Page 122 - Cooke's Peak - Pasaron Por Aqui

C «•
t;
(;
•t
tion.
Company continued to operate until early 1861 without any major problem with the Apaches. There were also no incidents with bandits, at least partially because the Butterfield line adhered strict- ly to the stockholder rule of not carrying any ship-
126
ments of gold or silver.
The absence of Indian attacks and robberies did
not, however, leave the passengers without some- thing to complain about in the operation of the line. Baer reported that the passengers he traveled with lostatotalof12hatsonthetrip. Healsonotedthat one should determine who his fellow passengers were going to be, because this had a considerable impact on the pleasantness of the trip. “ An un- named merchant, who was a few days ahead of Baer, complained that the 42-inch-wide seats were not wide enough, at 14 inches per person, for 3 people to share. Complaints must not have been too bad though, for in about a month (January 11, 1859), the company raised the eastbound fare from $100 to $200.128
There sometimes were unavoidable passenger delays due to inclement weather or equipment failure. However, on these occasions, the mail was not allowed to be delayed; it was forwarded by means of special light wagons or hacks or carried
129
horseback by individual riders.
As the months passed and the reputation of the
Overland Mail Company grew, people in every area wanted it to be their line. In Missouri it was called “The Great Southern Overland,” and in California it was “The California Overland Express.” Most
130
easterners just called it “The Butterfield Line.” The name “Overland” became the word of the day; one bought flat-crowned “Overland hats,” “Over- land ponies,” leather “Overland boots,” long yellow linen “Overland coats.” “Overland chickens,” and
1
even “Overland eggs.”
the effort apparently sapped John Butterfield’s strength. In April 1860, nearly 60 years old, he resigned as president of the company because of a
132 physical breakdown.
Even without Butterfield at the helm, the company continued to operate successfully, and there were still no serious incidents directly affecting the line.
they would not molest travelers along the route. In
addition, Cochise and his band allegedly took a
contract with a Mr. Wallace, the Butterfield agent
However, in November of 1860 a fight broke out at a big party at the mines near Pinos Altos in which one of the participants and an innocent bystander were killed and a number of people wounded. A
there, to furnish firewood for the Apache pass sta- 125
to kill George Caldwell, a gambler by reputation, but John W. “Jack” Swilling took away his pistol, whereupon Harrington grabbed another from Henry Clay “Hank” Smith. Caldwell tried to avoid Harrington by hiding behind Smith, but a shot between Smith’s legs shattered Caldwell’s right knee. Harrington
was killed before he could finish the job.
The Sheriff of Dona Ana County was notified, and with ten deputies and a commandeered stagecoach, he proceeded through Cooke’s Canyon to Pinos Altos intending to arrest the participants. Bill Dick (or Dyke), the superintendent of the Overland Mail, and five of his “fighting men” followed in another coach. Dick became involved in an argument with one of his former drivers, Will Taylor, and as a result, two more died including Dick. Taylor suffered a gun-shot broken leg, and he and a man named Hampton were later banished for their involvement
134
in the incident.
Except for occasional extracurricular activities
such as these, things remained calm, and passengers continued to record impressions of their stagecoach journeys. In the following month of June, William Tallack, an Englishman returning to Europe by way of the United States after visiting Australia, pur-
15
He had opted for the overland route because he believed it would be a bad time of year to travel so far south on the steamship lines, even though he recorded that “not
136
It is clear from his record that he was also seeking adventure. After waiting 10 days for an available seat, Tallack
left San Francisco on June 14, 1860. The coach was
loaded with nine passengers, and despite his taste
for adventure, there were no incidents, and his only
comment about Cooke’s Spring was to note that they
made it from there to the Goodsight Station in 61
minutes, using four mules. He did have a comment
about the station masters in general and remarked
that they were “armed to the teeth, with revolvers
and bowie knives, and [had] a stand of rifles
137 indoors.”
There must have been heavy summer rains, be- cause when Tallack reached the river crossing be- tween Mesilla and Fort Fillmore, the Rio Grande,
Whatever the reason, the Overland Mail
man named Harrington attempted
The Butterfield Overland Mail Company
The line was a success, but
108
chased a ticket in San Francisco.
one in a hundred” went east by stage.