ouri； and the Arkansas； had its headquarters at St。 Louis； whence the notable band of men engaged in that trade were reaching out to the Rockies。 The roll includes Ashley； Campbell； Sublette； Manuel Lisa； Perkins； Hempstead； William Clark； Labadie； the Chouteaus； and Menardmen of different races and colors and alike only in their energy； bravery； and initiative。 Through them the village of St。 Louis had grown to a population of four thousand in 1819； when Major Long's expedition passed up the Missouri in the first steamboat to ascend that river。 This boat； the Western Engineer； was built at Pittsburgh and was modeled cunningly for its work。 It was one of the first stern wheelers built in the West； and the saving in width meant much on streams having such narrow channels as the Missouri and the Platte； especially when barges were to be towed。 Then； too； its machinery； which was covered over or boarded up； was shrouded in mystery。 A fantastic figure representing a serpent's open mouth contained the exhaust pipe。 If the New Orleans alarmed the population of the Ohio Valley； the sensation caused among the red children of the Missouri at the sight of this gigantic snake belching fire and smoke must have thoroughly satisfied the whim of its designer。
The admission of Missouri to statehood and the independence of Mexico mark the beginning of real commercial relations between St。 Louis and Santa Fe。 In 1822 Captain William Becknell organized the first wagon train which left the Missouri （at Franklin； near Independence） for the long dangerous journey to the Arkansas and on to Santa Fe。 In the following year two expeditions set forth； carrying out cottons and other drygoods to exchange for horses； mules； furs； and silver。
Despite the handicaps of Indian opposition and Mexican tariffs； the Santa Fe trade became an important factor in the growth of St。 Louis and the Missouri River steamboat lines。 In 1825 the pathway was 〃surveyed〃 from Franklin to San Fernando； then in Mexico。 This Santa Fe trade grew from fifteen thousand pounds of freight in 1822 to nearly half a million pounds twenty years later。
By 1826 steamboat traffic up the Missouri began to assume regularity。 The navigation was dangerous and difficult because the Missouri never kept even an approximately constant head of water。 In times of drought it became very shallow； and in times of flood it tore its wayward course open in any direction it chose。 〃Of all variable things in creation；〃 wrote a Western editor； 〃the most uncertain are the action of a jury； the state of a woman's mind； and the condition of the Missouri River。〃 A further handicap； and one which was unknown on the Ohio and rare on the Mississippi； was the lack of forests to supply the necessary fuel。 The Missouri； it is true； had its cottonwoods； but in a green state they were poor fuel； and along vast stretches they were not obtainable in any quantity。
The steamboat linked St。 Louis with that vital stretch of the river lying between the mouth of the Kansas and the mouth of the Nebraska。 From this region the great Western trail ran on to California and Oregon。 In the early thirties Bonneville； Walker； Kelley； and Wyeth successively essayed this Overland Trail by way of the Platte through the South Pass of the Rockies to the Humboldt； Snake； and Columbia rivers。 From Independence on the Missouri this famous pathway led to Fort Laramie； a distance of 672 miles； another 800…mile climb brought the traveler through South Pass； and so； by way of Fort Bridger； Salt Lake； and Sutter's Fort； to San Francisco。 The route； well known by hundreds of Oregon pioneers in the early forties； became a thoroughfare in the eager days of the Forty…Niners。*
* For map see 〃The Passing of the Frontier；〃 by Emerson Hough （in 〃The Chronicles of America〃）。
The earliest overland stage line to Great Salt Lake was established by Hockaday and Liggett。 After the founding of the famous Overland Stage Company by Russell； Majors； and Waddell in 1858； stages were soon ascending the Platte from the steamboat terminals on the Missouri and making the twelve hundred miles from St。 Joseph to Salt Lake City in ten days。 Stations were established from ten to fifteen miles apart； and the line was soon extended on to Sacramento。 The nineteen hundred miles from St。 Joseph to Sacramento were made in fifteen days although the government contract with the company for handling United States mail allowed nineteen days。 A host of employees was engaged in this exciting but not very remunerative enterprisestation…agents and helpers； drivers； conductors who had charge of passengers； in addition to mail and express and road agents who acted as division superintendents。 In 1862 the Overland Route was taken over by the renowned Ben Holliday； who operated it until the railway was constructed seven years later。 Freight was hauled by the same company in wagons known as the 〃J。 Murphy wagons；〃 which
were made in St。 Louis。 These wagons went out from Leavenworth loaded with six thousand pounds of freight each。 A train usually consisted of twenty…five wagons and was known； in the vernacular of the plains； as a 〃bull…outfit〃； the drivers were 〃bull…whackers〃； and the wagon master was the 〃bull…wagon boss。〃
The old story； however； was repeated again here on the boundless plains of the West。 The Western trails streaming out from the terminus of steamboat traffic between Kansas City and Omaha had scarcely time to become well known before the railway conquerors of the Atlantic and Great Lakes regions were planning the conquest of the greater plains and the Rockies beyond。 The opening of the Chinese ports in 1844 turned men's minds as never before to the Pacific coast。 The acquisition of Oregon within a few years and of California at the close of the Mexican War opened the way for a newspaper and congressional discussion as to whether the first railway to parallel the Santa Fe or the Overland Trail should run from Memphis； St。 Louis； or Chicago。 The building of the Union Pacific from Omaha westward assured the future of that city； and it was soon joined to Chicago and the East by several lines which were building toward Clinton； Rock Island； and Burlington。
But the construction of a few main lines of railway across the continent could only partially satisfy the commercial needs of the West。 True； the overland trade was at once transferred to the railroad； but the enormous equipment of stage and express companies previously employed in westward overland trade was now devoted to joining the railway lines with the vast regions to the north and the south。 The rivers of the West could not alone take care of this commerce and for many years these great transportation companies went with their stages and their wagons into the growing Dakota and Montana trade and opened up direct lines of communication to the nearest railway。 On the south the cattle industry of Texas came northward into touch with the railways of Kansas。 Eventually lateral and trunk lines covered the West with their network of lines and thus obliterated all rivalry and competition by providing unmatched facilities for quick transportation。
In the last days previous to the opening of the first transcontinental railway line a unique method of rapid transportation for mail and light parcels was established when the famous 〃Pony Express〃 line was put into operation between St。 Joseph and San Francisco in 1860。 By relays of horsemen； who carried pouches not exceeding twenty pounds in weight； the time was cut to nine days。 The innovation was the new wonder of the world for the time being and led to an outburst on the part of the enthusiastic editor of the St。 Joseph Free Democrat that deserves reading because it breathes so fully the Western spirit of exultant conquest：
〃Take down your map and trace the footprints of our quadrupedantic animal： From St。 Joseph； on the Missouri； to San Francisco； on the Golden Horn two thousand milesmore than half the distance across our boundless continent； through Kansas； through Nebraska； by Fort Kearney； along the Platte； by Fort Laramie； past the Buttes； over the Mountains； through the narrow passes and along the steep defiles； Utah； Fort Bridger； Salt Lake City； he witches Brigham with his swift pony…ship through the valleys； along the grassy slopes； into the snow； into the sand； faster than Thor's Thialfi； away they go； rider and horsedid you see them？ They are in California； leaping over its golden sands； treading its busy streets。 The courser has unrolled to us the great American panorama； allowed us to glance at the home of one million people； and has put a girdle around the earth in forty minutes。 Verily the riding is like the riding of Jehu； the son of Nimshi for he rideth furiously。 Take out your watch。 We are eight days from New York； eighteen from London。 The race is to the swift。〃*
* Quoted in Inman's 〃The Great Salt Lake Trail；〃 p。 171。
The lifetime of many and many a man has covered a period longer than that interval of eighty…six years between 1783； when George Washington had his vision of 〃the vast inland navigation of these United States；〃 and the year 1869； when the two divisions of the Union Pacific were joined by a golden spike at Promontory Point in Utah。 In point of time； those eighty…six years are as nothing； in point of accomplishment； they stand unparalleled。 When Washington's horse splashed across the Youghiogheny in October； 1784； the boundary lines of the United States were guarded with all the jealousy and provincial selfishness of European kingdoms。 But overnight； so to sneak these limitations became no more than mere geometrical expressions。 〃Pennamite；〃 〃Erie；〃 and 〃Toledo〃 wars between the States； suggesting a world of bitterness and recrimination； are remembered today； if at all； only by the cartoonist and the playwright。 The ancient false pride in mock values； so cherished in Europe； has quite departed from the provincial areas of the United States； and Americans can fly in a day； unwittingly； through many States。 Problems that would have cost Europe blood are settled without turmoil in the solemn cloisters of that American 〃international tribunal；〃 the Supreme Court； and they appear only as items of passing interest in our ne