Bill Earngey

During the winter of 1858-59, three successful Missouri businessmen -- William H. Russell, Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell -- founded the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express Company, a freight and stage company employing about 3,500 wagons to run between Leavenworth, Kan. and Denver, Colo. The company changed its name in February, 1860, becoming the Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express (the COC&PP), which in turn spawned the Pony Express, a 79-week romantic venture but a dreadful business mistake.

  The handwriting on the wall. First off, there was that pesky threat of a civil war as aggravated by Northern Kansas Jayhawkers and Southern Missouri Bushwhackers. (The COC&PP was in business on the borderline of both states.)

  Second, John Butterfield's Overland Mail Company was in its third year of a $3.6 million federal mail contract, charging 10¢ a letter.

  Third, the COC&PP paid $700,000 in capital improvements, wages, etc., charged $2.50 per letter, and lost a $1 million federal mail contract, possibly by touting they were closest to the nearly completed transcontinental railroad and telegraph line, which ran them out of business in October 1861.

  Fourth, their entire business plan depended on teenagers, actually a smart idea, considering the Company's advertisement: "WANTED: young, skinny, wiry, fellows, not over eighteen. Must be expert riders willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. Wages $25 per week." This is where the romance begins.

  April 3, 1860, Johnny Fry and his horse, Sylph, busted out of St. Joe, Mo. headed for a 2,000-mile, 10-day tag-team race through about 165, two-minute, stop-to-swap relay stations night and day and summer and winter and weather and hostile locals.

  The average rider weighed about 120 pounds, rode about 75 miles a day, and probably took the attitude of leaving heavy guns behind because quick wits and speed were his best self-defense.

  The horses (Mustangs in the west; Morgans in the east) averaged about 10 mph; 25 on the gallop. Only one death during 79 weeks is recorded, but not named.