Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Central Overland California and Pike's Peak Express Company was the parent company of the Pony Express.
It was formed by William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell, as a freighting company supplying goods to the western United States. The company was chartered by the Kansas legislature in February, 1860.
It absorbed the stage lines running from Missouri to Denver and to Salt Lake City. Through its president, William H. Russell, it launched the famous Pony Express.
In May, 1860, it succeeded to the George Chorpenning contract for mail service from Utah to California. Maintenance of frequent stage service and heavy losses from the Pony Express brought embarrassment to the C. O. C. & P. P. Express.
When the Pony Express became obsolete upon completion of the Transcontinental Telegraph, the business ran out of cash. Employees dubbed it "Clean Out of Cash and Poor Pay". On March 21, 1862, Ben Holladay purchased the holdings at public sale for $100,000.
Its facilities in the West Bottoms of Kansas City, Missouri were used to outfit travelers on the Santa Fe Trail and Oregon Trail following the Kansas River. After the company went out of business its facilities became the Kansas City Stockyards.
