(1860–61) U.S. system of mail delivery by horse and rider relays.
The 1,800-mi (2,900-km) route between St. Joseph, Mo., and Sacramento, Calif., included 157 stations. Riders changed horses every 10 to 15 miles, and it took about 10 days to complete the route. The sponsoring company of Russell, Majors, Wadell employed riders such as William F. Cody and Pony Bob Haslam. The system provided an important mail link with the West, but it was a financial failure and became obsolete after 18 months with the completion of the transcontinental telegraph system.