History and government of New Mexico . ta Fe. Asimilar special-contract mail service to California was soonstarted. In March, 1848, the go\ernment paid $1,000for a trip to the coast and back. 184. The Coming of the Stagecoach. — In 1849 aregular stage line was established between Independenceand Santa Fe, making the round trip once a month andcarrying the mail by yearly contract. The passenger farewas $250 each way, including fifty pounds of baggage,with a charge of fifty cents a pound for excess the fifties the fare was reduced to $150. Though irregu-lar in the early years, this se
History and government of New Mexico . ta Fe. Asimilar special-contract mail service to California was soonstarted. In March, 1848, the go\ernment paid $1,000for a trip to the coast and back. 184. The Coming of the Stagecoach. — In 1849 aregular stage line was established between Independenceand Santa Fe, making the round trip once a month andcarrying the mail by yearly contract. The passenger farewas $250 each way, including fifty pounds of baggage,with a charge of fifty cents a pound for excess the fifties the fare was reduced to $150. Though irregu-lar in the early years, this service was later increased toonce a week and later still to three times a week. Finallyin 1868 daily service was undertaken. Kansas City became PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT 153 the eastern end of the line about 1850 and continued somost of the time until the railroad started west and theend of the stage line moved westward with it. The journey of seven hundred and seventy-five miles wasplanned to take about two weeks and to be made without. The Overland Stage Crossing a Mountain Pass From Marvels of the New West any stops except at the relay stations along the trail toget fresh horses and a hurried meal of meat, bread, and blackcoffee here and there. Otherwise the passengers wouldtake only such rest and sleep as they could get while thehuge, clumsy stagecoach rumbled along over the plains 154 THE HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO and mountains. Though the service was generally muchslower than this, travel to and from the States was strenu-ous business. The great stagecoach carried ten passengers and theconductor, or messenger, in charge of the mail and valuableexpress. Freighting over the Trail, too, was a businessin itself, and one of large proportions. GENERAL READINGS H. H. Bancroft, History of Arizona and New Mexico, 428-467. P. St. Geo. Cooke, The Conquest of New Mexico and California, 111^124. L. B. Prince, A Concise History of New Mexico, 182-190. B. M. Read, Illustrated History of New M
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