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Stagecoach - Part Two

Stagelines, Stagecoaches and Stage Robberies of the Old West

by R. Michael Wilson

The Stage Line, Team and the Railroads

The Team

Teams were made up of two, four or six animals – horses or mules. The hostlers and drivers knew their animals and often had a relationship with a team that lasted many years. They harnessed the animals to get the most efficient, humane, and safest use. They knew their horses well and kept efficient teams intact whenever possible.

The animals on the left of a team, furthest from the driver, were called the “NEAR” horses and those on the right, nearest the driver, were called the “OFF” horses. The front two animals in a team were the LEADERS, who were the smallest, smartest, and most alert of the animals, while the rear animals in a team were the WHEELERS and were the largest and strongest to give stability nearest the coach. If the team had six horses the middle two were called SWINGERS, and these were generally mid-sized horses so they were easily controlled by the other two pairs as they did their work leading or stabilizing.

What is a Stage Line?

A STAGE LINE refers to a line of “stages” of 12- 15 miles comprising a route. A stage line operated stagecoaches as public conveyances carrying passengers, express, the U. S. mails, and private shipments. A stage line, excepting in the earliest days of a “boom town,” could not survive on passenger service alone. The express contract made a stage line successful, and the mail contract made it profitable. Private freight shipments were usually too irregular to do more than add a little extra profit on occasion. Stage lines operated on a REGULAR schedule, so when the schedule changed newspapers gave advance notice. Stage lines operated on an ESTABLISHED route which they did not vary without advance notice. Stage lines were established between towns or between a town and a railroad depot or a port.

Railroads

When the railroads began crossing into the west it was thought that this would spell the end of stagecoaches. In fact, more stage lines were established because of the railroads. The railroads made it possible to build towns all along a rail line, and made it possible to develop new areas some distance from the railroads, and stagecoaches were needed between the rail towns and depots and those towns established a distance away. However, while there was a growth in stagecoach operations, the distances they traveled became shorter and in some cases there were no “stages” at all, as the coach went from its point of origination to its destination with a change of horses. What finally spelled the end of stagecoaches was the automobile, and by 1910 businessmen were establishing automobile stage lines.

Click Here to Listen

Big Blend Radio Interview

R. Michael Wilson
discusses
Stagecoach
History!

R. Michael Wilson - Robert Michael Wilson, a retired law enforcement officer, has turned his expertise to examining stories and incidences that occurred during the "old west" time period. He has a penchant for the truth, making sure that what he writes is factual--at the same time, he has the knack of bringing the old west characters to life. Author of numerous western history non-fiction books, he has written numerous articles for various publications, and appeared on the History Channel's production 'Massacres' as an old west consultant.

Stagecoach Series
Stagecoaches Part 1
Stagecoaches Part 2
Stagecoaches Part 3
Stagecoaches Part 4
Stagecoaches Part 5
Stagecoaches Part 6

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Eat & Drink in Yuma, AZ

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