Posted on 08/07/2020 6:20:47 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
ST. JOSEPH, Mo., Monday, Aug. 6. California advices to July 25, Japan June 26, and China to May 26, are received by the Pony Express, which arrived at 12 o'clock last night. SAN FRANCISCO, Monday, July 25 -- 3 P.M. Arrived since the departure of the last Express -- 24th -- bark B.T. Shaw, from Rio Janeiro; bark Onward, from Japan; 25th, steamer John L. Stephens, from Panama. Sailed 24th, ship David Crockett, from Callao. Business remains much depressed and the market barren of interest. Small lots only at firmer quotations are moving. Candles firm at 19c. Coal, anthracite, $13 50; Cumberland, in casks, $19 25. Coffee, Rio, 14c, @14 1/2c; Costa Rica, 17 1/2c.; Java, 90c. Drills are selling at 10 1/2c. Provisions are very quiet; there have been no transactions in Pork or Bacon. June Isthmus Butter 28c. Lard dull and heavy; sales 700 cases G. and W. about 10c. New-Orleans Sugar firm; crushed, 11 1/2c.@ 11 3/4. Rice heavy and showing weakness. Spirits and Wines inactive and unchanged. Thus far ten Democratic newspapers of the State have come out for DOUGLAS, and six for BRECKINRIDGE. More have declined to take sides for tae present, and fifteen in remote counties are still to be heard from. The leading Democratic politicians nearly all decline 10 take sides, evidently awaiting the coarse of events in the Atlantic States.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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I always taught the Pony Express as part of my business/economic history classes, and had a separate speech on it I would do for students.
What is most interesting to me is that the PE only lasted a year before telegraphs ended it, but that most of the PE riders, according to a study by Raymond and Mary Settle, ended up very well off. Realize the PE paid an astonishing $25 a week back then when a nickle bought a steak dinner and a quarter bought a man’s suit. It was an outrageous sum.
That is because one ad for the PE read “Wanted! Young wiry fellows willing to risk death daily! Orphans preferred!”
One guy went on to be the head manager of the Coast branch of major US insurance company. two or three scouted for the Union Army and worked with the railroads; one built his own hotel in Santa Fe; and so on. Only one ended up significantly worse off, because he chose to be a hermit.
Judging by the number of Pony Express riders (and station agents) who died on the job they earned their money. The risk and the small amount of cargo they could carry in their mochilas accounted for the very high postage rates customers paid to have their correspondence carried across the route.
Well, and also because of the need for speed and light weight, few carried any firearms. They couldn’t outfight Indians, so most only carried a knife in case of snakebite.
Paintings of them with rifles are ridiculous.
Captain Ewell will serve as commander of the Confederate second corp at Gettysburg.
Corps
Having visited several of the stations (ruins) and driven the trail on one of the more forsaken stretches it is understandable why they get that pay.
We have also visited the ruins of airmail beacons out in the desert. What most don’t realize is that the airmail flew almost the same route (plus many others) in similarly dangerous conditions. In the dark of night in the middle of Nevada all the had were beacon towers ever ten miles or so. Even 50 years after the pony express it was still some very empty country. Still is very empty as a matter of fact.
Buy pork bellies now. The price is going to skyrocket after Bull Run (First Mannanass).
5.56mm
It began with the layoffs of the early 1990s with headlines about “Corporate Killers” cuz these CEOs let people go. But this happens all the time in business. You don’t DIE when you are fired, and the PE proved just that. Almost all of them ended up (relatively) better than when they were riders.
Thank you. Good lesson.
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