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 Government would change the starting point to some town further north, but because of the advantageous geographical position of Atchison, it was decided 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 departure 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 Concord 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 important 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 California 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 California Mail Line, but subsequent trouble with the Indians damaged his property 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 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 purchase 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 disposing 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 warehouse 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: