Category: Wagon Roads & Mail Rotes
-
The End of Mails By Coach Over The Southern Route
Further Curtailments to Route No. 31454 Although the establishing of the railroad station at Lordsburg somewhat affected Route No. 31454, it was the establishing of Deming Junction, and to a lesser extent Deming Station, which had the greatest impact on that route in New Mexico Territory. Almost as soon…
-
Some Notes on Ojo de Vaca/Cow Springs
Most of the information below has been included in various sections of this blog. This entry does include some new details not previously posted, but serves mainly as a recap and collation of previously published material. 1807: José Manrique, Capitán Presidial Comapny, El Principe Commandate, led and expedition from…
-
Chapter 18 – Route No. 31454, 1878 – 1882, The National Mail & Transport Co.
Introduction The awarding of the contract for this new four-year period would lead to the most significant changes for Ralston; the settlement would not only be included as a stop on a new route, but would also acquire a new name when, in April of 1879, it would become known…
-
Chapter 17 – Route No. 17404, 1874 -1878, Kerens &Mitchell
On March 3, 1874, the names of the successful bidders for the upcoming contract term were published in California. Richard C. Kerens and Mitchell (first name unknown) were awarded the contract for two routes in New Mexico: Las Vegas to Mesilla, and Route No. 17404, Mesilla to San Diego.¹²⁶ News…
-
CHAPTER 15 – The Civil War Years, Part I
The Southern Route Suspended On February 28, 1861, an act of Congress mandated the following: That whenever, in the opinion of the Postmaster-General the postal service cannot be safely continued, or the post-office revenues collected, or the postal law maintained, on any post route, by reason of any cause whatsoever,…
-
CHAPTER 14, Part I – Route No. 12578 – Butterfield and the Overland Mail Company
Introduction Those Executive Documents of the First Session, Thirty-Fifth Congress which carried the list of bidders on Route No. 8076 also carried a list of the names of those who had bid on Route No. 12578 – the Overland Mail-Route To California – from St. Louis, Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee…
-
Chapter 13 – Modes of Transport,Location of Stations, and Birch’s Death
Firstly, it is important to state that the transportation of passengers over the route was an enterprise undertaken by Birch himself; it was completely independent of the transportation of the mails. Under the terms of his contract with the Postal Department Birch was obliged only to provide a service of…