Pony Express History...
The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento California) – 22 Feb 1860
“It never rains but it pours.” The news from Washington received by the last overland mail, is full of cheering indications relative to a speedy connection between the East and the West. We cull and condense the following on this important subject:
A dispatch from Washington says: “Russel & Majors have stations and horses on the whole route between St. Joseph and Carson Valley, and only need an organization to commence a poy express. They propose to go through in eight days.”
A dispatch from Leavenworth, January 28, states that the Post Office Department has ordered the Utah mail service back to its original time, making a weekly instead of simi-monthly mail.
The Pike’s Peak Express Company have decided to run in connection with this line a pony express from Leavenworth to Sacramento. Under the admirable system of this company, there is little doubt that this will be accomplished.
The heads of the different telegraphic companies now are, or soon will be, in Washington together, with the representatives of the two California companies by the Central and Souther lines, for the purpose of extending the telegraph communication to California, if they can agree upon terms.
Butterfield & Co. have for some time been maturing a plan for running a horse express from Syracuse, the terminous of the Pacific Railroad, to San Francisco; and there is reason to believe that it will soon be in operation.
Simultaneously with this movement the Stebbins Telegraph Company will extend their wires to Sherman, in Texas, and acting in concert with the Butterfield Company, newspapers and private dispatches will be conveyed through to the eastern end of the California line. It is calculated that the time required will be less than eight days. There is very little doubt but that this will be done even should Congress furnish no aid. It is believed that it can be made to pay.