On April 3, 1860, the first Pony Express riders start from both St. Joseph, Missouri and San Francisco, California.
San Francisco, California: April 3, 1860, 4:00 P.M.
A large crowd had gathered in front of the Alta Telegraph Company in San Francisco. They cheered as the mochila, a saddlebag arrangement that draped over the saddle and had pouches to hold mail, was thrown over the saddle of a buff-colored pony. A woman whisked off her bonnet and tied it on the pony's head, calling out that it was for good luck. Then Pony Express rider James Randall rode away. He was headed for the waterfront where the steamboat Antelope waited to carry him to Sacramento. From there, the state capitol, the race across country would begin eastward. It would be a long hard ride through a dark rainy night for first rider Randall.
St. Joseph, Missouri: April 3, 1860. 5:00 P.M.
Two thousand miles away from San Francisco, in St. Joseph, Missouri on April 3 of 1860, the crowd was just as large and excited as that to the Far West in San Francisco, California, and for the same reason. But something was amiss. The designated start time of five o'clock came-and went, and the westward gallop had yet to begin.
Folks began to restlessly mill around. There were numerous speculation as to the cause of the delay. Would the whole thing be a bust? How could this happen, especially when there was a huge government subsidy, maybe as much as a million dollars, riding on the success of the venture?
Trouble From the Start
By 6 o'clock it looked like Russell, Majors & Waddell were in trouble. To pacify the crowd, the horse that was to carry the first rider west was put on display in the town square. The horse
was already dressed it its express costume that consisted of a light, streamlined saddle and a blanket-like leather mail pouch, or mochila, both crafted by the famous St. Joseph saddle maker Israel Landis. For the brief time the horse was on display it went through an ordeal of folks plucking hairs from its tail for souvenirs. Soon the poor but brave bay mare was rescued and its brief time in the limelight was ended for its own safety.
The Pony Express continues at: Pony Express at St. Joseph .
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