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William B. Waddell
William Hepburn Russel
The Origin of the Phrase "Riding Shotgun"
64
Majors was instrumental in directing the assembly of 190 relay stations over 1,966 miles from St. Joseph to Sacramento, along with 50 riders and 500 horses. They completed the task in time for the April 3, 1860, opening. The Pony Express officially opened on April 3, 1860, the first trip, westbound, was made in 9 days and 23 hours. The eastbound trip was made in 11 days and 12 hours. Every 24 hours they covered 250 miles. Dime store novels, magazines, books and movies have featured the fascinating story of the Pony Express for well over 100 years, and statues and historical markers appear in virtually every state in which it operated to this very day. Ultimately, the transcontinental telegraph lines made the Pony Express obsolete, and the partners’ freight business too, was soon severely hampered by the advancement of railroads. Majors businesses eventually failed but he led a peaceful life thereafter, becoming part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Shows and writing a book prefaced by and dedicated to Buffalo Bill Cody. In his latest years, Majors lived
at Cody’s Scouts’ Rest Ranch in North Platte, Nebraska for a time. He died in Chicago, Illinois, on January 13, 1900, aged 85. He is buried in Union Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri. The significance of “Peralto” in the inscription is not clear. However,
it is recorded that the farthest point from Independence that Major’s
initial freight route ran was to Peralto, New Mexico. This could have been one of two places, the town of Peralto
north of Albuquerque on the Rio Grande,
or Peralto Station, a civilian fort on
the Rio Grande South of
Albuquerque listed in an 1850 census. Majors also may have named his headquarters “Peralto” in Missouri. There is no actual presentation directed in the inscription, indicating that Majors likely purchased and identified this gun as belonging to him personally upon purchase. Perhaps time or future research will clarify its story. During this period
and into the early 20th century, it became common for a guard to ride in front next to the driver of a stagecoach or lead wagon and being
armed with a double barreled shotgun.