The Overland Stage to California.

Bridges Built of "Pub. Does."

get. The boys thought a scalp on the bead was very much more valuable to them than the same in the hands of an Indian.
   The messengers in charge of the express were the poorest-paid men in the employ of the stage company. They were obliged to ride outside on the box with the driver six days and nights without undressing, and exposed to all kinds of weather. They received $62.50 a month, and meals free on the road, but they were idle--that is, had a lay-over--nine days out of every three weeks so that their real working time was somewhat reduced and their days of exposure that much lessened.
   Holladay continued at the head of the great stage line for nearly five years. In the meantime he had come into possession of the Western Stage Company's routes from Omaha and Nebraska City to Fort Kearney. In 1867, having absorbed the Smoky Hill line, a rival corporation known as the "Butterfield Overland Despatch," the name of the consolidated lines was, by act of the territorial legislature of Colorado, changed to the "Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company." By this name the line was known until nearly all the great stage and express routes between the Missouri river and the Pacific ocean were bought up and consolidated under the name of "Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express."
   Before the daily overland mail went into operation, and when a stage went to Salt Lake only once a week, some of the boys on the line used to despise a coach almost wholly loaded up with public documents from Washington, but such mail matter came quite handy at times. Occasionally the drivers, as they themselves said, in rough weather, would get stalled going through a bad slough, and be unable to move. In that case they were obliged to take out sack after sack of the "Pub. Docs.," open the bags, and pile the massive books from the Government printing office in the slough, and, by building a solid foundation with them, were thus enabled to pull the coach out of the mire.
   It was the pride of almost every driver to keep his stock in fine condition, so that the animals would bear inspection by the division agents, superintendent and other officials who made frequent trips over the line, never failing to examine closely every animal and every part of the harness. Some drivers kept their harness well oiled, and it looked, after years of constant use, almost as nice as the day it left Concord.

The Overland Stage to California.

In staging overland, it was all-day and all-night riding over the rolling prairies, as it was across the plains and over the rugged mountain passes. But one would enjoy the long all-night rides far better when going along the Platte river, especially when there was a moon, which lighted up the surrounding country, its silvery rays being reflected in the waters of the beautiful stream, which silently flowed along the great overland pathway.

"The moon, sweet regent of the sky,"

appeared to break the dreary monotony as one would sit up on the box alongside the driver, or with nine persons inside the coach, and in this way make the long, tiresome journey.
   On the main line there were about 2750 horses and mules, the most of them regularly in use. There were from eight to twelve animals kept at each station. At some of the stations it was necessary to keep a few head of extra stock, as occasionally an animal would be liable to get lame, sick, or be crippled, and at times unable to work; hence the necessity of a few extra head where they could be got without delay.
   The cost of the animals necessary for equipping the main line was about $500,000. The harness used by the stage company was of the very best Concord make, and cost in staging days, during the '60's, in the neighborhood of $150 for a complete set of four, or, say, $55,000 for the main line.
   Feed for the stock was one of the important items of expense in running the great stage line. At each station there was annually consumed from forty to eighty tons of bay. The cost of hay in staging days was all the way from fifteen to forty dollars a ton. At the various stations it required about 20,000 tons annually to supply them, costing an average of about twenty-five dollars per ton, or, say, $500,000 per anum (sic). In grain, each animal was apportioned an average of twelve quarts of corn daily, which then cost from two to ten cents a pound.
   On portions of the Salt Lake and California divisions, oats and barley grown in Utah were used in place of corn, costing about as much for feed. Between Atchison and Denver--about one-third of the way across--at least 3,000,000 pounds (over 50,000 bushels) of corn were annually consumed, costing about $200,000. On each of the other two divisions--Denver to Salt Lake, and Salt Lake to Placerville--the cost was fully as much more for grain.

NAT. STEIN, Agent at Denver and Salt Lake. Photo. 1876.	R. L. PEASE, Agent at Denver, Colo. Photo. 1865.
JOHN N. TODD, Agent at Boies (sic) City, Idaho. Photo. 1865.	HUGO RICHARDS, Agent at Atchison and Denver. Photo. later '60's.

The Overland Stage to California.

Every pound of corn shipped from Kansas and Nebraska to Denver cost in freight alone from nine to ten cents a pound, in overland staging days, in the '60's.
   There were also on the main line--the most of them in constant use--about 100 Concord coaches, which, delivered, cost, in the early '60's, during war times, about $1000 each, or, say, an aggregate of $95,000. The company owned about one-half of the stations, besides thousands of dollars' worth of other miscellaneous property at different places along the route. It cost an enormous sum of money to equip and operate the "Overland." Prices for everything used in those days were way up, on the high-pressure scale.
   There was a general superintendent of the line, an attorney, and a paymaster. There were also three division superintendents: one between Atchison and Denver, one between Denver and Salt Lake, and one between Salt Lake and Placerville. Each superintendent had charge of three divisions--something over 600 miles of road. There were nine division agents--one for about every 200 miles. Employed between Atchison and Denver there were three, and an. equal number between Denver and Salt Lake, and Salt Lake and Placerville. Each division agent had charge of all property belonging to the stage company in his particular territory. He looked after the stock, the running of the stages, and also kept an eye on the stations and their keepers. He bought the bay and grain, which were distributed at the stations on his orders, and he also hired the drivers, stock tenders, blacksmith, harness-maker, carpenter, etc.
   The position of division agent was one of trust, and the pay usually was at least $100 a month and board. In every instance an experienced, level-headed driver would be selected to fill the place. It was important that only good, capable and trustworthy men be chosen as division agents, for it meant thousands of dollars annually to the stage company.
   Among the stage company's agents along in the '60's, whose names I remember, were Hugo Richards and Paul Coburn, at Atchison; a Mr. Creighton, W. A. Gillespie, George M. Lloyd and Ed. C. Hughes, alternately, at Fort Kearney; A. D. Shakespear at Cottonwood Springs, and afterwards at old Julesburg;. Nat. Stein, Robert L. Pease, C. L. Dahler, W. A. Gillespie and Charles B. France at Denver; W. S. McIlvain at Latham; Judge

My First Trip on the "Overland."

W. A. Carter at Fort Bridger; W. L. Halsey and Nat. Stein at Salt Lake; and John N. Todd at Boise City, Idaho. The names of the score or more of other agents from time to time employed have been obliterated from my memory. It would be a pleasure to recall them at this time
   Besides, there were employed several stock buyers, nine messengers, seventy-five drivers, twenty blacksmiths, several harness makers and carpenters, and about 150 stock tenders. Hence, it is a very reasonable estimate to place the entire equipment of the overland stage line, with cost of running it the first year after it went into daily operation, at not less than $2,425,000. The general superintendent of the line, Mr. Geo. K. Otis, resided in New York, and went over the route about once in three months, always accompanying the stage proprietor, Mr. Holladay, when he made a trip, once and sometimes twice a year, in his special coach.
   It required nerve as well as capital to invest in a great frontier stage line between forty and fifty years ago, when so little was known of the vast country between the Missouri river and the Pacific. The stages were attacked by Indians in the early '50's, the mails lost, and drivers and passengers on a number of occasions were obliged to give up their lives. Thrilling accounts of heroic resistance and wonderful escapes have often been told of those early days.
   Hon. John Doniphan, of St. Joseph, a Western pioneer and a most estimable citizen, says he remembers seeing a Mr. Kincaid, a Salt Lake trader, brought into the States with two arrow wounds; he had cut loose a stage horse and distanced the savages. He received two arrow shots as he fled, but managed to keep his steed until he fell, fainting from loss of blood, near a party of emigrants. He entirely recovered by the next year, when he again made a trip to Salt Lake, and may still be living at his home in New York.
   My first trip on the "Overland" as messenger I think was the hardest two weeks' work, in many respects, I ever did. It was a long and tedious outdoor ride, with little sleep or rest. While it was almost an impossibility, at first, to sleep on the stage-coach, I made up for all losses later. I took a brief Rip Van Winkle snooze when I reached the west end of my journey. It was not a twenty years' sleep, by any means; but after I had closed my eyes it was twenty hours before any one could arouse me from my

W. A. GILLESPIE, Agent at Fort Kearney and Denver. Photo. early '60's.	GEO. M. LLOYD, Agent at Fort Kearney. Photo. 1865.
POST-OFFICE AND FIRST TELEGRAPH OFFICE, FORT KEARNEY. Page 65 (sic).

The Overland Stage to California.

peaceful slumbers. Remaining for two days in Denver, my return trip to Atchison, after my long sleep, was much easier made. I had become better acquainted with the old stage-coach, and had considerable rest on my way down the Platte and Little Blue valleys. On the whole, from what I observed, I know I had a remarkably pleasant trip, for providence bad favored us with the most delightful weather.
   The position of express messenger was one of the most responsible places held by the army of employees on the stage line. The messengers were entrusted with the safe-keeping of the treasure and other valuable packages transported back and forth, and often a fortune was placed in their charge. It was a terrible temptation to road-agents or highwaymen, who surely must have known that vast sums of money were at times carried by the stages, and there were hundreds of places on the route where two or three desperate characters could secrete themselves and holdup a coach or pick off a stage load of passengers, or even a squad or company of soldiers, for that matter. At the same time the pay for this service was not equal to that of other employees, when the work to be done is taken into account.
   I never realized fully the dangers connected with the position of messenger on this stage line until I had resigned, after making thirty-two trips between the Missouri river and the Rockies, and riding, in the aggregate, a distance of 22,500 miles. The messengers simply took their lives in their hands. Those employed on the main line were obliged to ride six days and nights without taking off their clothes, catching what sleep they could from time to time while the stage was moving across the plains and over the mountain passes. Their place on the stage was supposed to be on the box, with the driver, and the safe containing the treasure was placed in the front boot, under the driver's feet.
   Three messengers were constantly employed in the '60's on the line between Atchison and Denver, three between Denver and Salt Lake, and the same number between Salt Lake and Placerville. One messenger would be going west and one east on each division nearly all the time, while the other would be lying a week at Atchison, Denver or Salt Lake resting after making a round trip over his division. From Atchison to Denver was called the eastern division; Denver to Salt Lake, the mountain division; from Salt Lake to Placerville, the western division. Among

The Overland Stage to California.

those in the service as messenger from time to time, and whom I knew, given alphabetically, were the following:

Addoms, Henry.	Letson, William W.	Root, Frank A.
Benham, William.	Lewis, E.	Sayrs, Henry M.
Butler, Preston.	Lloyd, George M.	Stein, Nat.
Capen, James H.	Mayfield, John N.	Strong, Jud.
Clement, Stephen.	Millar, R. P. R.	Spottswood, Robert J.
Dickey, Dave.	Millar, Wm. L. H.	Thomas, Chester, jr.
Ellifrit, R. T.	McClelland, William.	West, Rodney P.
Gaylord, William F.	Pollinger, E. M.	Wiley, C. P.
Hughes, Joe.	Rodgers, Philip.	Wilson, Richard E.
Hudnet, William.	Rodgers, John.

WILLIAM L. H. MILLAR was for a short time one of the faithful messengers on the "Overland." He was born December 7, 1845, at Weston, Platte county, Missouri. His father died in 1858, his mother in 1886, at Lincoln, Neb. The family moved to Atchison, Kan., in April, 1859. Will, as the boys called him, was the first and only newsboy in Atchison at the breaking out of the civil war, handling the two leading St. Louis dailies at that day--the Republican and the Democrat--until April, 1862, when he went on the plains, driving four yoke of oxen. He made two trips to Denver, then quit, remaining in Colorado, however, until about February, 1863, when he returned to his home in Atchison. A few months later he was in Fort Riley as clerk in the sutler store, remaining until late in 1865. In July, 1866, he started for Salt Lake as a "mule whacker," driving a six-mule team. This train should have made the trip in fifty-five days, but on account of the Indians it was delayed. The redskins stampeded all the mules (eighty-four head) on Lodge Pole creek, where the Union Pacific railroad was since built. They were surrounded by the Indians, and the party with the train was held for five days until Government teams came to their relief and took them to Fort Saunders. There the owners contracted with Abner Loomis to take them to Salt Lake with ox teams, but it was late in November when they reached their destination, after encountering a great number of hardships. Soon after reaching the Mormon capital he began work as messenger on the overland stage line, running from Salt Lake City to Denver. While on this run he experienced many hardships and a number of dangers. The stage company then quit running messengers on that part of the route. In the spring of 1867 he made one run as messenger from Denver down the Platte. In making this trip the Indians chased old man Godfrey, the owner of Godfrey's ranch (called "Fort Wicked")--and at that time used as a stage station--to within gunshot of the coach he was on. Godfrey killed one of their number, but the savages stampeded something like seventeen head of horses around the station, belonging to Godfrey and the stage company. On account of delays by Indians, Millar was eleven days in making this run, and the whole trip was one round of excitement.
The day before this stage reached Godfrey's was an exciting one, for the coach had been attacked by Indians, and one of the bravest and best dri-

The Express Messengers.

vers, Ed. B. Kilburn, shot dead from the box, an account of which appears in another place. While making that trip Millar assisted in burying two Frenchmen at Bishop's ranch (just opposite North Platte City, at that time the end of the Union Pacific railroad) who were killed at Tourjon's ranch, on the east slope of O'Fallon's Bluff. In July of the same year he returned to Atchison, where he remained until February, 1871, when he went to White Cloud, Kan., then the northern terminus of the Atchison & Nebraska railroad, where he opened the express office for Wells, Fargo & Co., continuing as agent there until October, 1872. He then went on the Kansas Pacific railway as messenger from Kansas City to Denver, and, on January 1, 1874, was transferred to the same position on the Denver & Rio Grande railroad. On July 1 following he resigned his position on account of sickness in the family, and, in November, 1876, reentered the service with Wells, Fargo & Co., as messenger on the Kansas Pacific route, but quit in October, 1879, to engage in the produce commission business in Denver; he sold out in 1881. In August, 1883, he went into Wells, Fargo & Co.'s employ again on the Denver & Rio Grande road, running as messenger from Denver to Silverton. He quit the duties of messenger in November, 1886, to engage in the real-estate business in Denver. In this he made money fast, but the crash caught him in the early '90's and he lost everything. In November, 1894, he went to the Cripple Creek mining camp, where he has been most of the time since.

RICHARD P. R. MILLAR, a brother two years the senior of Will, was in the employ of the "Overland" as the clothing agent, and made an occasional trip as messenger. To those who desired it, Holladay supplied his men with a superior quality of clothing at a small advance above New York prices, and Dick Millar, as all the boys called him, was in charge of it. He made his trips in the express vehicles specially built, going from Atchison to Salt Lake, 1200 miles. He left the Salt Lake road in 1866 and was transferred the latter part of the year to the Smoky Hill route. Like his brother Will, Dick was a man whom every one in Atchison and along the overland route where he was known greatly admired. He had been in the transportation business the most of his life. He worked in railroad offices at Kansas City, Mo., Troy Junction, Kan., Humboldt, Neb., and, for the last twenty-six years of his life, had resided in Lincoln, Neb., where he had been in the employ of the Atchison & Nebraska, the Union Pacific and the Missouri Pacific railroads as general agent. He was a prominent Mason and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He was cut down in the prime of life, dying suddenly of appoplexy (sic), while engaged at his duties, on February 14, 1900. The funeral was one of the largest ever held at Nebraska's capital. He was buried by the Knights Templar and United Workmen. The funeral services were solemn and impressive. The pastor, Doctor Rowlands, dwelt upon the necessity of preparation for death. This preparation, he said, should make one at peace with conscience, at peace with his neighbors, at peace with his interests, and at Peace with his God. At the close of the discourse, Doctor Rowlands spoke as a friend of the departed. He said he had known Mr. Millar intimately
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