Welcome to the “My Place” page
 My name is Scott
I run the Rope and Wire website.
My original idea for this page was to give those living in the country the opportunity to tell others about the things that made their farm or ranch so special.
Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that either no one likes to brag or no one lives on a farm or a ranch. Whatever the case, no one submitted an article so I felt it was high time to try something different.
So for now this will be literally “My Place.” I’ll use this page to post a western blog or short articles. They will either be mine, or possibly one from a contributing R&W community member.
The theme will remain Western but the content will change weekly, or there about.
If you click on any of the links to past blog's, you can return to this page by clicking on the My Place button across from my picture.
I hope you enjoy it but if not, might I suggest you “stroll the grounds.” Read a story or watch a movie.
Thanks for visiting.
Scott
The Pony Express
In 1860, three men, William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell joined forces and formed the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company. It was a grand name for an extraordinary company. It would soon become known as the Pony Express.
The idea behind this new venture was twofold. Not only would it provide fast, year round mail delivery over the Central Route to California, it was also meant to draw upon the public’s attention in hopes of securing a million dollar government mail contract.
The company’s proposed route crossed 2000 miles of extremely rugged terrain between St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.
The following advertisement from a California newspaper gives you a good idea of the perils faced by Pony Express riders.
"Wanted. Young, skinny, wiry fellows. Not over 18. Must be expert riders. Willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred."
Most riders were around 20. The youngest was 11 and the oldest was in his mid-40s. Not many were orphans and the average weight was around 120 pounds. But apparently all were willing to “Risk Death Daily”
The riders were hired at $50 per month plus room and board but were soon earning $100 and even $125 per month. Several stretches of the route were particularly dangerous and those who braved these unusual dangers received $150 per month.
While the Pony Express was successful in delivering the mail in record time, Russell, Majors and Waddell lost out to John Butterfield for the lucrative government mail contract.
Butterfield’s Overland Mail Company already provided mail service contracts on routes that took three to four weeks to get to California via stagecoach. Butterfield’s main “ox bow” route left Fort Smith, Arkansas, and reached San Francisco via El Paso, Texas, and Yuma, Arizona Territory, crossing 2,800 miles of some of the toughest terrain in North America. Despite its length and the scarcity of water, there was one big plus to this route in that no snowbound mountain blocked it.
It seems Russell, Majors and Waddell had underestimated the power of Southern political interests, which kept most government subsidies on southwestern trails.
The gamble failed and the Pony Express went out of business after only eighteen months in service, along with a debt of over $200,000 dollars.
The Pony Express itself was a relatively short and unsuccessful business venture, but the story of the Pony Express has held the interest and fascination of generations.
You can learn much more, in-depth detail of this great western adventure at the following website.
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