April, 1860. It was a semi-weekly service, each rider to carry 15 pounds
of letters - rate $5 per half ounce. Stations were erected about 25
miles apart and each rider was expected to span three stations, going at
the rate of eight miles per hour. The first messenger to reach San
Francisco from the East arrived April 14, 1860, and was enthusiastically
received. Time for letters from New York was reduced to 13 days, the
actual time taking from 10 1/2 to 12 days. The best horses and the
bravest of men were necessary to make these relays, over the mountains,
through the snow and across the plains through the Indian-infested
country. The distance from San Francisco to St. Joseph, Mo., was 1996
miles and the service was established by Majors, Russell & Co., of
Leavenworth, Kansas.

Now I will go back a few years and pick up a little experience that was
scattered along the road. In 1861 I took my family around the bay for an
outing in a private carriage. We went through San Mateo, Redwood City,
Santa Clara, San Jose, Hot Springs, Hayward, San Leandro, Oakland and
back to San Francisco by boat. We enjoyed the trip very much without any
mishap to mar its pleasure.



A Venture In Flour.

About this time I bought out Loring & Mason who were in the retail
grocery business on the corner of Taylor and Clay streets. This was
another venture in which I had never had any experience, "But," said I,
"Here goes for what there's in it." A few days later there came a man in
his buggy from over the hill with whom I was very little acquainted. He
had charge of the Empire warehouse in the lower part of the city. His