OCR Text |
Show TO THE NORTH PLATTE. 43 teams pass over these ferries or bridges, the same rates of toll or ferriage are charged as to emigrants indeed higher rates if the cash is not paid. At the North Platte a traveller might cross a single wagon for five dollars, and if the Government crossed a hundred, the ferryman would require a voucher for seven dollars a wagon that is, two dollars additional for sending to Denver to collect. On the occasion of the accident referred to, after the loss of six lives, and a large amount of public property, through the carelessness of an employe, and the labor of several hundred soldiers in re covering the lost boat, and re- establishing the ferry, an agent of the company thought the Government should pay some thing, if not full ferriage. Most decidedly cool ! The stages at both termini of the route are fine Concord coaches ; but these seldom get beyond the first home sta tion, when inferior ones are substituted, and both stages and stock continue depreciating as you go onward, and on some parts of the route the passengers often, in bad weather, are compelled to walk for miles, because of the horses being unable to draw them. I have in several in stances known passengers to be transferred from the infe rior coaches, commonly known on the plains as " mud wagons," to a common army- wagon, without springs or cover. Mr. Colfax and party, when crossing the continent, were furnished one of the best coaches, and that allowed to go all the way through, hence Mr. Bowies' unqualified praise of their conveyances. If the party had travelled incog., and been transferred into an uncovered army- wagon, it would probably have interfered very materially with Mr. Holladay's influence in the House of Representatives. There are some of the facts connected with the stage company as conducted a few months ago. Since that time it has passed into the hands of the enterprising and popular firm of Wells, Fargo & Co., who are now the proprietors of the line through to the Pacific, having some time previ ously purchased the line from Salt Lake City west. One of the first acts of the new company was to reduce the fare, |