages was known as the "Southern Route," through the Indian Territory,'New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Southern California. Some of the coaches went by way of El Paso and others by way of Albuquerque. The time required for the trip was twenty-five days. The Southern Route was followed regularly until the beginning of the Civil war, when the Northern (or Central) Route via Forts Kearny, Laramie and Bridger and Salt Lake City to Placerville, Cal. The first stages over this route left St. Joseph and Placerville simultaneously on July 1, 1861. Over the new route the time was shortened to seventeen days.
In the meantime the firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell had inaugurated the Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express in the summer of 1859, and by the close of that year there were six different mail routes to the Pacific Coast, the aggregate cost of which to the Government was not far from two millions of dollars annually. In 1860 the Pony Express was started by Russell, Majors & Waddell, as already narrated. In the fall of 1861 Ben Holliday succeeded to the business of Russell, Majors & Waddell and the Butterfield Overland Company, and in a short time he became known as the "King of Western Transportation." At the height of the Overland's prosperity, Holliday had 500 stage coaches, 500 freight wagons, over five thousand horses and mules and a "host of oxen." He also owned sixteen steamers which plied between San Francisco, Panama, Oregon, China and Japan, and the Government paid him about one million dollars annually on mail contracts.
"I have heard a good deal about Rocky Mountain stage driving," he remarked to the driver, just before they reached the summit, "but I haven't seen any of it yet."
"Maybe you will before you get out of the mountains," replied Bishop, with a quizzical glance at his passenger, at the same time dismounting from the box to see that his brake blocks were properly adjusted before undertaking the descent.
"Aren't we going near enough to a snail's pace now," testily asked the tenderfoot, "without stopping to bother with the brakes?" He failed to notice the look in the driver's eye, however, a look which Doctor Thomas describes as "malicious."
Having adjusted the brakes to his liking, West resumed his seat on the box and a few rods farther the coach rolled over the crest of the hill. Then things began to happen. With a yell like a Comanche Indian on the war path. Bishop "threw the silk" into the flanks of the leaders and away they went at full speed. The passenger first begged, then stormed and raved, but the only response was the cracking of the whip like a pistol in the horses' ears and the yells of the driver to them to "Get out of the way!" When about half way down the slope the rate of speed became so great that the passenger grew desperate, and finding protestation and supplication alike in vain, he leaped from the coach. Without looking back to see what had happened to his passenger, Bishop went on down the hill until he reached Idaho Springs, having made the descent of three miles in 11½ minutes. About an hour later the tenderfoot came limping in, scratched and bruised, with torn clothing, uttering anathemas against all stage drivers, but especially against Bishop West. But he was never again heard to complain as to the slowness of the Overland coaches. His education in that respect was complete.
>One of these markers, on the boundary line between Colorado and Wyoming, was unveiled on July 4, 1917. Dean S. Walter Johnson, of the Colorado Agricultural College delivered the principal address, in which he reviewed the history of the Overland Route, closing his address with these words: "If there is such a thing as manifest destiny, does not this stone mark its trail?" Dr. Grace Raymond Hebard of the Wyoming State University also spoke in behalf of the Daughters of the American Revolution of the two states.
Later in the same year a coach on the same line was held up near Hat Creek by Charley Ross and a man named Brown. Upon the order to the passengers to "hold up your hands," one of them, Daniel Finn, "came a shooting." Ross returned the fire and Finn was slightly wounded in the face. Brown was shot through the body and captured. Sheriff T. J. Carr, of Cheyenne, learned through Brown that Ross was at Eureka, Nev., and went after him. He was brought back to Cheyenne, tried and convicted of highway robbery. Wyoming prisoners were then kept in the Nebraska penitentiary at Lincoln. Ross was taken there and after failing to secure a pardon, committed suicide. His photograph remained in Sheriff Carr's collection for several years after his death, labeled: "Charley Ross, road agent and murderer on the Black Hills stage road. 1877-78; captured at Eureka, Nev., December, 1878, by T. J. Carr; committed suicide at Lincoln, Neb., penitentiary, February 16, 1885."
In November, 1878, the coach from the north, bound for Laramie City, carried two road agents–Mansfield and McLaughlin–as prisoners. At the crossing of the Platte River the stage was stopped by a company of masked men. the guard overpowered and the two bandits were taken out and hanged.
About that time Gen. D. J. Cook, of Colorado, organized the Rocky Mountain Detective Association for the purpose of breaking up the gang, and a number of Wyoming men became members. Nathaniel K. Boswell, of Laramie, learning that the road agents had a rendezvous near Rock Creek, took thirteen deputies and started for the place. Six men were captured and were afterward convicted. Boswell also captured Jack Watkins, one of the worst of the desperadoes, when no one else would undertake the task. Finally, through the combined efforts of the detective association, the territorial authorities and the United State troops, the gang was broken up. Among the road agents were Bill Bivins, Marriner, Harrington, Miller, Oaks, Congdon and others, some of whom were arrested and sentenced to prison and some "bit the dust" in their conflicts with officers of the law.
An occasional stage robbery occurred after the organized road agents were put out of business. In September, 1889, Bill Brown and Dan Parker stopped the United States mail coach near Rawlins and robbed the mail and the passengers, after which they escaped to Brown's Hole. A reward of $1,000 was offered for their arrest. Parker was arrested by Sheriff T. J. Carr at Provo, Utah, brought to Wyoming and received a penitentiary sentence. Brown was arrested near Buffalo, Wyo.. on April 2, 1891. and on the i8th received a prison sentence.
At one time this firm owned 6,250 wagons and 75,000 oxen. In 1860 the number of freight wagons crossing the Great Plains was about five hundred daily, and five years later this number was greatly increased, the amount of freight transported in the latter year exceeding eleven thousand tons. The wagons used were of the Conestoga type, called "prairie schooners." They were built at Pittsburgh, Pa., were equipped with boxes or beds about sixteen feet long and from four to six feet deep, and were covered with a heavy white canvas cover. Each wagon was capable of carrying from two to six tons of freight, owing to the nature of the cargo, and nearly all were drawn by oxen. These wagons cost about one thousand dollars each, so it may be seen that considerable capital was necessary to engage in the freighting business.
The wagons generally went in trains of twenty-five or more, each train in charge of a "wagon master," for better protection against the Indian raids. Rates were made by the pound on all freight and varied from 15 cents for bacon and flour to 25 cents for trunks and boxed goods. Thus the cost of transporting a barrel of flour from the Missouri River to the coast was about thirty dollars. St. Joseph, Mo., and Omaha, Neb., were the principal starting points of the freight wagon trains crossing the plains, and the merchants of those towns did an annual business amounting to millions of dollars. Freight was brought up the Missouri River in light-draft steamers to the outfitting points and there transferred to the wagons.
In 1876 and 1877 hundreds of wagons were employed in freighting between Cheyenne and the Black Hills mining districts and the Indian agencies. The winter of 1877-78 was mild and the road was dotted with freight wagons all the time. On the night of March 8, 1878, a blizzard commenced and lasted for five days. A number of wagon drivers lost their way when the road became covered with the deep snow and were frozen to death, some of them within a few miles from Cheyenne and others near the stations along the line. Such were the perils of freighting in the early days. In that storm houses were snowed under until only the top of the roof and chimneys could be seen. Hundreds of cattle were lost, and in Cheyenne the roof of one building collapsed under the weight of snow.
The stage coach and the freight wagon were potent factors in the development of the Great West, and their career has been told in story and celebrated in song. There was a romance connected with the stage driver and the freighter that will never be duplicated concerning any other class of men in this country. The locomotive whistle has taken the place of the crack of the '"bull-whacker's" whip, and the towns away from the line of the railroad are now reached by automobile instead of the old Concord coach. Instead of requiring a whole summer to freight a consignment of goods from the Missouri River to Oregon or California and make the return trip, the railroad now transacts the business in a few days. The story of the railroad development in Wyoming is told in the next chapter, but it lacks many of the thrilling and romantic features of the old-time stage coaching and freighting days when the West was young.