USA > Kansas > Atchison County > History of Atchison County, Kansas > Part 15
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
the old military road by Fort Kearney and along the Platte river enjoyed Government protection from the Indians, and was settled at intervals almost the entire distance.
During the period of overland freighting on the plains, more trains left Atchison than any other point on the river. The leading firms engaged in the freighting business were, Stevens & Porter; Dennison & Brown; Hocka- day-Burr & Company : J. S. Galbraith: George W. Howe; Brown Brothers; E. K. Blair; I. N. Bringman ; Roper & Nesbitt ; Harrison Brothers; Henry Reisner: J. C. Peters ; P. K. Purcell ; R. E. Wilson : Will Addoms ; George I. Stebbins; John C. Bird; William Home; Amos Howell: Owen Degan, and a numbers of others.
The cost of shipping merchandise to Denver was very high, as everything was carried by the pound, rather than by the hundred pounds rate. Flour, bacon, molasses, whiskey, furniture and trunks were carried at pound rates. The rates per pound on merchandise shipped by ox or mule wagons from Atchi- son to Denver prior to 1860, were as follows :
Flour
9
cents
Tobacco
1212 cents
Sugar
131/2 cents
Bacon
15 cents
Dry goods
15
cents
Crackers
17
cents
Whiskey
18
cents
Groceries
191/2
cents
Trunks
25
cents
Furniture
31
cents
It has been said by those who witnessed the tremendous overland traffic of the late fifties and the early sixties, that those of this generation can form no conception of the enormous amount of traffic overland there was in those days. Trains were being constantly outfitted not only at Atchison, but at other points along the river. Twenty-one days was about the time required for a span of horses or mules to make the trip to Denver and keep the stock in good condition. It required five weeks for ox trains to make the same dis- tance, and to Salt Lake, horses and mules were about six weeks making the trip, and ox trains were on the road from sixty-five to seventy days. It was the ox upon which mankind depended in those days to carry on the commerce
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
of the plains. They were the surest and safest for hauling a large part of the freight destined for the towns and camps west of the Missouri river. Next in importance to the ox, was the mule, because they were tough and reliable, and could endure fatigue.
The year of 1859 was a big year in the history of Atchison, for in that year the percentage of the growth of the town was greater than any other year in its history. The fact that it was the best point on the Missouri river for the overland staging and freighting outfits, brought it in greater commer- cial prominence. At that time, Irwin & McGraw were prominent contrac- tors, who were supplying the various military posts on the frontier. The mere fact that these Government trains were started from Atchison, gave the town wonderful prestige.
It was nothing unusual to see two or three steamboats lying at the levee, discharging freight, and as many more in sight either going up the river from St. Louis, or down the river from St. Joe. It was not uncommon for a boat to be loaded at Pittsburgh, Pa., or Cincinnati, Ohio, going down the Ohio river and up the Mississippi and Missouri to Atchison ; it was not an tintisual sight to see a whole boat load of wagons and ox yokes, mining machinery, boilers and other material necessary for the immense trade of the West.
The greater part of the traffic out of Atchison to the West was over the Military road, along the south bank of the Platte, and along this road teams of six to eight yoke of cattle, hauling heavily loaded wagons, and strings of four or six horse or mule teams, formed almost an endless procession.
The liveliest period of overland trade extended from 1859 to 1866, during which time there was on the plains and in the mountains an estimated floating population of 250,000. The greater majority of the people on the plains produced but few of the necessities of life, and consequently they had to be supplied from the Missouri river. During the closing year of the Civil war, the travel was immense, most of the emigration going into the gold mining camps of the Northwest.
While there was considerable freighting out of Atchison to the West fol- lowing the opening of the Territory, overland staging did not reach its heighth until 1861. The era of overland staging from the Missouri river to the Pacific coast lasted altogether about eight years. The first great overland staging enterprise started in 1858, on what is known as the Southern or Butterfield route. This route ran from St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn., inter- secting at Ft. Smith, Ark. After being in operation for nearly three years, the route was succeeded by a daily line on the Central route, which ran from
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
the Missouri river five years, first starting at St. Joseph, Mo., July 1, 1861, and then from Atchison in September of that year. On the Central route, the through staging came to a close after the completion of the Union Pacific railroad from Omaha across the continent. Originally the stage enterprise was known as the Overland Mail Company-the Southern or Butterfield line. After it was transferred north and ran in connection with the stages to Denver, it was known as the Central Overland California and Pike's Peak Express Company. After passing into the hands of Ben Holladay, it became the Overland Stage Line, and finally tlie name was changed to the Holladay Over- land Mail Express Company. In 1866, the line had been consolidated with the Butterfield Overland Dispatch, a stage company which was organized in 1865, with headquarters in Atchison.
Atchison's importance as an overland staging terminus was fixed by reason of an order of the United States Postoffice Department. Before the final change, making Atchison headquarters and starting point for the mail, the road from Atchison westward intersected the road from St. Joseph at Kennekuk. The distance from Atchison to Kennekuk was twenty-four miles, while it was about thirty-five miles from St. Joseph, and consequently there was a saving of about nine miles in favor of Atchison. This was an import- ant item, in carrying the mails, and resulted in the order of the Postoffice De- partment making Atchison the starting point. The distance by the overland stage line from Atchison to Placerville was 1,913 miles, and following the abandonment of the Butterfield or Southern route, it became the longest and the most important stage line in America. There were 153 stations between Atchison and Placerville, located about twelve and one-half miles apart. The local fare was $225.00, or about twelve cents per mile, and as high as $2,000.00 a day was frequently taken in at the Atchison office for passenger fare alone. The fare between Atchison and Denver was $75.00, or a little over eight cents per mile, and to Salt Lake City, $150.00. Local fares ran as high as fifteen cents per mile. Each passenger was allowed twenty-five pounds of baggage. All in excess of that was charged at the rate of $1.00 per pound. During the war, the fare to Denver was increased from seventy-five dollars to $100.00. and before the close of the war, it had reached $175.00, or nearly twenty-seven cents per mile.
It required about 2,750 horses and mules to run the stage line between Atchison and Placerville. It required, in addition to the regular supply of horses to operate the stages, some additional animals for emergencies, and it was estimated that the total cost of the horses on this stage line was about one-
II
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
half million dollars. The harness was the finest that could be made, and cost about $150.00 for a complete set of four, or about $55,000.00 for the whole line. The feeding of the stock was one of the big items of expense, and there were annually consumed at each station from forty to eighty tons of hay, at a cost of $15 to $40 per ton. Each animal was apportioned an average of twelve quarts of corn every day, which cost from two to ten cents a pound. In the Salt Lake and California divisions, oats and barley, grown in Utah, were substituted for corn, but which cost about the same.
There were about 100 Concord coaches which, in the early sixties cost about $1,000.00 each. The company owned about one-half of the stations, in addition to thousands of dollars' worth of miscellaneous property, at differ- ent places along the route. There were superintendents, general and local attorneys, paymasters and division agents, all of whom drew big salaries. Among the stage company's agents in the late fifties and early sixties were Hugo Richards and Paul Coburn, at Atchison; Robert L. Pease, of Atchison, was also for a time agent at Denver.
The mail was carried from Atchison west by Forts Kearney, Laramie and Bridges, once a week. The schedule time from the river to Salt Lake City was about eighteen days, and the distance was about 1,200 to 1.300 miles.
In 1861 a daily overland mail was established out of Atchison, and with the exception of a few weeks in 1862, 1864 and 1865. on account of Indian troubles, the overland was in operation and ran stages daily out of Atchison for about five years. It was the greatest stage line in the world, carrying mail, passengers and express. It was also regarded as the safest and the fastest way to cross the plains, and the mountain ranges. It was equipped with the latest modern four and six horse and mule Concord coaches, and the meals at the eating stations along the route were first-class, and cost from fifty cents to $2.00 each.
When Atchison was selected as the starting place for the overland mail. it was not certain how long it would remain the eastern terminus of the mail route. The Civil war was at its height, and the rebels were doing much damage to the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad, which had been constructed in . 1859. They tore up the track, burned the bridges, destroyed the culverts, fired into the trains, and placed obstructions along the roadbed, frequently delaying the mail from two to six days. As a result of this condition of affairs, it was feared that Atchison would lose the overland mail, and the Gov- ernment would change the starting point to some town further north, but be- cause of the advantageous geographical position of Atchison, it was decided
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
that it would be disastrous to make a change, so the Government placed a large number of troops along the entire line of the Hannibal & St. Joe, to insure the safety of the mails, and Atchison continued to be the point of de- parture for the overland mail, until 1866.
The stage coaches used by the overland line were built in Concord, N. H. They carried nine passengers inside, and one or two could ride on the box by the driver. Some of the stages were built with an extra seat above and in the rear of the driver, so that three additional persons could ride there, making fourteen, with the driver. Sometimes an extra man would be crowded on the box, making as many as fifteen persons, who could ride on the Con- cord coach without very much inconvenience.
This chapter on overland staging would be unfinished, unless some reference was made to Ben Holladay, who played such an im- portant part in the overland staging days of this country. Ben Holladay had a remarkable career. In his early days, when he resided in Weston, Mo., he drove a stage himself. He was a genuine westerner, having run a saloon and tavern in Weston as early as 1838 and 1839. He went overland to Cali- fornia in 1849. and took a train to Salt Lake City with $70,000 worth of goods. He spent some time in Utah, where he made considerable money.
Besides operating the Overland Stage for over five years, Holladay had other important interests in the West. Among his enterprises was a fleet of passenger steamers, plying between San Francisco and Portland. Ore. At the height of his career he was a millionaire, and few men in the country accumulated wealth more rapidly. He spent his money freely, and squandered vast sums when he was making it. After he had accumulated a fortune, he went to New York to live, and built a most pretentious residence a few miles out of New York, on the Hudson river, which he called Ophir Farm. After he was awarded some good mail contracts by the Government. he built a mansion in Washington, which he furnished superbly, and collected a large classical library, with handsomely bound volumes, and also was a patron of art, collecting fine oil paintings of celebrated masters in Europe and America. He also made a collection of fine bronzes and statuary, and paid $6,000.00 each for two bronze lions.
It was in 1860 that he came into possession of the Central Overland Cali- fornia Mail Line, but subsequent trouble with the Indians damaged his prop- erty to the extent of a half million dollars. His stage stations were burned. and his stock stolen, and stage coaches destroyed. Finally, in 1888. being
164
HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
broken in health and in debt, his Washington home, with its contents, was sold under the hammer.
He came into possession of practically all the big overland routes by pur- chase and foreclosure of mortgages, and he made his vast fortune in mail contracts from the Government. He remained at the head of the overland line for about five years, taking possession of it in December, 1861, and dis- posing of it, including the stations, rolling stock and animals, in the latter part of 1866, to Wells Fargo & Company.
Mr. Holladay died in August, 1877, in Portland, Ore., a poor man.
BUTTERFIELD'S OVERLAND DISPATCH.
One of the interesting promoters in overland staging days was D. A. Butterfield. He came to Atchison from Denver in 1864, and engaged in the commission business in a large stone ware-house near the Massasoit House, and, in addition to his commission business, he was agent for a line of packets plying between St. Louis and Atchison. Shortly after his arrival in Atchison he began the development of an overland stage line, which subsequently reached very large proportions. His ambition was to be at the head of an overland stage line, and, having selected what was known as the Smoky Hill route along the Kansas and Smoky Hill rivers, which was fifty miles shorter than any other route to Denver, he proceeded with the further development of his plans. He was a smart, capable, ambitious and aggressive fellow, with vim, and was in touch with a number of men of large means in New York, whom he soon interested in his enterprise. Early in 1865 the following advertisement appeared in the Atchison Daily Free Press, announcing Mr. Butterfield's project :
"BUTTERFIELD'S OVERLAND DISPATCH.
"To all points in Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Montana Territory. Principal office, Atchison, Kansas. New York Office No. I Vesey St. Astor House.
"Through bills of lading given from New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Pitts- burgh, Chicago, St. Louis, and Burlington, Iowa. "D. A. Butterfield, Proprietor, Atchison, Kansas. "A. W. Spalding, General Agent, New York."
Butterfield's consuming desire was to control the big end of the trans- portation business across the plains. He maintained an expensive office in New York City and called his line "The Butterfield Overland Dispatch."
165
HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
Conspicuous signs were displayed over the doors of his office in the Astor House, showing caravans of great covered wagons drawn by mules and oxen, which signs attracted the attention of all. During his promotion of this new stage line Butterfield lived in great style and elegance in Atchison, in a house, the remains of which still stand ( 1915) at the southwest corner of Fifth and S streets. He entertained lavishly, and "champagne flowed like water" at his home when he gave a party.
The direct route out of Atchison to Denver, chosen by Butterfield, was in a southwesterly direction to Valley Falls, thence across the plains to a point on the old Fort Riley military road a few miles northeast of Topeka. The Butterfield line was first operated with mules and oxen, but as the road grew more prosperous, four horse stages were substituted. "Dave" Butterfield, as he was known, was determined to make Ben Holladay a pigmy in the overland stage business. Although it was known to many that there was more wind behind his enterprise than real money, yet in spite of the fact that his efforts in the staging world were more or less looked upon as a promotion scheme, he interested considerable capital, including the United States, American and the Adams Express companies. He was a great believer in publicity and spent large sums in newspaper advertising, but it required much money to properly equip and operate a stage line, and Butterfield did not have enough. In consequence of his lack of capital, his original company failed, but was sub- sequently reorganized in June, 1865. Butterfield, undaunted, went east again and raised more money, and before his return, he capitalized a new company with $3,000,000.00, with one-half paid in. Branch offices were opened in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, Atchison, Leavenworth, Denver and Salt Lake City. John A. Kinney, a pioneer busi- ness man of Atchison, who had been connected with Butterfield from the be- ginning, continued in charge of the Atchison office under the reorganization, with a salary of $2,500 per year. Shortly after the new company was organized, Butterfield inserted another advertisement in the Free Press, as follows :
"BUTTERFIELD'S OVERLAND DISPATCH.
"To all points in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Montana and the state of Nevada.
"Contracts can be made with this Company through their Agents to transport freight from all the eastern cities to all localities in the Territories, the rate to include railroad and overland carriage and all commissions upon
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
the Missouri River. The Company owns its own tronsportation and gives a through bill of lading which protects shipper from extreme East to the Far West.
"EXPRESS DEPARTMENT.
"About August, 1865 the Company will have a line of express coaches running daily between Atchison, Kansas and Denver, Colorado; and about September Ist, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and as soon in the Spring as possi- ble, a tri-weekly between Denver and Salt Lake City over which merchandise will be carried at fair express rates.
"TIME TO DENVER-EIGHT (8) DAYS.
"INSTRUCTIONS: Mark goods for cattle and mule trains : 'But'd Ov'd Desp'h.' Mark goods for express : B. O. D. Express, Atchison."
Some changes were afterwards made in the location of the route, but it left as before, in a southwesterly direction to Valley Falls. The business of the new company was very large from the start and grew rapidly. Steam- boats discharged great quantities of freight at the Atchison levee for shipment by Butterfield's line. A large amount also came from St. Joseph by railroad. In one day during July, 1865, nineteen car loads of freight consigned to the Butterfield line at Atchison were received for transportation across the plains. In the following month a train was loaded with 600,000 pounds of merchandise for Salt Lake City. One of the early stages that left Atchison on this line made the run to Junction City, which was 119 miles, in less than twenty-four hours, or at the rate of five and one-half miles an hour, including all stops, but the reorganized Butterfield line was not long in operation before it met with many obstacles. The fact that the Smoky Hill route selected by Butterfield was not guarded by Government troops of soldiers, as the Fort Kearney route was, caused the Indians to make many raids upon the overland trains. A number of severe encounters with Indians were had from time to time, until it became necessary to operate the stages with a mounted guard in advance. It finally became so dangerous that it was difficult to secure mes- sengers and drivers to operate the line. This condition became so serious that the "Overland Dispatch," which in the meanwhile was becoming more finan- cially embarrassed from day to day, was finally obliged to retire from the field. During the short time that it lasted, it was widely known throughout
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
the western country, and in the East it was known in most of the leading cities. While this company, to some extent, cut down the receipts of the Holla- day line, traffic across the plains had become so dull in the sixties that there was not much profit in it for anybody. In March, 1866, Holladay took over the Butterfield line and the following announcement appeared in the newspapers :
"NOTICE.
"To the Employees of the Overland Distpatch Company.
"The Overland Stage Line and the Overland Dispatch Company have become one property under the name of the Holladay Overland Mail & Express Company.
"The new Company guarantees payment to the employees of the late Overland Dispatch Company. An agent is now enroute from New York to pay them.
"David Street, Gen'l Agt., "Holladay Mail & Express Co. "Atchison, Kansas, March 17, 1866."
The business that Butterfield had worked up was continued by the new company, but Butterfield was hopelessly down and out. While in the midst of what appeared to be a prosperous freight business with many tons of ponderous mining machinery in transit across the plains to the mining camps of Colorado, the mining bubble broke, and great difficulty was experienced in collecting freight bills that were accumulating on machinery that was being transported across the plains, so it was unloaded upon the plains and there it was left to rust out. In less than eighteen months from the first organization of the Overland Dispatch, Butterfield was a financial wreck, and the consolidation of his company with the Holladay line was the only action that could be taken to conserve the property which the Butterfield line had acquired. Butter- field subsequently left Atchison and located in Mississippi, where he organized a railroad, which also proved a failure. He left Mississippi for Arkansas and built and operated a horse car line in Hot Springs. He finally got into a quarrel with one of his employees, who struck him with a neck yoke, from the effects of which he died.
OTHER ROUTES.
Atchison was an important point for stage routes as early as 1859. There was a line of hacks which ran daily from Atchison to Leavenworth, and an- other to Lawrence, and still another by Oskaloosa and Valley Falls across the
I68
HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
Kansas river to Lecompton, Big Springs, Tecumseh and Topeka. To reach Lawrence from Atchison in those days, passengers were compelled to go by Leavenworth, until a line was opened by Mount Pleasant and Oskaloosa, re- ducing the distance to forty-five miles, and the fare to $4.50. There was a line north to Doniphan, Troy, Highland and Iowa Point. A line was also operated by Doniphan to Geary City, Troy and St. Joseph, and still another ran by Hiawatha to Falls City, Neb. The most important route, which had its headquarters at that time in Atchison, was a four mule line, The Central Overland California and Pike's Peak Express, which with its speedy Concord stages, crossed the plains twice a week. This was the Holladay line. The Kansas Stage Company operated a line to Leavenworth, which made stops at Sumner and Kickapoo. A daily line, operated by the Kansas Stage Com- pany, ran to Junction City by way of Mount Pleasant, Winchester, Osawkie, Mt. Florence, Indianola, Topeka, Silver Like, St. Marys, Louisville, Ogden and Ft. Riley. The distance over this route was 120 miles and the fare was $10.00. There was also a two-horse stage line carrying the mail from Atchi- son to Louisville, Kan. Louisville was one of the most important towns in Pottawatomie county, and in 1859 was an important station on the route of the Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express. The mail line as then operated ran through Monrovia, Arrington, Holton and other points to its destination in the West. J. H. Thompson, who was an old man then, was the contractor for carrying the mail and was well known along the whole route, being familiarly known as "Uncle Johnny" Thompson. His stage left Atchison every Saturday morning at 8 o'clock and arrived from Louisville on Friday evening at 6. The fare from Atchison to Louisville was $8.00.
"ST. JOSEPH, ATCHISON AND LECOMPTON "STAGE LINE.
"Passing through Geary City, Doniphan, Atchison, Winchester, Hickory Point, and Oscaloosa, connecting at Lecompton with lines to Topeka, Grass- hopper Falls, Fort Riley, Lawrence, Kansas City, and the Railroad at St. Joseph for the East.
"Offices-Massasoit House, Atchison, K. T., and Planter's House, St. Joseph, Mo."
(From Freedom's Champion, Atchison, February 12, 1859. )
LAST DAYS OF THE STAGING BUSINESS.
The people of Atchison in the sixties little realized the advantages the town gained by being the starting point for the California mail. They became
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