| Have you ever heard of William H. Russell? His | | | | riders every 75 miles - across a 2,000-mile route.Each |
| company's name was Russell, Majors, and Waddell, | | | | rider rode 75 miles at a gallop. That's a long ride, |
| and they hauled freight.Let's say you want to ship | | | | especially without power steering.Personally, I |
| some pots and pans across the country. If you | | | | assumed the Pony Express lasted a long time, but it |
| contacted Russell's firm way back in 1860, they could | | | | survived only about 19 months. That's because in |
| give you a price to put your stuff on a wagon, and | | | | 1861 telegraph lines linked the country, and made |
| take it across the country by wagon train.This trip | | | | communications almost instantaneous.What does this |
| could take weeks, and that's if there were no | | | | story teach? When it comes to communications, |
| breakdowns. Maybe their slogan was something like, | | | | speed seems to win every time. The downside is |
| "Need some merchandise today? It's just eight | | | | that a hastily written message might arrive inaccurate |
| weeks away!"Obviously, the problem here is: If your | | | | or incomplete.Even in the 21st century, it's better to |
| wagon's held up, or if there's a lousy winter, there's | | | | get it right the first time than to get it wrong |
| no telling when your stuff will get delivered.That's | | | | quickly.Rix Quinn's new book "Words That Stick" |
| when Mr. Russell came up with the idea of express | | | | offers lots of writing techniques for both |
| delivery for small goods and letters by Pony Express. | | | | professionals and students. |
| The company placed horses every 15 miles --and | | | | |