APRIL 3

This is the date in 1860 that the Pony Express started running it's route.  They ran young men on horses from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California and boasted that they could get a message to California in 10 days.  Most of the bragging I see these days is about getting messages from around the world through the Internet at the rate of so many megabits per second (Mbps).  Note that this took place after the gold rush of 1849 and before the Civil War started in 1861.

The Pony Express ran the northern route through Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and  Nevada to California. The huge hurdles to overcome were the weather, Indians and thieves.  The Pony Express company utilized 120 riders, about 400 horses, 184 stations built along the route, and hundreds of personnel at the stations.

They were able to deliver as promised - some of the time.  A few of the riders became famous - most notably, Buffalo Bill Cody.  The major contribution of the Pony Express was to hold the country together.  It was feared during this period that the American West might break off into another country.  Communication between the East and West was crucial to hold things together until more infrastructure was developed.

The Pony Express only operated until October 1861 - 19 months.  It ended when the telegraph was completed to the west coast.  Soon after that, the railroads connected the West to the rest of the country.  The owners of the Express lost over $100,000.00 in the venture - a whole lot of money in those days.

The Pony Express - 157 years ago today.
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