Where did Wells Fargo and the Pony Express come from?
Soon after gold was discovered in 1848 at Sutter’s Mill, entrepreneurs from all across North America flocked to California, drawn by the promise of huge profits. Vermont native Henry Wells and New Yorker William Fargo watched California’s booming economy with great interest, suspecting money could indeed be made.
Who was the founder of the Pony Express?
Vermont native Henry Wells and New Yorker William Fargo watched California’s booming economy with great interest, suspecting money could indeed be made. Wells, founder of Wells and Company, and Fargo, a partner in Livingston & Fargo, were major figures in the fiercely competitive express industry.
What was in the Green Box on the Pony Express?
Gold dust, gold bars, gold coins, legal papers, checks and drafts were transported in green treasure boxes, stored under the stagecoach driver’s seat. A loaded box weighed from 100 to 150 pounds. Because they carried the most valuable assets of the West, these sturdy boxes – made of Ponderosa pine, oak and iron – were much sought after by bandits.
How much did a loaded Wells Fargo box weigh?
A loaded box weighed from 100 to 150 pounds. Because they carried the most valuable assets of the West, these sturdy boxes – made of Ponderosa pine, oak and iron – were much sought after by bandits. The real security of the strong boxes came from those who protected them—the Wells Fargo shotgun guards.
When did the Wells Fargo Pony Express start?
The new company carried passengers and mail on stagecoaches or the lighter celerity wagons. (The short-lived Pony Express ran from April 1860 to October 1861.) It is not known when robbers first made off with the contents of a Wells Fargo strongbox (or “green treasure box”).
How many letters did the Pony Express carry?
For its final six months, Wells Fargo ran the Pony Express. During its brief nineteen-month history, its riders carried 35,000 letters. Who were these Pony Express riders?
When did Wells Fargo’s Green Treasure Box start?
(The short-lived Pony Express ran from April 1860 to October 1861.) It is not known when robbers first made off with the contents of a Wells Fargo strongbox (or “green treasure box”). Back in 1855, Rattlesnake Dick stopped a mule train and robbed the Rhodes & Lusk Express.
Vermont native Henry Wells and New Yorker William Fargo watched California’s booming economy with great interest, suspecting money could indeed be made. Wells, founder of Wells and Company, and Fargo, a partner in Livingston & Fargo, were major figures in the fiercely competitive express industry.
