| Butterfield, Overland Stage, Relay Stations, Ox Bow Route, Frontier Forts
Butterfield Overland Stage Company
Butterfield Overland Stage Company also known as the Butterfield Overland Mail Company had won the most coveted prize
Nine Overland Stage owners had entered bids for the U.S. Mail contract it was awarded to Butterfield Overland Stage Company on September 15, 1857
Originally all of the Overland Stage owners had submitted routes with relay station 's and frontier forts that were north of Albuquerque, New Mexico territory they had no knowledge of what was called the ox bow route
Ox Bow Route was mandated by the southern Postmaster General. The new line be required to go through Fort Smith and then proceed through Texas to El Paso onward to Fort Yuma, California and then up to San Francisco. Termed the ox bow route, it added 600 miles many relay station 's and frontier forts to the original bids
Butterfield Overland Stage began rolling on September 15, 1858, twice weekly mail service began. A Butterfield Overland Concord Stagecoach was started in San Francisco and another Overland Stage in Tipton, Missouri they ran over the better roads. As the going got rougher, the passengers and mail were transferred to " celerity wagons " designed for the roughest conditions
Each run encompassed the 2,812 miles and had to be completed in 25 days or less in order to qualify for the $600,000 government grant for mail service. The western fare one way was $200 with most stages arriving 22 days later at its final destination
The Butterfield Overland Stage Company employed over 800 men, had 139 relay stations or frontier forts, 1800 head of stock and 250 Concord Overland Stage Coaches were in service
In March of 1860, John Butterfield was forced out and the Butterfield Overland Stage Company was taken over by Wells, Fargo and Company due to large debts that Butterfield owed Wells, Fargo
The beginning of the Civil War forced the Butterfield Overland Stage Company to stop using the ox bow route and to use the central overland road instead
Butterfield Overland Stage Company was the largest overland stage company with the most relay stations and frontier forts in its' heyday
Wells Fargo did commandeer the monopoly over long distance overland stage coach and mail service with a massive web of relay stations, forts, livestock, men and stage coaches by 1866 |
Butterfield, Overland Stage, Relay Stations
