. Compendium of history and biography of Linn County, Missouri. Joseph in a little over four hours,a performance which at the time was little short of miraculous, andwhich, even at this day, is mighty near the standard of the limitedexpress trains of England. It was a big day for Engineer Clark and the Hannibal & road, which had secured a big mail contract by the days work. But there was another hero at St. Joseph on that noted name has not come down like that of the gallant engineer, but hedeserves mentioning. He was little, insignificant looking and thin-faced. He wore
. Compendium of history and biography of Linn County, Missouri. Joseph in a little over four hours,a performance which at the time was little short of miraculous, andwhich, even at this day, is mighty near the standard of the limitedexpress trains of England. It was a big day for Engineer Clark and the Hannibal & road, which had secured a big mail contract by the days work. But there was another hero at St. Joseph on that noted name has not come down like that of the gallant engineer, but hedeserves mentioning. He was little, insignificant looking and thin-faced. He wore a peaked cap, riding boots, and held daintily in hisright hand a small whip. Beside him was standing a bay pony, infront of the United States Express ofiSce. This other hero was thepony rider, waiting for the little pouches the mail train had toiled sohard to deliver. Blood, nerve and muscle took up the race where fire,steam and mechanical skill left off. With desperate haste the carrierrushed across with his mail pouches, the mail for the far West was. HISTORY OF LINX COUNTY 121 sorted into little sacks and thrown across the pony. The rider mountedand lusty cheers went up for the little man who was to make the firstdash into the great West. A ferry boat, steam up and ready to castoff, received horse and rider and was soon plowing across the the rider touched spurs to his horse and galloped out of formed one link in the chain of horses and riders that was to con-nect the East and the West and cover a distance of 1,900 miles. Itwas the birth of the Overland Mail, one of the most picturesque featuresin the development of the West. Fresh ponies waited the rider everyten miles; the riders daily journey was sixty miles. His duty was tokeep going. He stopped to pass the time of day with no man and if hewas chased by Indians or outlaws he was to keep going without askingquestions and dodge the best he could. Day and night the chain rolledon, carrying the news from
Size: 1461px × 1711px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidcompendiumof, bookyear1912
