160 years ago today - Oct 19, 1856

U.S. postmaster general James Campbell awards a Utah mail contract to Hiram Kimball, representing Brigham Young's newly formed BYX Company, for $23,000. The company name had been reduced to initials to conceal Young's involvement. Kimball and Young does not learn of their good fortune for some time because of a delay in the mail. This delay postpones the first BYX mail departure from the valley until 8 February 1857. Young chose Bill Hickman and O. Porter Rockwell to be his main mailmen ("pony express" riders). Hickman did not want to go but Young told him it was his duty. When Hickman returned to the Valley 4 months later he lamented that he was $1000 poorer than when he started. Brigham Young did not pay him for his part in the project.