Pony Express

Where the telegraph line ended in 1860, older methods of communications prevailed. The Pony Express was a delivery system that used a relay chain of riders and horses to carry the mail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. Service began on April 3, 1860 and continued until October 1861. Initially the stations were set 25 miles apart, with a fresh horse supplied at each station and a fresh rider after three stations, or about 75 miles. Later, intermediate stations were established in between with the nature of the terrain determining the distance to be covered, in some cases as little as ten miles. The schedule was originally set for 10 days and later was cut to 8 days. The system eventually consisted of 190 stations, 200 station keepers, 200 assistant station keepers, 80 riders and 400 to 500 horses. The revenues generated by the Pony Express did not recoup the expense of establishing and operating the system.