1) Wells, Fargo & Company and Pony Express

Wells Fargo & Company is nowadays a bank holding company. However, when the company was founded in 1852, it was especially associated with stagecoaches.

Your objectives:

1) Learn new words from the table below:

English	Czech	English	Czech
overland	po zemi, po souši	remote	odlehlý, zapadlý, vzdálený
vital	životně důležitý, podstatný	strewn (strew, strewed, strewn)	roztroušený, poházený, posetý
buckthorn	řešetlák	prim	upjatý, škrobený, rezervovaný
preacher	kazatel	confine	uzavřený, uvězněný, omezený
spit	plivnout	swelter	umdlévat horkem
match for	moci se rovnat	undying	nehynoucí, nesmrtelný
gallop	jet tryskem	set up	zřídit, zbudovat
wiry	šlachovitý	obsolete	zastaralý, překonaný

2) Read the text and in the first paragraph fill in the missing articles (the, a, an, or no article) and in the last paragraph choose the best words from the brackets.

For more than half 1)…….. century 2)……… coach was 3)……… chief form of overland transport in 4)…….. American West. Even after 5)……. railroad linked 6)………. east and west coasts, coaches still served 7)…….. vital function in 8)………. remote frontier areas. 9)………. firm was founded to provide banking and mail services for 10)………. men in 11)………. Californian gold camps, and over 12)………. coming years 13)……… stage routes followed 14)……… paths of 15)………. miners wherever they settled: over plains, mountains and deserts strewn with rocks, buckthorn and other shrubs.

By the 1870s, Wells, Fargo monopolised the express business throughout the West. The company´s classic vehicle was the flat-topped coach with an open driver´s seat at the front. As well as mail and baggage, coaches carried a mixed bunch of people. The prim schoolmarm or Bible-carrying preacher  might face being confined for many days in the company of rough prospectors, saloon fancy girls or tobacco-spitting cowhands.

The roads were bone-shakingly bad, the heat was often sweltering and at night lamps could not be used for fear of Indians, who often attacked stagecoaches crossing their territory. The Wells, Fargo story was matched for drama and excitement by that of the Pony Express, a horseback relay mail service that ran  for almost 2000 miles (it is 3200 km) between St Joseph in Missouri, and Sacramento, California. Though it operated for less than 20 months in 1860-61, it was to become an undying legend of the Old West.

Relays of up to 200 Pony Express riders galloped 1)…………… (among, between, from) relay stations which were set up some 5-20 miles (8-32 km) 2)……………… (apart, away, distant) taking just 2 minutes to change riders or horses before 3) ……………….. (setting off, calling up, setting on) again. The call went out for young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over eighteen to 4) ………….. (happen, arise, become) cross-country riders for the company. As well as being expert horsemen, the youngsters had to be prepared to risk death daily. The whole romantic enterprise was made 5)…………….. (obsolete, aged, ancient) by the coming of the coast-to-coast telegraph, which bankrupted Pony Express but made the fortunes of the rising new experts in communications.

 3) Now answer these questions:

a) When and why were the above discussed companies founded?

b) How was Ponny Express organized?

c) What qualities were required from Pony Express riders?

d) How did Wells, Fargo & Company coaches look like?

e) Who travelled by stagecoaches?

4) True or false?

a) Stagecoaches were used only before  the introduction of   railway transport.

b) Pony Express riders had to be at least eighteen years old.

c) Travelling by stagecoaches was quite comfortable.

d) Wells, Fargo & Comapny was founded to provide services for coal miners.

e) Pony Express riders had a very short time to change the horse.

5) Translate:

a) Dostavník cestoval průměrnou rychlostí 5 mil za hodinu.

b) Udělal to ze strachu, že ztratí práci.

c) Rozsáhlé pláně byly posety bloky lávy ze sousedních sopek.

d) Tato štafetová poštovní služba nefungovala ani 20 měsíců.

e) Dostavníky převážely pestrou směsici lidí.

 

 A STAGECOACH  –  DOSTAVNÍK