Show MAJOR EGAN BRINGS FIRST MAIL TO SALT LAKE LAIE BY PONY EXPRESS Brigham Young Aide One of in Service Service Ser Ser- vice Editors Editor's note This is the sec sec- end ond ot of a series or of stories by b- ba a Telegram slaV writer on the Pan Pony Express in Utah Others will follow dail daily By BOB noc HALE When the first bunch of letters and papers was brought into Salt Lake City by pony express at 1145 p. p rn m. April 7 7 1860 Major Howard Egan was in the saddle It was appropriate he should be the first rider because no noone noone one man played a greater part in this romantic chapter of western history than did this Utahn Major Egan was born in Kings King's county Ireland on June 15 1815 and was one o of the pIoneers of 1847 He obtained his title ot of major majorin in the First Nauvoo legion which held an Illinois charter lIe was one of the captains o of ten or organization under Brigham Youn Young that afforded protection lion tion to small settlements near ar Salt Lake Major Egan knew virtually every foot of at the route between Salt Lake and California having driven stock and escorted many a wagon traIn out ot of this city He laid out Egans Egan's route which was chosen by the firm of Russell Majors and Waddell when it organized the pony express I With Bolivar Roberts another famous Ia- Ia westerner who was stationed in Nevada Ne Major Egan was a key manof man miln milnor I or of the western division or of the pony Officially he was state superintendent dent but actually he was executive and rider Major Egan made the first ride from Rush valley alley into Salt Lake with the mail from the west and in dOing so proved his belief belie that the boys under him were ilS as capable o of fast riding rid ing as an any despite the mountain territory terri tern tory they covered The major scoffed at beliefs s bettel betten bet bet- ten tel time would be made on the eastern division o of these beliefs both riders of the thc Salt Rush Lake valley section were held here in anticipation an an- anticipation the eastern mail would ar ar- rIve nyc first So Major Egan went to Rush valley villey to meet the first man mafi manfrom from Sacramento When a tired horse pounded into Rush valle valley the major was read ready with a fresh animal A moment only I Howard Egan was Jo Jost t in the exchange ot of the mb chila to the majors major's saddle and he was away Chroniclers of oC the ride sa say weather conditi conditions ns were ol of the tle worst A high north wind was whipping sleet through a coal black night But that made no dIfference to Major Egan It was so dark he was unable to see th road but he placed full trust trustin in his mount and his knowledge knowledg of the route As long as he could hear his horses horse's hoofs pounding on the road he knew all was well vell and went ahead at top speed stopping only to change mounts at the various stations some 20 miles apart All was well until he reached a creek near Salt Lake There was a bridge He heard ra a hoof strike a wooden plank then rider and horse plunged into the water Right here the first bad accident or of the pony express ex- ex press was almost reC recorded The major was wet to his knees but the horse ploughed through scrambled up the bank and went on with the loss of hardly a second The ride that stormy April night was believed to be the fastest ever made from Rush valley to Salt Lake |