LEAVENWORTH-PIKE'S PEAK EXPRESS

Station #8 was 23 miles west of Junction City on Chapman's Creek. Pipe Creek was the next stop--Station #9--and offered scant box meals and bench seats.

The next three stations were situated in three different counties: Cloud, Jewell, Smith. Station #13 was on Reisinger's Creek in Phillips County.

Two stations were situated in what is now Norton County. Station #14 in the southeast section of the county and Station #15 on Prairie Dog Creek, a tributary of the Republican River.

On occasion, travelers saw Arapahoes camped at Station #16. The stage traveled to Station #17 then continued northwesterly across the high and dry sandy plains to Benkleman, Station #18 in the Nebraska Territory.

The route continued westerly in Nebraska then dipped back into the Kansas Territory near present-day Cheyenne County. Station #19 was close to a large village of Cheyenne Indians.

From Station #20 in the southwest corner of Cheyenne County, it took another three days to cross the wide plains to Cherry Creek near Denver.

In June 1859, Denver was more or less a tent city with a population of around 300. Denver continued to grow at a rapid pace, but the gold strike didn't match the fame of the California Forty-niners.

Without steady passengers, the Leavenworth-Pike's Peak Express failed to make a profit. Russell, ever searching for a new venture, leaped into debt again and bought John Hockaday's mail delivery contract that ran from St. Joseph, Missouri to Salt Lake City.

By the end of June 1859, the Leavenworth-Pike's Peak Express ceased carrying passengers. Russell's mail contract had also slipped into financial trouble. By October of that year, he had debts totaling $525,532 and had creditors hot on his trail again.

source: Entrepreneurs of the Old West by David Dary, Kansas: Historical Tour Guide by D. Ray Wilson, The Expressmen by Time-Life Books Old West Series

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