American Business Express Platinum Travel

Admin | January 02, 2012 | Comments Off

American Business Express Platinum Travel

American Business Express Platinum Travel

The Pony Express was started by three men, William Russell, William Waddell and Alexander Majors who owned a freight business in Kansas City, Missouri. Telegraph service to the West was coming but had not yet happened. These men recognized a need for faster communications with the West, and the Pony Express was born.

The First Mail Delivery

The first mail shipment for the Pony Express was sent by train from Washington DC to St. Joseph, Missouri, north of Kansas City on March 31, 1860. Three days later on April 3, a lone rider on horseback departed from St. Joseph, headed to Sacramento California, carrying a packet of mail to be delivered on the way West. At the same time, a rider left Sacramento, heading toward St. Joseph.

Pony Express Riders

Approximately eighty young men, including William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, were hired to ride for the Pony Express, each earning $25 per week. An advertisement for Pony Express riders stated that they wanted young men under the age of 18, who were willing to risk death daily were desired. Orphans were preferred. However, most of the riders were not orphans, and the majority were over 18. One rider was as young as 11 years old, and the oldest was over 40.

Pony Express Service

The Pony Express service consisted of relay teams of horses and riders at more than 100 stops along the route from Missouri to California. It cost the public $5 for every half-ounce of mail they wanted to send by the service. The initial ride from St. Joseph to Sacramento took 9 days and 23 hours; the eastbound ride took 11 days and 12 hours. Each rider covered 75-100 miles along the route. Riders received fresh horses every 10-15 miles. The relay riders of the Pony Express could cover 250 miles over rugged, dangerous territory in a 24 hour period. Each eastbound and westbound journey averaged 10 hours, which was about half the time it took to send mail by coach. The fastest delivery time for the Pony Express was just over 7 days; a record that was set when they were entrusted to carry President Lincoln's Inaugural address from St. Joseph to a telegraph office in California.