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CHAPTER XXI. MORE ABOUT THE "OVERLAND."
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that more than forty years have gone by since the southern
or Butterfield line was equipped and in operation, it will
not be out of place to state that a goodly portion of that
route on which the Overland Mail Company ran its stages in
the later '50's was almost impracticable for staging. But
for the mild winter climate it would have been entirely so.
The long stretches of deserts; the scarcity of water; the
difficulties in obtaining feed for stock, and the almost
impassable condition of portions of the road, were the main
difficulties. Passengers traveling it became almost crazed
by the long and tedious twenty-three days' journey day and
night, practically much of the way without any rest and
comparatively little break in its monotony.
Central Overland California and Pike's Peak Express Company. The firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell became subcontractors on the contract for that portion of the line from St. Joseph, MO., to Salt Lake City. The remnant of the Southern Overland Mail Company's stock and coaches having been put on the route between Salt Lake and Virginia City, Nev., that part of the line was known as the "Overland Mail Company." The gap on the west end between Virginia City and Sacramento was filled in by the "Pioneer Stage Line," of California, owned by Louis and Charles McLane. The McLanes were well-known stage men, and Louis was afterwards president of Wells, Fargo & Co. when they became successors of the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company, in the later '60's. At the expiration of the contract with Russell, Majors & Waddell, Ben. Holladay was the successful bidder on the through contract for transporting the United States letter mails from St. Joseph, Mo., to the Pacific; and the Overland Mail Company and the Pioneer Stage Line were the subcontractors for that portion of the route covered by their lines; and thus the long stage line was operated until it was closed out by the Union and Central Pacific railroads. The contract for carrying the mail was from St. Joseph, that being the western terminus of the first railroad through Missouri; but, upon completion of the Missouri Valley railroad between St. Joseph and Atchison, in January, 1860, the latter was made the point of departure. The company received the mails from the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company at St. Joseph and transported them twenty miles by rail to Atchison, where it moved the headquarters of the stage line in the spring of 1860. The line from St. Joseph, Mo., (or Atchison, Kan.,) to Sacramento, Cal., was operated as one line, through tickets being sold between the points named. The company had it well equipped throughout. The Pioneer was also a great stage line--the pride of California. It sprang into existence in the palmy days of Virginia City and the noted Comstock silver-mines, and its equipment was superb--new and first-class Concord stages, Hill's unsurpassed Concord harness; the finest six-horse teams, and drivers who were paid as high as $125 and $150 per mouth, and who were as fine reinsmen as ever drew lines over a horse. While on duty, they never got off the box until they had completed their |
drive of from three to five stations. The changes, of teams were made by the stock tenders and the reins handed up to the driver, who, on arriving at the station had thrown down the lines to the men standing ready with the fresh team. The old team would move out and the new one take its place, every horse apparently knowing and stepping right to his place. In an incredibly short time the reins would be passed up to the driver on the box, and, with a crack of his whip, the team would suddenly start, the stage rolling out with its heavy load of passengers, a large number of express packages, and the great through letter mail between the Atlantic and Pacific. The road built across the Sierra Nevada range was a marvel--said to have been one of the best highways ever made. In most places it was as smooth as an asphalt pavement. No unpaved mountain road was ever made better. It was graded almost as wide as a street clear across the summit and sprinkled and rolled every day, tanks being located at convenient points for furnishing water for sprinkling. It was necessary to do this work, else the road would soon become so dusty no one could stand it. Upon the discovery of gold in Montana a great rush to those mines was the result. The travel was immense. To accommodate the crowd, Ben. Holladay put on a daily stage line from Salt Lake City to Bannock, Virginia City, and Helena, Mont., via Fort Hall, on Snake river. He carried the mails under a contract covering that route. Later on, after the discovery of gold in the Owyhee, Idaho City and Boise mines, in Idaho, new and important mail routes were opened, and Holladay obtained a contract for carrying the United States mails from Salt Lake City to The Dalles, in Oregon, via Fort Hall and Boise City. He stocked and ran the line to Boise City, and sublet it from there to Dalles City, Ore., via Walla Walla. There being rival stage lines and routes across the Blue Mountains, Mr. Holladay found it advantageous, and so sublet that portion of the contract. On the eastern or Missouri river end of the overland route the lateral lines, or feeders, were the two important branches from Omaha and Nebraska City, intersecting at Fort Kearney, where they formed a junction with the main line from Atchison. Both of these branches were operated daily and grew to be quite important lines. Later, there was the Smoky Hill route from, Atchison to Denver--the line that had been stocked by Dave |
Butterfield, who was backed by Boston and New York capitalists, and later on sold to Ben. Holladay' and incorporated into the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company. At Denver, the tributaries of the "Overland" were a daily line--often semidaily--between Denver and Central City, the central point of the noted Gregory or Gilpin county gold-mines; and a triweekly or daily line from Denver via Breckinridge to California Gulch, adjoining the present Leadville. In the various routes operated by Holladay there were about 3700 miles of daily stage lines. In all, he controlled nearly 5000 miles of daily overland mail contracts--by far the largest number of miles in postal matters operated by any firm in the country. To manage all these lines was a big undertaking. It required, on a rough estimate, about 500 coaches and express wagons, fully as many freight wagons, and some 5000 horses, mules, and cattle, the latter being used for freighting supplies for the stage company. Everything in the way of grain, hay, provisions, etc., had to be hauled over the line in wagons. The stations in the later years averaged about ten miles apart. About every fifty miles there was a "home" station, so called because the driver's route ended there. It was also the eating place for the passengers. The intervening stations were called "swing" stations. They consisted of a stable, granary, and room for two or three stock tenders. The "home" stations were commodious buildings, arranged with sleeping-rooms, dining-room, office, telegraph office, barn, etc. The line was divided into sections of about 200 miles each, three of these sections being called a division, with a practical stage man in charge as division agent. He was usually a man who had risen from the rank of driver. His position was an important one. He bought all the grain, hay and supplies for his division, hired the station-keepers, drivers, blacksmiths, harnessmakers and stock tenders. Any matters on his division over which there was a dispute were adjusted by him. There were three divisions on the main California line. Each of these divisions was placed under a superintendent, and the whole line under a general superintendent or general manager. There was also on each division a local agent, who usually acted as clerk for the division agent in addition to his other duties. At the starting and terminal points -particularly at all prin- |
cipal places--there were office agents, clerks, and bookkeepers. In addition to these officers was the paymaster and auditor, and agent or manager of the express department, and the nine express messengers, who often traveled in an express coach especially made at Concord for the purpose, which had an iron safe built inside it at the front end, just back of the driver's seat. Besides the stations, at the headquarters of every division were coach and repair shops, blacksmith and harness shops, etc., with a horseshoer and harness repairer with separate team and outfit, whose duties were to travel from station to station on one continual round of horse-shoeing and repairing. At Atchison, Denver, Salt Lake City and other important points shops on a large scale were established, where the general repairing was done with material from the manufactory at Concord--the same that had originally been used in building the coaches--so that, in case of emergency, a coach could be built entire, which was frequently done. The whole stage route was operated with the precision and punctuality of a railroad line, and in all seasons, night and day, coaches ran with nearly the same regularity as railway-trains. A gentleman living in Denver in those days, whose place of business was near the stage office, used to say, jokingly, that he could set his watch by the arrival and departure of the "Overland." Few persons unacquainted with the old "Overland" line can realize what a gigantic concern it was, and the vast amount of money required to equip and operate it. For hundreds of miles it was practically a barren waste, very little growing on it but sage-brush; the logs to build some of the stations had to be hauled by wagon from 150 to 200 miles; the nearest corn-fields on the east end were on the Blue river, in Kansas, and at Grand Island, in Nebraska, and Salt Lake valley, in the west; and the extra product of these few localities only furnished a partial supply. In a case of shortage or a total failure of crops, which occasionally happened, the supply of grain had to come by boat from St. Louis. David Street, while general manager of the stage line, in the later '60's, chartered seven Missouri river steamboats in one day at St. Louis to load with corn for the "Overland." The hay supply was of itself an important item, and was obtained in the country along the route; but in some localities it had to be hauled fifty miles or more. |
An idea of the immensity of the enterprise and the great amount of business it made can be readily realized. In order to support it the receipts had to be large; and in the flush times they were enormous. In addition to the mail pay of $1,000,000 on the main line, the Montana, Idaho and Eastern branch line contracts amounted to about as much more. Receipts from passenger and express business were very large, often being from $150,000 to $200,000 per month. At one time fare from Atchison to Placerville was $600; to Helena, Mont., $525; extra baggage, 75 cents to $1.50 per pound. When the mining excitement ran highest, the coaches were carrying full loads both ways. With all the money at the back of the great stage line, and the untiring push and energy of Ben. Holladay, it is believed he would not have made a success of the enterprise except for the efficiency and fidelity of the men he drew around him. His managers and superintendents, agents and messengers, with few exceptions, were capable, efficient, and honest. His drivers and stock tenders were the best. No storms nor dangers seemed to daunt them. It appeared marvelous at the time, and many who made the long ride across the continent have often wondered since what it was that inspired them. Their lives were frequently in peril. Apparently they knew no fear. Evidently there was some incentive that induced those men to face so many dangers. After the pony express had been wiped out by the telegraph, the great attraction for all traversing the plains was the "Overland" stage-coach. There was nothing on the road that could equal it. Daily it was seen by hundreds, often thousands, of people. Almost everyone seemed to be allured by it. Thousands of people making their way across by trains hauled by oxen, horses and mules would, for the time, stop a moment and gaze the old vehicle as it rolled past them, seemingly moving along with almost the rapidity of a railway-train. While the outfit propelled by oxen would be from six to seven weeks on the road between the Missouri and the Rockies, the old Concord coach would, almost invariably, cover the distance easily in, six days--often a few hours less. In his nearly 2000-mile-ride to California on a special stagecoach from Atchison, in the '60s, Albert D. Richardson made the run to Denver in four and a half days. In passing over the desert road of 575 miles between Salt Lake and Virginia, Nev., the dis- |
tance was covered in seventy-two hours, the average speed being a fraction less than eight miles an hour. The last seventy-two miles which took him into Placerville, at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas, was made in seven hours, including all stoppages. On one of the changes going down the mountains he was driven eight miles in thirty minutes. The ride was a highly exciting one, and in care of any other than a thoroughly experienced driver it would have been extremely perilous. As has been mentioned, when Holladay sold out the great stage line, in the fall of 1866, it passed into the hands of one of the greatest express companies in the country--Wells, Fargo & Co.--who were then doing business all over the West. After getting possession of the Holladay overland mail and express line, Wells, Fargo & Co. made early arrangements for doing an increased business. They bought of the Abbot-Downing Company a large number of the finest Concord coaches, believing that a half-dozen years or more would elapse before the completion of the Union Pacific road. Like many others, they were mistaken in the time it was expected it would take in winding up the overland staging. Contrary to all expectations, the Pacific companies, with their thoroughly drilled army of railway builders constantly at work, kept steadily shortening the stage rides. The great transcontinental line was finished years sooner than it was believed possible that the vast work could be done. The result of its early completion was a surprise that astonished every one; and it was a severe financial blow to the purchasers of the Holladay line, and they lost heavily. They had on hand, when the two roads were united, between $50,000 and $75,000 worth of surplus stage-coaches, and these they closed out to Gilmer & Salisbury for less than one-third the original cost. There was great excitement in the mountain camps tributary to Denver when the railroads were pushing out, and on the eve of side-tracking, for all time, the old Concord stages. When the South Park road had reached as far as Webster there was a scene that defies all description. For months while it lasted everything was lively, but it was the dying gasp of the famous stage-coach lines that ran out in that direction. Great throngs arrived on the trains from Denver, all bound for the one rich carbonate camp--Leadville. There was a lively jostling--a mighty rush for seats on the stage-coach. The excitement seemed to be up to |
fever heat. Nearly every one wanted first choice of seats and the wildest confusion ensued. Springing up almost like a mushroom, the stage company was illy prepared for such a busy throng. It was a trying matter to handle the immense travel. The stage line started by McClelland & Spotswood with a "jerky"-- a two-seated, canvas-covered rig--grew into such gigantic proportions that it ended up with six six-horse coaches daily. Practically every suitable vehicle that ran on wheels that could be got hold of was for a time utilized in moving the passengers. While the life of this stage route was only eighteen months, the traffic over it was simply enormous. In the equipment of the line the company kept 400 horses on the road. In the way of stations, one was put in every eleven miles, with accommodations at each for twenty-four to forty head of horses. It was not uncommon to handle 100 passengers a day. The rush was heavy all the time, but the highest number transported to the camp in a single day by the company was 165. The heaviest travel was in the winter of 1878, when the route lay over Weston Pass. In the fall of 1879 this company did its last staging, operating for a time a line of coaches from Colorado Spings and Cañon City which connected with the South Park road. In buying their horses and mules the company went to St. Louis, that being one of the best markets the country for stage stock. That business alone was a responsible and important position. No one but a careful, experienced stage man could do it. It required a good deal of tact and sound judgment to select such a large number of animals from the droves in the stock-yards, for use in staging. In picking out a bunch, care must be exercised in getting the required proportion of leaders and wheelers. It was important, also, to pick out good mates. But occasionally, in spite of his judgment, the most experienced horse buyer would miss it in choosing an animal that to him appeared perfectly sound and exactly what was required for the work to be done. A team that would be just the thing needed on the rolling prairies would not be what was wanted for work on the plains. A team that would do good work in the Platte valley sometimes would n't be worth a "tinker's malediction" in hauling a Concord stage on one of the mountain divisions. Probably one of the best teams on the stage line did duty the Little Blue valley, in southern Nebraska, and was known as |
"the Arkansaws." The horses were four big sorrels, perfect in every respect. Bird was the name of the off wheeler; the near one Dutch. Enoch Cummings says he often drove them ten miles, from Thirty-two- mile Creek to Lone Tree, in forty minutes, without the least inconvenience to them. A Californian making the trip by stage in the early '60's rode on the box alongside the driver, behind the favorite steeds, and formed a strong attachment for them. He was so delighted with the near leader, which was such a nice match for one he owned on the Pacific coast, that he offered $600 for the animal. But even this seemingly large amount was no inducement for the stage company to part with the horse. The company was not selling stage stock, but was constantly on the lookout for the best animals that could be found for such work. Another good four-horse team driven by Cummings along the charming Little Blue was known as "the Red Rovers." This team hauled the old Concord coach for a long time between Virginia station and Rock Creek, nine miles. These animals were all "pony express" horses. The favorite one was a little black steed that ran out of St. Joseph with the first pouch of pony letters that crossed the Missouri river for San Francisco, on the 3d of April, 1861. All the old drivers thought everything of this team. It was nothing unusual for this favorite animal to cover twenty-five miles in two hours. He was the off leader, and his name was Hunter. The name of the near leader was Butch. The off wheel-horse was known as Rover; the near one, Gimlet. Considering the great length of the overland stage route, with its numerous important branches--reaching out into almost every rich mining camp in the Northwest-it seems remarkable that there were so few "hold-ups" and robberies on the line. It appeared a more difficult job to rob a stage-coach full of passengers in the early '60's than it is to-day for two or three men to hold up a railway-train and go through the express-car and a coach filled with passengers. During the staging days nearly every man crossing the plains with money on his person was armed to the teeth, and a vigilant watch was constantly kept up for highway-men and thieves and robbers, who undoubtedly realized it was a' desperate undertaking to attempt to go through a stage load of fearless, determined passengers. Besides, the stage-coaches then, seldom carried such vast sums of treasure as are now transported |
by the railroads; hence "hold-ups" were not near so frequent they are at the present time. About the middle of November, 1866, the great stage man made a trip to the Mormon capital, mention of which was made by the Salt Lake Telegraph, as follows: "Ben. Holladay, Esq., the president of the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company, arrived in this city yesterday from the East. Mr. H. had eight days, between Denver and this place, of anything but pleasant weather--an experience for him which many of the employees of the line would be glad enough to see fall to his lot, so that the president and directors could fully realize the inhospitable life on the sage-brush.'" When Holladay made his fast ride from Placerville east by his stage line it was a great undertaking. Before leaving the Pacific slope terminus, orders were given every station agent to have fresh teams in readiness at a moment's warning. Such orders carried out would throw out of gear and disarrange for days the schedule on an entire division, but these were the orders sent out by the respective division men and they must be implicitly obeyed. While at Big Bend, about fifty miles down the South Platte from Denver, Bob Spotswood, a division agent, was notified to report immediately at Denver. "Lay your stock so as to be sure and catch him," was the order for his division, "and, to make sure of it, bring a fast team to Denver to see him out." The "fast team" was none other than the "Benham" team of mules, known by reputation the entire length of the great stage line. They were well built and especially noted for their speed; great favorites with stage men, stockmen, in fact, every one who chanced to ride behind them. This particular team could be relied on to haul a stage over the road at the rate of a mile every four minutes. The superintendent west of Denver at the same time laid his stock to be certain to "catch" the speeding owner of the stage line, who was pushing rapidly east towards the Colorado metropolis. Spotswood reached Denver two hours ahead of the millionaire stage man. When the latter arrived he sent for him, and when he entered the prince of stage lines was fairly blustering. "My son, have you got everything ready?" he asked, in his bluff way. "Yes," was the prompt answer. |
"You can get it out," said the chief, very anxious to be off. In two minutes the team was out, but Holladay, it seems, was, not ready to go, for he lingered an hour. When ready he stepped out of the office, his head covered with a fashionable sombrero, puffing at a cigar, and accompanied by Gen. P. E. Connor, so long in command at Camp Douglas, Utah, on his fast ride across the continent. The two men having taken their seats inside the Concord "special," the noted stage man said: "Now, Robert, let us fly. I'll give you an hour and a half to make the out-station." Robert made it with his Benham mule team in an hour and a quarter. there was not a single break. The animals were the very best trotters on the line. The next team was a favorite one, known as the old "catfish" team of dapple-grays. They had a record of one hour between Denver and Golden, fifteen miles. The eleven-mile run, over which Holladay went flying, was covered in fifty-five minutes. The 200-mile ride over Spotswood's division, from Denver to old Julesburg, was made in twenty hours. "My son, you've done well. How many mules do you suppose I've killed?" Holladay said gravely, as he parted from Spotswood. There was no finer stage stock in the world than a goodly portion of that utilized on the various lines running out of Denver into the mountains. Billy Opdike drove a string of six bays in and out of the city for a long time. Perhaps the handsomest team was one of six snow-white horses which ran first on the Central City line, and afterwards on the Georgetown, and finally into, Leadville, when stages carried the immense passenger traffic then pouring into the great carbonate camp. The team was widely known, especially the leaders, which every one knew as "Turk"' and "Clothes-line." When the South Park road got as far out as Morrison, a famous sorrel team was put on, the name of one of the leaders being Old' Cap. He was a decided favorite with Billy McClelland, the noted messenger and afterwards stage proprietor, who drove him for a. number of years after he quit staging. The old animal's last run was over the shell rock of Mosquito Pass. In his later years he, was comparatively worthless, having contracted a bad and permanent case of corns. Nearly every driver had a decided affection for the favorite |
horses they had so long driven. So strong was their love for them that it was often a matter of comment. Some were so devotedly attached to their teams that they attended them personally in the stable rather than trust a stock tender to do it. Each team went over one "drive"--from one station to the next--when the animals were taken out, put in the stable, and, inside of twenty-four hours, driven back, hitched on to the stage going in the opposite direction. Where the driver knew the team and they knew his touch, he regretted to part with them. Some of the wheelers working on the mountain lines were enormous fellows, and a six-horse team would be greatly admired, the animals being all of the same shade, and tapering off nicely from the wheelers down to the leaders. There might possibly have been some stage stock scattered throughout the country in all respects equal to that in use on the overland route, but certainly there was none any better. It was the almost universal remark of those who made the overland journey by stage-many of them from "way down East"--that they never saw such fine animals. Holladay was a great lover and a judge of good stock himself. It was the desire and aim of the noted stage man that the line be stocked with the finest horses and mules for staging that could be secured in the country. The brisk staging period on the frontier was during the civil war, when Government was picking up animals for cavalry service and good horse-flesh commanded big prices. The best judges only were employed by the stage company to buy. Most of the teams in use on the line were well matched, although among a few there was a decided contrast. Some of them, perfect in build, were the most lovely white, while others, just as nicely were of a jet black. Then there were some nicely matched, built beautiful bays--both of a dark and light shade; there were also some equally fine teams of a chestnut color; a number of handsome roans; the most lovely dapple-grays; occasionally a team of "buckskins"; and some splendidly matched sorrels and iron-grays. Buffalo Bill for some time in the later '60's drove a fine team of four grays west from Fort Kearney. (See page 101.) One of the best teams on the road--four handsome bays--was driven about twelve miles, between two stations west of the Big Blue and east of the Big Sandy. The off leader was per- |
fectly blind. I used to feel sorry for this horse, and thought it a shame to drive the poor animal; still he could pull his share of the load and get over the road about as lively as any horse with perfect eyes. Besides, there were a number of splendid mule teams. Regarding the worth of most of the horses, there seemed little if any difference in them. They were all first-class animals; in fact, Ben. Holladay had no use for inferior stock.  W. L. H. MILLAR. R. P. R. MILLAR. See Pages 80, 81. |
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