{"product_id":"2940013850729","title":"The Story of the Pony Express","description":"Contents\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    I--At A Nation's Crisis\u003cbr\u003e   II--Inception and Organization of the Pony Express\u003cbr\u003e  III--The First Trip and Triumph\u003cbr\u003e   IV--Operation, Equipment, and Business\u003cbr\u003e    V--California and the Secession Menace\u003cbr\u003e   VI--Riders and Famous Rides\u003cbr\u003e  VII--Anecdotes of the Trail and Honor Roll\u003cbr\u003e VIII--Early Overland Mail Routes\u003cbr\u003e   IX--Passing of the Pony Express\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIllustrations\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTransportation and communication across the plains\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A whiz and a hail, and the swift phantom of the desert was gone.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Story of the Pony Express\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt A Nation's Crisis\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Pony Express was the first rapid transit and the first fast mail\u003cbr\u003eline across the continent from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast.\u003cbr\u003eIt was a system by means of which messages were carried swiftly on\u003cbr\u003ehorseback across the plains and deserts, and over the mountains of the\u003cbr\u003efar West. It brought the Atlantic coast and the Pacific slope ten days\u003cbr\u003enearer to each other.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt had a brief existence of only sixteen months and was supplanted by\u003cbr\u003ethe transcontinental telegraph. Yet it was of the greatest importance in\u003cbr\u003ebinding the East and West together at a time when overland travel was\u003cbr\u003eslow and cumbersome, and when a great national crisis made the rapid\u003cbr\u003ecommunication of news between these sections an imperative necessity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Pony Express marked the highest development in overland travel prior\u003cbr\u003eto the coming of the Pacific railroad, which it preceded nine years. It,\u003cbr\u003ein fact, proved the feasibility of a transcontinental road and\u003cbr\u003edemonstrated that such a line could be built and operated continuously\u003cbr\u003ethe year around--a feat that had always been regarded as impossible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe operation of the Pony Express was a supreme achievement of physical\u003cbr\u003eendurance on the part of man and his ever faithful companion, the horse.\u003cbr\u003eThe history of this organization should be a lasting monument to the\u003cbr\u003ephysical sacrifice of man and beast in an effort to accomplish something\u003cbr\u003eworth while. Its history should be an enduring tribute to American\u003cbr\u003ecourage and American organizing genius.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47147655463152,"sku":"2940013850729","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013850729_p0.jpg?v=1763595533","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013850729","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}