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''Pony Express Rider Was a' Skinny, Tireless HorsemanThis vear • centennial eelebra- Express riders over a route ftt lions of the famous Ponv Express Nevada through $omc of the moat will be largely • tribute to Amen- savage Indian countrycan vouthAccording to Alexander MatoraMoat of the daring rider* of the of the Russell Majors and Waddell famous mail-carrying service which Arm in a book published in 1A93 began April 3 IMf: between St r Seventy Yean on the FrontierJoseph Mo and Sacramento, Calif, William F «Billt Cody was a Pony mere verv young men—many of Express ricicr in his early teenathem in their teenswhen he entered the famoua mailAn advertisement of the times service Codv la credited withj m San Franciaco. seeking Pony many notable feats including a Express riders, stated: “Wanted— ride aggregating 334 miles without • young skinny, wiry fellows not inv real riat period which ia rt* over 13 Must be eipert riders, ferred ro hi somi authorities ] willing to risk death daily Orphans probablypreferred Wages |2ft a week Young men entering Pony Ex-the longest continuousperformance of its kind—not onl?in the annals of the Pony Exprtaa,prem Service operated bv fhe but in any other .rier service in famous transportation firm of Rus- historvself, Majors Ai Waddell, were given a Bible These are verv rare todayNone of the Ponv Empties young men had an opportunity to growRiders were required also to take old in the service In October. 1MI,thia oath upon entering service * I herebv swear, before the Greatthe cross-country telegraph was completed and 'he Pony Exprtasand living God that during my wiA terminated Despite ita ahonengagement, and while I am an life i? was credited wrn many im*employe of Russell, Majors lt;% Wad- portant contributions wvcluding tJie dell. I will, under no circumstances fact that it he.ped to keep Eastuse profane language; that I will and West joined during the earlydrink no intoxicating liquors; that crucial davs of the Civil War I will not quarrel or fight with any Although the Ponv Express fftj other employee of the firm and short lived it will be ven much that In every respect I will conduct alive this yearmyself honestly, be faithful to my duties and so direct ai) my acts as to win the confident* of my employers Ro help me GodThe vouthful Ponv Express ridersMany pageants lt;-eifbrauone and other activities n rmora!:F,*nt the Pony Express are planned for this 10SO Centennial vearAh a peri of centennial vear cela-consistently outran Indian pursuers brat ions the PoatofTiee depa.rt.menk while carrying the maila through will issue a new Ponv Express com-the wilderness, often through blind- memoranv# postage stamp next mg snows and howling storms and July 19 at Sacramento, tofethin extremes of heat and cold Only with a ne« commemorative stamped one Ponv Express nder was loaf to envelope to be issued at St Joaeph.the Indians.Johnnie Frv lt;or ••Frey” according to some writerai ia credited bv some accounts with being the firstPonv Express nder to leave StOn the same date m one of themamr memorial events scheduled dunng the vacation season thisvear the National Pony Express Centennial Association plana to re-Joseph on April S. IMA FI/ was enact tha Ponv Express runs atart-Urtlt more than a bov when he ing out - Just as the Ponv Express entered the Express service He did approximately ion veers ago—wai a native Miaeounan weigh-ins leas than 12ft pounda. An early account states:from both St, Joaeph and Sacrt*memo.The reenactmenta are expeotad MThough small in stature, he was require about nine days each for event inch a man Hu run was both the eastward and westwardfrom Rt Joaeph to Seneca, Kan. tuna The original Ponyabout 10 miles, which he covered runs arrosa the IMS-mile ortftnaiin an average of !!** miles an route, required an averag* of about hour, including all stops * He later 10 day*, although It frequently took entered the Union Army, and was less time Lincoln s inaugural ad*killed in IMS m a hand-to-hand dress tn I Ml for example was ar-fight in which he was credited with ned bv the Pony Express in iasekilling five assailant* before he was than eight days, killed himself The eight states through whichWilliam -Bilh James, a native the Ponv Express ran are Missouri Virginian, was credited at If w»being one of the beat of the Ponv ming Utah. Nevada and California.
Newspaper Details
Chillicothe Constitution Tribune
Chillicothe, Missouri, US
Sat, Feb 27, 1960
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Jacqueline B.
GB 05 Mar 2019
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