Sidney Probst was the driver from 1876 to 1878, and his many experiences of those early days are interesting and instructive, telling of the life of the vanguard of civilization. Probst died a few years ago in Colorado. This route did not compare in peril with that to the north on the Black Hills' route, for that line ran through hostile Indian country, and the stages were lined with steel foi the protection of the passengers. Major North, with his Pawnee scouts, and the Crows, with an hereditary enmity for the Sioux, were valuable assets to the while in subduing the Indian troubles north of the North I Made river.

Rivalry Between Towns

Kearney's ambition to compete with Sidney and Cheyenne for the Black Hills' business resulted in the establishment of a road, stage line and pony express through the sand hills north into Dakota. This line crossed the Niobrara river at the Newman ranch near the mouth of Antelope creek. It was a longer and

Overland Mail on the "Old Trails" Route por San Francisco

more dangerous line. Charles Fordyce, one of the pony express riders, was killed by Indians a little north of that station.

In 1877, a white man who had been selling or trying to sell trees in the Hills drove into the Newman station. It was snowing and the Newman outfit tried to persuade him to stay until the storm was over but he pressed on. Later appeared an advertisement asking

Pony Express and Overland Mail Of Fort Kearney