0
Iborton'e History of IRebraefca
Hutfoentte 1400 to ioog Complete
(Copyrighted 100C. All Hunts reserved.) By courtesy of Editors and Publishers of Morton's llibioiy, the Publishers Newspaper Union of Lincoln, Nebraska. Is permitted Its reproduction In papers of their Issu
CHAPTER III CONTINUED (8)
The originators of this great enter
prise evidently know that its regular
revonuo would amount to but a Btnau
part of tho eperating oxponBos, and
couutod on receiving a suhBidy from
tho federal government. But tho sub
ldy of a million dollars was reserved
Tor tho slower daily mall which super
seded tho pony oxpreas. This bril
liant nionoor object lesson in fast
transcontinental service coBt the dem
onstrators some two hundred thou
sand dollars in loss. Dy tho act of
CongreBB of March 2, 1801, tho con
tract of the postofflce department with
tho Ovorland company of tho old
southern routo for a daily mail ovor
the central routo included a soml
weokly pony oxprean. Tho original
company continued to oporato tho
Pony Express under this contract by
arrangement with tho Overland com
pany until it failed In August, 1861.
The ExprosB was continued by other
parties until October 24 of that year
when tho through telegraph lino had
koen completed.
In 1860, according to tho report or
tho postmaster general, thoro was a
tri-monthly mail by tho ocean to Cal
ifornia, and a semi-monthly mail from
St. Joseph to Placorvlllo, but during
the year this was incrcasod to a
weekly botween St. Josoph and Ft.
Kearney, "for tho purpose of supply
ing the largo and increasing popula
tions in tho regions of tho Plko's
Peak and Washoe mines." Thero
wore two other mail routes to San
Francisco a weekly from Now Or
leans, via San Antonio and El Paso,
and a semi-weekly from St. LouIb and
Memphis.
"By tho 0th section of an act of
Congress approved March 2, 1861, au
thority 1b given to tho postmaster gen
oral to discontinue tho mail Borvice
n tho southern overland routo
(known as the 'Dutterfleld' route) be
tween St. Louts and Memphis and San
Francisco, and to provide for tho con
veyance, by the same parties, of a
lx-tlmes-a-week mail by the 'central
route,' that Is, from somo point on the
Missouri river, connecting with tho
east, to Placorvllle, Cal. In pursuance
of this act, and the acceptance of its
terms by tho mail company, an order
was made on the 12th of March, 1861,
to modify the present contract so as
to discontinue the service on the
outkern route, and to provide for the
transportation of tho entire letter
mall, elx times a week on the central
route, to be carried through in twenty
days eight monthB in the year,1 and
in twenty-three days four months in
the year, from St. Josoph; Mo. (or
Atchison, Kan.), to Placorvlllo, and
also to convey tho entire mail three
times a week to Denver City and Salt
Lake, ... a pony express to be
run twice a week until the completion
of the overland telegraph, through in
ten days, eight months, and twelve
days, four months in the year, con
veying for the government free of
charge five pounds of mall matter.
. . . The transfer of stock from the
southern to the central route waB
commenced about the 1st of April,
and waa completed so that tho first
mail was started from St. Joseph on
the day prescribed by the order, July
1, 1861. . . The overland telegraph
having been completed, the running
of the pony express was discontinued
October 26, 1861. . . At the com
mencement of threatening disturb
ances in Missouri, in order to secure
this great' daily route from interrup
tion, I ordered the increase of tho
weekly and trl-weekly service, then
existing between Omaha and Ft. Kear
ney, to dally. . . By that means
an alternative and certain daily route
between, the east and California was
obtained through Iowa, by which tho
overland mails hare been transported
when they became unsafo on tho rail
road routo in Missouri. In sending
them from Davenport, through the
tate of Iowa, joining the main routo
at Ft. Koarney, in Kansas (Nobraska)
the only inconvenience experienced
was a slight delay, no malls boing
loat so far as known."
In the spring of 1CG0 an advertise
ment containing tho Echedulo of the
ew enterprise was published in New
York and .St. Louis newspapers. It
announced that the Pony Express
Would run regularly each week from
April 8, 18o0, that it would carry lot
ter mall only, that it would pass
through Fts. Kearney, Laramie, and
Bridger, Great Salt Lake City, Camp
Floyd, Carson City, tho WaBhoe silver
mines, Placorvllle, and Sacramento,
and that the letter mail would bo de
livered in San Francisco within ten
days of tho departure of tho express.
Telegraph dispatches were dolivorod
n San Francisco in eight days after
leaving St. Joseph. W. H. Russell,
president . of tho Central Overland
California and Pike's Peak Express
Company, was tho mainspring of this
teraarkable enterprise, About five
lundreo" of the hardiest and fleetest
fc'orses were UBed; there were a hun
dred and ninety stations distributed
aloag the route from nine miles to
Stoen miles apart, and each of tho
ghty riders covered three stations,
or an aggregate of about thirty-three
Bailee, using a fresh horso for each
tago. In the spring of 1861 tho. ex-
jpress left St, Josoph twice a week
a Wednesdays and Saturdays'. The
'- .maximum weight of the letters car
,, wae twenty pounds. Tho sched
at Orst was ten days, but it was
afterward annliraAri in nlfrht riova
fee time occupied In making tho first
rl2Mn htlvun Qt Tnmnli nn A o
mento was nlno days and twonty-
threo hours, not much more than half
tho time of tho fastest overland coach
trip between St. Louis and San Fran
cisco by tho southern route. At Sac
ramento tho mall was taken aboard
steamors, which mado as fast time
as posslblo down tho Sacramento rlvor
for tho remaining ono hundred twenty
llvo mlleo to San Francisco. Sure
footed and tough Mexican horses were
commonly used on tho rough, moun
tainous Btagcs. Heat and alkali dust
in summer, snow and torrential
streams in winter, and hostilo Indians
tho yoar round, made theso trips ex
ceedingly difficult and hazardous.
Armed men mounted on bronchos
woro stationed at regular intervals
along a large part of the trail to pro
tect the ridorB from tho Indians.
Thoso riders of necessity worof distin
guished for remarkablo enduranco and
courage, and many of thorn afterwnrd
becamo famous as hunters and Indian
fighters on tho"" great plains. Tho
routo of William F. Cody, who after-
ard becamo a permanent citizen of
Nebraska, lay between Red Buttcs,
Wyo., and Threo Crossings on tho
Swoetwater, a distance of about sev
enty-six miles, and ono of tho most
difficult and dangerous stages of tho
whole lino. Cody himself relates that
in an emergency he continued his trip
on from Threo Crossings to Rocky
Ridge eighty-five miles and then
back to his starting point, Red Buttes,
covering tho total distance of three
hundred and twenty-two miles without
rest, making not less than fifteon
miles an hour. Tho Pony Express
was oporatod for eighteen months, or
until it was superseded by the tele
graph, which was completed in 1861.
Considering its vicissitudes and haz
ards and its remarkable speed, so
nearly approximating that of tho
steam railway train, tho Pony Express
was the most interesting and plctur
esnuo transportation enterprise of
which wo havo any record. The Ex
press followed the lino of tho old Ore
gon trail in Nebraska, passing trhough
Big Sandy and Thirty-two Mile creek
stations south of the Platte, and from
Ft. Kearney westward by way of
Plum creek, Cottonwood Springs, and
O'Fallons Bluff to the lower Califor
nia crossing then opposite the present
Big Spring. It then followed the
Julesburg route, reaching the North
fork hear Court House rock, via
Lodge Pole creek and Thirty-mile
ridge. On occasion remarkably quick
time was mado by the Express. For
example, a copy of President Lincoln's
first Inaugural address went from St.
Joseph to Sacramento, approximately
two thousand miles, in seven days and
seventeen hours, and the distance be
tween St. Joseph and Denver, six hun
dred and sixty-five miles, was covered
on this trip in sixty-nine hours.
The Missouri and Western Tele
graph Company completed the first
telegraph lino from Brownvllle by way
of Omaha to Ft. Kearney in Novem
ber, 1860, and the storeroom of Mr.
Mobos H. Sydenham, who still sur
vives, a resident of Kearney, was used
for tho first office. This line was con
tinued on to Julesburg by tho same
company, while Mr. Edward Crelghton
built the lino west from that point to
Salt Lake City, where It met the one
coming east from San Francisco.
The first mall from the east to the
Pike's Peak gold mines waB estab
lished between Ft. Koarney and Den
ver in AugUBt, 1860. Ft Kearney was
a very Important point on the great
Overland route, since thero was tho
junction of travel from Kansas City,
Atchison, and St. Joseph on the south
east, and from Omaha, Council Bluffs
and Nebraska Cltv on the east
"Ft. Koarney, in 1863 ,was a rather
lonesome but a prominent point. It
was a place of a dozen or more build
ings including the barracks, and was
established by he government in 1849.
Here it was that the stages, ox and
mule trains west from Atchison, Om
aha and Nebraska City came to tho
first telegraph station on tho groat
military highway. It was a grand
sight after traveling one hundred and
fifty milos without seeing a settle
ment of more than two or throe houses
to gazo upon tho old post, uninviting
as it was, and see tho few scattering
buildings, a nice growth of shade trees,
the cavalry men mounted upon their
steeds, tho cannon planted in tho hol
low square, and tho glorious stars and
stripes proudly waving In the breozo
above the garrison. Tho stage sta
tion .just west of the military post
was a long, one-story log building and
It was an Important ono; for hero tho
western stago routes from Omaha and
Nebraska City terminated, and Its
passengors from thonco westward had
to bo transferred to Bon Holladay's
old rellablo Ovorland lino."
Though thero was some steamboat
traffic on tho lower Missouri rlyer be
foro 1830, theAmorlcan Fui Company,
under tho control of John Jacob Astor
and his son, William B. Astor, with
headquarters at New York and a
branch house at St. Loula, prepared
for tho first rogular navigation, ex
tending to the uppor river, In that
year. The company built tho steamer
Yollowstono, so named, doubtless, bo
cauBo its farthest objective point was
to bo tho mouth of the Yollowstono
rlvor. But on the first trip, In tho
spring of 1831, it was impracticable
to go farther than Ft. Tecumsoh, op
posite tho prosont city of Plorro. Tho
following spring the Yollowstono
reached Ft. Union, and this first trip
established the practicability of upper
river steamboat navigation. Ft. Ben
ton soon camo to bo regarded as the
head of navigation and retained that
advantageous distinction as long an
river navigation lasted. Missouri
river steamboat traffic was largely cut
off when the Northern Pacific railway
rriarhfwl THnmnvnlr In 1R73 nnrl It wnq
virtually abandoned when other rail-
roaus reacned the river at I'lrro in
1880 and at Chamberlain in 1881. It
In nrohaliln thnr thn inat rhrnnph mm.
merclal trip was mudo In 1878, and
tnat tno Missouri mado tho last trip
for any nurnosn tmm St. LoiiIh to Ft.
Ronton In IfiRK rriinnirh rnrrlnrl nn
for forty years with great dlfilculty,
owing to tne notoriously shirty una
snaggy character of tho stream, this
navigation wns t.hn nhlnf mficllnm of
freight and passenger traffic between
mo wast .ana tne western plains, and
was tho right arm of the forces which
boiran the structure of civilized Hnnlotv
in Nebraska and of tho flrpt transcon
tinental railway whose beginning was
also in Nebraska. 'Whether this great
est but uellest in tnmnar an waIK as
appearance of all our great rivers
will ever again be utilized for naviga
tion depends upon tho unsettled eco
nomic OUCBtion whnthftr fntiirn ma.
chanical inventions and improvements
snail constitute or reestablish it as a
practicable rival or coadjutor of the
railway. At th nrenent. rim thn
chances do not encourage expensive
experiment upon tho river to fit it
for navigation, and in 1902 f!onTinn
abolished the useless and sinecure
Missouri river commission. But it Is
not Improbable that this vast body of
water will eventually be used for the
irritation of enormoiiR arpan of arid
and scmiarld but otherwise exceed
ingly rich agricultural lands. Engi
neering authority in support of this
View is not wantiner. Until Mia Intro
duction of steamboats the river traffic
of the fur companies was carried on
by keel boats. They were usualljrfrom
sixty to seventy feet in length, and,
with the exception -of about twelve
reet at either end, were occupied by
an enclosed apartment in the shape
of a long box in which the cargo was
placed. The boats were ordinarily
propelled by a cordelle, a rope about
threo hundred yards long, one end be
ing attached to a tall mast, while the
other was in the hands of from one
to two, score men who traveled along
tho shore of the river and hauled the
boat after them. When the wind waa
at all favorable a large sail was also
used, and frequently the boat would
maKe gooa progress against the cur
rent by the force of the wind alone.
Poles and oars were used also as
emergency required. It is not remark
able that by this clumsy and fearfully
laborious method the ordinary voyage
or tne Keel hoat from St. Louis to the
upper river was not accomplished in
less than four or five months. The
mackinaw was somewhat smaller than
the keel boat and of cbmparatlvely
temporary construction. It was pro
pelled by four oarsmen, but was nnnrl
only in down-stream trips. Tho frame
or tne nun ooat, which was used on
the shallow tributaries of the Mis
souri, was built of willow Rnnllnern
lashed together with rawhide and cov
ered witn hides of bull buffaloes, which
gave it its name. This craft was
buoyant and flexible and well adantari
for the sandy shallows of the Platto
ana otners or the smaller rivers.
Bellevue was an Important point In
tho later fur tradlnir dava. hnnaiiflA
being the site of an Indian agency,
Doats passing up the river were sub
jected to a rigid inspection to see that
they had on board no intoxicating liq
uors which it was unlawful to carry
Into the "Indian country."
The cargoes of the boats in the ear
lier river navigation consisted of mer
chandise for Indian trading, outfits
for trappers and. hunters, and stores
for the military posts; and in addition
passengers of all sorts and conditions.
Capt. Josoph La Bargo was tho prin
cipal figure among tho Missouri steam
boat captains and pilots, and ho char
acterized and distinguished his class
just as Kit Carson and our own "Buf
falo BUI" and others illustrated tho
great qualities and achievements of
the scouts of tho plains. Ho was born
In 1815 of a French Canadian father
and a Spanish-French mother. At tho
ago of seventeen he entered tho serv
ice of the American Fur Company at
Cabanne's post. In tho spring of 1833
ho conducted a fleet of Mackinaw
boats from that post to St. Louis.
Ho was also employed by Major Pll
cher, Cabanno's successor, and in 1834
by Peter A. Sarpy. Soon after this
ho bogan his career as pilot and cap
tain of various steamboats on tho Mis
souri mainly on tho uppor rlvor
which lasted till 1879. Ho died at St.
Louis in 1899. La Bargo named a
steamboat built In 1851 and used on
tho Missouri river for tho American
Fur Company's trade, St. Mary, after
Peter A. 'Sarpy's post situated just
below Bollovuo on tho Iowa sldo of
tho rlvor.
On the of Juno, 1851, Father
De Smet, accompanied by Father
Christian Hoecken, took passago on
the steamor St. Ango from St. Louis
to Ft. Union, which was about threo
miles abovo tho mouth of tho Yellow
stone, on tho northern sldo. Several
members of the Amorlcan Fur Com
pany with about eighty mon wero on
tho boat. "They," said tho mission
ary, "went In quest of earthly wealth;
Father Hoeclcon and I In search of
heavenly treasures to tho conquest of
souls." It had boon a season of mighty
flOOdS. and tho vallOVS Of tho Minnie.
slppl and Missouri wero covored with
water. Tno travoiers woro afflicted
with malarial diseases In various
forms, and abeut fivo hundred miles
above St. Louis they wero attacked
by cholera, from which Father Hoock
on died, after heroically ministering
to the needs of his stricken fellow-
passengers. "A decent coffin, very
thick, and tarred within, was prepared
to receive his mortal remains; a tem
porary grave was dug in a beautiful
forest, in the vicinity of the mouth
of tho Little Sioux, and tho funeral
was performed with all the ceromonlos
of the church, in the evening of tho
19th of June, all on board assisting."
On tho return of the boat in about
a month the coffin was exhumed and
carried back to Florissant for, burial.
Tho annals of the times credit these
noblo priests with characteristic in
cessant devotion to their suffering fel
low-passengers.
"In tho yoar 1858 there were 59
steamboats on the lower river and
306 steamboat arrivals at the port of
Leavenworth, Kan. The freight
cnarges paid at that point during the
season amounted to $166,941.35. In
1859 the steamboat advertisements in
tho St Louis papers showed that more
vessels loft that port for the Missouri
river than for both tho upper and
lower Mississippi. In 1857 there wero
28 steamboat arrivals at the new vil
lage of Sioux City before July 1.
There were 23 regular boats on that
part of the river, and their freight
tonnage for the season was valued at
$1,250,000. The period from 1855 to
1860 was the golden era of steamboat-
Ing on the Missouri river. It was the
period JuBt before the advent of the
railroads. No other period before or
after approached it In tho splendor
or the boats. All the boats were side-
wheelers, had full-length cabins, and
were fitted up more for passengers
man ror rreignt. it was an era of
fast boats and of racing."
The provisions for the establishment
of public roads are recited In the ac
count of the proceedings of the sev
eral 'territorial legislatures; and ac
count Is also given of the building of
territorial roads by appropriations of
the federal Congress. The means of
transportation and the amount and
condition of travel In the territorial
years before "the completion of the
Union Pacific railway are Indicated in
an interesting manner in the contem
porary newspapers. In a report of a
committee of the first council of the
territorial legislature, on a bill char
tering the Platte Valley & Pacific rail
road company, it is stated that nine
tenths of tho travel to the Pacific
Coast passes along the Platte valley
from St. Louis by water to Independ
ence, Weston, St. Joe, Council Bluffs,
and occasionally Sergeant's Bluff,
"and uniting at these points with
those who come by land from the
Platte valley at various points within
two hundred miles, a little north of a
due west line from Omaha, Bellevlew,
and Florence." This report recites,
also, that "thirty years ago Colonel
Leavenworth, who then commanded
the post in sight of this locality (Ft.
Atkinson), called tho attention of our
government to the Importance, prac
ticability, and expediency of construct
ing a railroad by way of the Platte
valley to the Pacific."
Acting Governor Cuming In his mes
sage to the legislature, December 9,
1857, states that, "The United States
wagon road from the Platte river via
the Omaha reserve to the Running
Water, under the direction of Col.
George Sites, has been constructed for
a distance of one hundred and threo
miles, Including thirty-nine bridges;"
and he gives the names of the streams
crossed by these bridges and the
length of each bridge. Mr. J. M.
Woolworth, in his little book, "Ne
braska in 1857," notes that, "A year
ago Congress established a military
road from this place to New Ft. Kear
ney and appropriated $50,000 for Its
construction. That work Is nearly
complete, and runs up the valley of
tho Platte through all tho principal
settlements west of this." Tho terri
torial legislature memorialized Con
gross to grant to John A. Latta, of
Plattsmouth," 20,000 acres of land in
the valley of' tho Platto river, on con
dition that before October 1, 1861, he
"shall place on said river a good and
substantial steamboat and run tho
same betwoen tho mouth of said Platte
river" and Ft. Kearney, and do all
necessary dredging, "knowing that
that thero is a sufficient volume of
water in said river which Is a thousand
mllos In length." This visionary me
morial sets out that tho proposed
method of navigation would be advan
tageous for government transportation
among other things. In a joint reso
lution and memorial to Congress, the
5th legislature, in urging tho bridging
of the Platto river, states that "a mili
tary or a public road beginning at
Lfeau-qul-court and extending south
ward across tho territory, has been
located and opened under tho direc
tion of tho national government, and
has become a great thoroughfare,
whereon military supplies may bo ex
peditiously transported northward. It
also affords an avenue of trade of
groat advantage and Is now ono of
tho prominent mall routes to tho In
habitants of this territory and others,
In said territory." Tho governor's
message to tho 7th legislature urges
that "without a bridgo ovor tho Loup
Fork tho government road up the
Platte valloy Is but a work half done."
Tho governor's message to the 12th
and last territorial legislature again
urges tho building of a bridge across
tho Platto rlvor; and tho same docu
ment Informs us that "now four reg
ular trains run daily botween Omaha
and North Platte, 293 miles, and
that the traok is complete for 305
milcB, 240 miles of roadbed having
been constructed and 262 milea of
track laid during the past season; also
that there is a Howe truss bridge,
1,505 feet, across the Loup Fork and
a pile bridge, 2,640 feet, across the
North Fork."
The Herald of July 13, 1866, gives
an account of tho excursion of the
members of thu legislature to the end
of the Union Pacific road beyond Co
lumbus. The excursionists took din
ner at that place, and at the after-
(iinner ceremonies Andrew J. Popple
ton presided and Dr. Thomas C. Du
rant, General Hazen, George Francis
Train, Gov. David Butler, Thomas W.
Tipton, John M. Thayer, and the ubi
quitous Colonel Presson, thm chap
lain of the territorial house of repre
sentatives, made speeches. It Is sug
gestive of the relations of the Union
Pacific corporation to politics for
many years afterwards that the speak-.
lng list at this banquet comprised
most of the well-known republican.
and some of the democratic politicians
of the territory. The Herald of June
22, 1866, notes that Goorge Francis
Train had just made the quickest trip
on record from Omaha to New York,
via St'. Joe, In elghty-nino hours. The
same trip is now made In forty-two
hours. Tho Nebraskan of today, how
ever, is not proportionately faster than
his pioneer predecessor in other
phases of his daily life. In May, 1867,
passengers went from Chicago to Den
ver In five days by rail over the Chi
cago and Northwestern and the Union
Pacific roads to North Platte and
thence by Wells, Fargo & Co.'s mall
and express line. '
A striking illustration of economic
conditions on our western frontier la
afforded by a statement in the Ne
braska City News that at Ft. Kearney
tho price of corn is $3.50 and $4 a
bushel, and from $3 to $4 a bushel a
hundred miles west of Nebraska City.
Illustration of the feeling of desert-like
isolation in the territory as late as
1859 is found In Omaha correspond
ence of the Advertiser which notices
the arrival of the Florida, the first
steamer of the season, "amid the
shouts and cheers of the multitude,
and the booming of cannon under the
charge of Captain Ladd's artillery
squaa. it is tne earnest lanaing muue
In this vicinity for many years." The f
Advertiser of March 3. 1859, says that
the completion of tne Hanmnai & at.
Joseph railroad was celebrated at the
place last named on the ZBd inst. on a
grand scale. "The completion of this
road will take a surprising amount of ' k
emigration off the river which will be
poured out opposite southern Nebras
ka and northern Kansas and speedily
work Its way Into these portions ot
the two territories." The Nebraska
City News rejoices that a depot or
federal military supplies has been es
tablished at that place; and May 29,
following, the News wagers that three
times more freight and passengers
have been landed at the Nebraska
City wharf this season than at any
other town. The News of May 21,
1859, says Alexander Majors estimates
that from four hundred to six hunr
dred wagons would be sent out from
Nebraska City that season, and about
as many from Leavenworth.
The Advertiser says tnat "Tne niue
boat built for the purpose of navigat
ing the Platte river naBsed here going
up on Sunday morning. It was a little
one-horse affair, and will not, in our
opinion, amount to much. If the
Platte river is to De renaerea nv
ieahle. and we believe It can, it re
quires a boat sufficiently large to slash ,
around and stir up tne sana, mai
ohannol mav bo formed by washing."
The Omaha Nebrasklan notes that
forty boats will navigate the Missouri
river the coming season two will run
daily between Liberty and St. Joseph,
and threo dally between St. Joseph
and Omaha, all In conjunction with
tho Hannibal and St. Joe railroad. On
tho 11th of August following the same
paper notes that the Kearney stage
made a quick trip to Omaha in thirty
three hours, carrying six passengers.
On the 25th of the same month the
Nebrasklan announces that Colonel
Miles had chosen Omaha City as the
place of debarkation and reshipplng
his supplies to Ft. Kearney.
At tho height of travel to the newly
discovered gold mines In tho vicinity
of Denver there was sharp rivalry be-
tweon Nebraska City and Omaha and
other minor starting places, such as
Brownvllle and Plattsmouth. As early
as 1854 tho Omaha Arrow, with a wish
no doubt aiding the thought, insists
that Omaha has "tho great advantage
of being on a shorter line by many
miles than any othor crossing below
this from Chicago to tho north bend
of the Platte, and tho Bouth, or Brid
gets Pass, and the crossing of the
Missouri river is as good, to say the
least of it, at this point as at any
other in a hundred miles abovo the
mouth of the Platte." Tho Nebraska
City News takes a traveler's guide to
task for stating that tho routo from
Plattsmouth Is direct, when It. Kear
ney is in fact forty mllos south of a
line west from that starting point and
half a mllo south of Nebraska City.
It is observed in tho item that no gov
ernment train had ovor gono out from
Plattsmouth, all traffic of this kind
starting from Nobraska City because
I i. 1L MM .1 1.
it wus me muuary uepoi. , ,
TO BE CONTINUES)
