The View From The Ditch Bank

THINGS HAVEN'T REALLY CHANGED ALL THAT MUCH: This past June there was the start of a 150th anniversary of the Pony Express. The first celebration I am aware of was in June in El Dorado, Calif. and the last I am aware of was a Labor day parade in Fallon Nevada. I know there were other celebrations in Calif., Nevada, Missouri and Utah through out the summer. The one in June starts in Ca. and ends in St. Joseph Mo. a reenactment of the original ride. Some events are in conjunction with this event, others are independant of it. What? you aren't aware of the Pony Express? Or the celebration's going on this year? Well, it was a short lived operation. It began in April 1860 and ended in October of 1861. It covered a 2000 mile route from St. Joseph. Mo. and ended at Sacramento, Ca. Postage was $5.00 a half ounce ( about $75.00 in today's money ) but eventually fell to $1.00 a half ounce. The fastest time recorded to cover that 2000 miles was seven days and 17 hours to deliver President Lincoln's inaugural address to California. The completion of telegraph lines across the country spelled the demise of the Pony Express. The enterprise ended $200,000 in debt. Now, the post office, or snail mail, delivers the mail at a lesser cost, but not much faster. And they are millions of dollars in debt. And are asking for a raise in rates. Just like the telegraph lines spelled the demise of the Pony Express, will e mail, face book, twitter and whatever else is now available, not to mention ( OK I won't ) what ever else is out there or may yet come about, spell the demise of the post office? Just a bit about the Pony Express riders. Even though the picture shows a pistol, they were not issued uniforms nor weapons. They were told to outrun interlopers. Mostly they did. It was an innovative enterprise for the time. Just like all the electronic medium is today. What will be the next thing to go by the way side. Already, e mail is becoming almost extinct. And I am just learning how to use it, kinda. All in all, I think a national postal service is essential to the nation. Just how it will evolve to become financially solvent, we will see. And That Is The View From The Ditch Bank