There is an ad shown above that states "orphans preferred". That ad must be a reprint, as no ad stating that has ever turned up, newspapers of the day do not have that in the ads for Pony Express riders, and no testimony of anyone who ever saw such an ad has ever been recorded. It is probably not far from the truth, however. Here is an excerpt from "Pony Express Myths and Legends":
Quote:
Returning to the mysteries surrounding "The Pony," there are many reports that the company posted ads for riders that read, "Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. Wages $25 a week." Historians suspect that these accounts are apocryphal, as searches for these ads in newspapers from the era turn up not a one.
Posted 12/19/2013 5:28 pm
