Oversized Pony Express Bibles
It is not known how many, if any, were given to riders in this 1860-1861-time period from the company. Many twentieth century writers claimed that all riders were given a…
Pony Express Bible
Among Joe Nardone’s gifts to the Library is an original “Pony Express Bible.” It is 5–7/8 inches high, 4 inches wide, and 2–1/8 inches thick, and exceedingly rare. Two thousand…
Reason for the Founding of the Pony Express
At this point in his career Russell revealed the fact that he possessed a keen instinct for advertising values and methods. In this he was at least half a century…
Winter Over the Central Route
One of the most damaging arguments put forward against [the Central Route] was that it could not be traveled in the winter time. . . . The following May {Leavenworth & Pikes…
Deficit of the Leavenworth Pikes Peak Company
From the very beginning of the Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express Company, Majors and Waddell watched it with forebodings of disaster. In this they were justified, for after about nine months of…
No Contract for Russell, Majors & Waddell
What had happened was this: the Post Office Department cut off mail service to California via steamer from New York with the expectation that the bill to forward it overland would pass Congress.…
Freighting delays in 1860
The contract for freighting supplies on the New Mexico Route in 1860-61 provided for loading and starting at the usual time, in May or June. Russell, Majors & Waddell, as usual, bought wagons,…
St. Joseph Contract
In consideration of these things the C.O.C. & P.P. got a block of twelve lots in Pattee Addition, eighteen in the town of Elwood, Kansas, the use of a building for an…
Bradford & Company, Denver
By midsummer 1859, Majors and Waddell were convinced that there was something substantial about the Pike's Peak business after all. Together with Russell they formed a partnership with Robert B. Bradford, a relative…
Move to Nebraska City
Since the volume of goods to be delivered in Utah in 1858 was too great for Leavenworth facilities, Nebraska City was chosen as another loading and starting point. Alexander Majors moved his family…
Amount of Losses for the Mormon Conflict
With heavy forebodings he made out a bill against the United States for losses which was later presented to Congress. Summarized, it read $493,553.61. . . . Worst of all, when the…
Simpson’s Hollow
At this time a party of General Well's militia under Major Lot Smith was scouting the trail in the neighborhood of Green River. On the night of October 4 they swooped down…
Wagon Numbers for Mormon Conflicy
Meanwhile Majors & Russell put forty-one trains on the road, some in advance of the soldiers, others mixed in with the Army, and still others to the rear. It made an amazing…
Cost of Wagons for the Mormon Conflict
Wagons, oxen, and equipment were bought wherever they could be found, but prices were hiked 25% or more. When the job was done they had about 1,100 wagons, 15,000 oxen, and some 1,400…
Army Assurance for Pay
Russell had had experience trying to collect losses from the government and was not optimistic. He finally agreed, with the understanding that in the event of loss Captain Brent would assist him in…