Page 30 - 2005 DT 12 Issues

A p r i l Pony Express, continued from p. 1 single revolver. Fortunately, outlaws
had little interest in ambushing the
D e s k S c h e d u l e There were roughly 150 to 190 riders. They knew nothing more than
relay stations. Except for a handful of letters were being carried. Greater
established ranches, these were utterly hazards lay with the weather, trails
Fri/1 R. Linsmeier T./N. Hughes lonely outposts in the middle of no- that were hardly worthy of the name,
Sat/2 E. Meeks W. Barbuck where. At least for the rider, there was and perhaps, arrival at a relay station
W. Barbuck the unending movement, action and that was no longer there. If the station
Sun/3 OPEN P. Kepner hazard of the trail. For the relay station was gone, then the rider had to carry
Mon/4 A. Berg F. Rhea keeper, it was incredible isolation and on. Stations were commonly about 15
boredom between the welcome ar-
miles apart. With a quick change of
Tues/5 OPEN J. Geier rival, however brief, of a rider. And it horses, the rider was in the saddle and
Wed/6 S. Stenzel C. Gilmore was dangerous, too. Williams Station on his way again. He could expect a
Thurs/7 J. Botsford J. Barrett was one of the most remote. Located fresh rider in 75 to 100 miles.

Fri/8 P. Oleson T./N. Hughes in western Nevada, it was the scene The life of the Pony Express was
of horror for James Williams when short; just 19 months until the trans-
Sat/9 P.VanDooremaal R. Conductor he returned to find his two brothers continental telegraph was completed in
L. Eaton and three other men dead, the station October 1861. And though the venture
Sun/10 L. Landry P. Kepner burned and the stock driven off. It is lost money, it captured the imagination
I. Grieco not clear exactly what happened, but of the time . . . and still does. Just two
it was apparently a Paiute Indian raid. days after the first telegram was sent,
Mon/11 S. Stenzel R. Linsmeier Various stories began to circulate; the a California newspaper announced,
Tues/12 I. Grieco J. Geier whites had captured several Indian “Our little friend the Pony is to run
Wed/13 I. Grieco C. Gilmore women and were holding them near the no more.”
Thrus/14 V. Sperry J. Barrett station. A Paiute The story of the

J. Botsford war party came to Pony Express is one
of legend and fact,
rescue them and the
Fri/15 R. Kinn P. Kepner Williams Station and often a mixture
Sat/16 J. Kisosondi L. Landry incident followed. of one over the other,
L. Eaton Whatever the exact but it remains one of
Sun/17 OPEN M./L. Utah truth, an outraged the West’s most fas-
white community
cinating episodes. As
Mon/18 R. Linsmeier S. Stenzel gathered a force Christopher Corbett
Tues/19 M. Slagle J. Geier of volunteers to Fort Churchill Depot, Nevada put it in his book, Or-

Wed/20 P. Oleson C. Gilmore punish the Indians. The Pyramid Lake phans Preferred, “We hear the fading
Thurs/21 J. Botsford M. Andrews War followed. It was a victory for the hoofbeats of that horse across nearly
Paiutes. Over 70 of the volunteers a century and a half, faintly but still
Fri/22 J. Fazio D. Powers were killed, including their leader, quite audibly. It is a sound that never
Sat/23 M. Lolich M. Lolich Major William O. Ormsby. A much fails to inspire. No memory of the van-
Sun/24 B. Saperstein M./L. Utah larger expedition soon descended on ished nineteenth-century West is more
the Paiutes and they were scattered
Mon/25 S. Stenzel N. Kresge throughout northern Nevada in several revered, and few are more beloved and
Tues/26 V. Sperry J. Geier engagements. cherished than that of the long-ago
riders . . . ”
M. Slagle Everything was done to keep Today, in White Pine County, Nev.
Wed/27 OPEN C. Gilmore weight down, from the rider to the members of the National Pony Express
letters on light paper, which were
Thurs/28 M. Andrews J. Barrett wrapped in oilcloth to protect them Association keep the memory alive.
Fri/29 N. Kresge D. Powers from the weather and placed in a mo- Every June, whatever the weather,
Sat/30 OPEN N. Kresge chila (Spanish for knapsack). Saddles they carry the mail—commemorative
were stripped down to the bare essen- letters—along a segment of the Pony
Changes/fill-ins? Call Gina Mele, 515-5355 tials and the rider commonly carried a Express trail. ❏
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