Springville California Jackass Mail Run by christine brown

History of the Jackass Mail Run Written by Bill Rodgers in 1986

California history was shattered at 8:30 a.m., March 31, 1962, when the inaugural run of what was to become the infamous Jackass Mail moved south along the old Emigrant Trail through downtown Porterville, swung generally toward the East to pick up the 190 Trail near Worth bridge, then continued in an easterly direction toward the historic foothill town of Springville where the populace was divided as to whether a welcoming committee or a vigilante committee should be formed to greet what was billed as a Cavalcade of Stalwart Sons and Daughters of the Golden West, riding at their own risk and by their own volition to re-create the glorious days of the Old West as those days never were. Composing the aforementioned Cavalcade were assorted trail tramps, saddle bums, teamsters, dudes and dandies, mountain men and lovely ladies, along with an assortment of various and sundry characters whose actions indicated a more than casual acquaintance with certain fermented products of the farm, all of whom and which were under the protection of the Centennial Confederate Cannon Crew, Tule River Battery, led by the notorious Col. Robert Natzke (CSA ret.) who vowed that “no turn will be left unstoned” to thwart rumored plans of well-known bushwhackers, ruffians, hooligans and others to sack enroute the Jackass Mail’s official freight wagon Actually, early in 1962 there was some reason to believe that denizens of Springville and Porterville were, or were not, meeting in Porterville’s seat of culture - the Mountain Lion Saloon - to cogitate and contemplate an historic event of more than surpassing magnitude that would focus attention of at least the world on the Tule River country generally and on the Springville Rodeo specifically, an event to be patterned on Porterville’s Centennial “Stage to Springville” in 1961. From usually unreliable sources it was learned that conclaves were indeed being held, but that tempers had flared when Chet Griswold,

president of the Porterville Chamber of Commerce, and Col. Natzke had disagreed as to who would head up the contemplated event being referred to by some and others as the Jackass Mail. In fact, Col. Natzke with his southern blood running hot, reportedly threatened to resign if “them damn Yankees keep a stickin’ their nose in ma business,” but a threatened crisis was apparently averted when a barkeep at the Mountain Lion Saloon known as B.J. Ladd Prop., announced to all and sundry, “This one’s on the house.” Attempting to quell rampant rumor along the Emigrant Trail, Griswold, by public notice, summoned members of what he called the Jackass Mail committee to a meeting at the Porterville Chamber of Commerce office, also inviting Wes Kutzner, President of the Springville Chamber, to preside with him, however as tempers flared again when agreement could not be reached as to who was on the committee if there was a committee, and who was in charge if anyone, the committee unanimously adjourned to the back room of the Mountain Lion and with great acumen neglected to reconvene. Meanwhile, cooler heads were attempting to turn chaos into ordinary confusion: Joe Doctor, trail tramp, author and historian of alleged renown, after delving deeply into non-existent records and old western movies, confirmed unequivocally that mule-drawn Jackass Mail stages operated during California’s Gold Rush days - or possibly, perhaps they may have.

A drifter from the plains west of Porter’s Place, identified as Lyle Attebury, fearlessly volunteered to reorganize the historic Pony Express and carry the mail to Springville, pledging nor rain, nor snow, nor etc, etc. Domer Power, a fugitive teamster from Iowa and president of the Tulare County Chamber of Commerce, let it be known he would handle the four-horse hitch on the Jackass Mail freight wagon. Ed Jones allowed that since old folks could not stand the rigors of the trail, he would provide horseless carriages for them. Don E. Jones and Walt Pratt agreed to provide food and fodder for the man and beast at a scheduled lunch stop on the Old River Road along the Tule, just a short fall down the bank from that prominent landmark, The Antlers. John Keck and Carroll Simmons, horsemen of renown, agreed to haze riders and teamsters onto the trail in the right direction - or at least onto some trail. The Goshen Mounted Police, with their authentic Butterfield stage coach and exuberant out-riders, verified they were heading south for the Mail Run. Tom Masonheimer publicly stated that for them as got lost or confused in Springville and were forced by unusual circumstances to spend the night, stalls and feed for horses and

Upper left: Jackass Mail Run founder, Bill Rogers astride his namesake “Bill Rodgers.” Friends??? bought the Jackass for Bill & named it Bill Rodgers and Bill was often identified as the Jackass on the Jackass. Lower left: Many a prospective wagonmaster was “examined’ by “Doc Small” on this bar to see if he or she had the “guts to lead the Jackass Mail Run to Springville.

WagonMasters 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th

Chet Griswold* Carol Simmons* Lyle Attebury Domer Power* Gene Duncan* Bill Rodgers* Tom Masonheimer* Walt Pratt* Bill Ellsworth* Alan Hammond* John Hall* Ron Peyron Max Beckley* Connie Hammond LeRoy Cantrell* Jack Thompson* John Perry* Dave Wolff* Art Thrall* Jerry Hall Bill Horst Marty Sanders Dan Cantrell Larry Hammond In Memory of Deceased Wagonmasters*

mules would be provided; all others were on their own. Volunteering, but never accepted as official Jackass Mail scribes were Bill Rodgers (Wild Bill he was for some reason known as) and Art Thrall (later acclaimed for his dramatic theatrical role as Village Idiot.) Although never verified or denied, it was generally believed that agreement was finally reached between Col. Natzke, Griswold and Kutzner at a secret meeting somewhere along the Emigrant Trail, but it was common knowledge that none of them remembered what they had agreed to. Subsequently, however, Griswold appeared as wagonmaster; Kutzner took over control of Springville and environs; Col. Natzke ordered his cannon crew to active duty - namely Capt. Martin, Lt. McDonald, Pvt. Lucey, Battery Physician Doc Small - then after recruiting the noted gun runner Bill Ellsworth, let it be known the Jackass Mail would, in fact and actually, hit the trail to officially open Western Week in Springville - a week that would be climaxed by the professional Springville Rodeo. Such are the allegations concerning creation of the Jackass Mail that as a result of masterful

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Kevin Gibson Duffy Dignam Ron Helm* John Minyard Don Griswold* Steve Kirkpatrick Dan Hogan Neal Daybell* Scott Scheer Pete Perez Jody Griswold Doc Elliot* Ron Castaneda Steve Brown Jody Scheer David Cantrell Richard Camarena Earl Lisenbery Art Chiapa Daren Griswold Harlan Forrester Winonna Cantrell David Eastep Sheriff Bill Wittman In Memory of Deceased Wagonmasters*

planning, attention to intricate detail, and glowing press reports (pro and con) did, on that fateful day of March 31, in the year 1962, make its first run - and is still running, even though a serious problem of semantics developed early and has defied all effort at correction. There seems to be those among the general populace unable to comprehend meaning of the words - Jackass Mail. To them this prestigious event is known only as - Those Jackasses.

Mail run Stamps

2011

2006

1963 Ron Peyron “The Savage” and 13th wagonmaster designed the stamps for several years.

Bill Rodgers, Alan “Hoss” Hammond, and Jack Thompson, ex-wagonmasters all, stuff the official Jackass Mail Run box with mail destined for Springville.

It all starts with the strongbox being loaded onto the wagon. Bill Ellsworth hands up the box.

John “Bull Whip” Hall prepares to knock the cigarette out of Art Thrall’s mouth. Some said Art’s performance deserved an Oscar.

Riding along the “Emigrant Trail” to Springville. Nothing is more anticipated than the arrival of the Jackass Mail wagon. When the mail reaches Springville, infamous villians and scalawags always attempt to steal the strongbox. In its 50 year history they have always failed. The mail is safely delivered to the Springville Post Office where it is posted to destinations all over the country.

LeRoy “Red” Cantrell and “Bull Whip” Hall audition a prospective wagonmaster in front of the mural that adorned the wall of the Mountain Lion Saloon. Gene “Doc Small” Duncan with his Medicine Show downtown Springville. Among the cast of characters were “Village Idiot” Art Thrall, “The Savage” Ron Peyron, and “Annie Oakley” Thrall. Doc proclaimed his magic elixir cured all that ailed you and probably did if a swig of alcohol could do the trick.

Art Thrall was a talented photographer who worked for the Porterville Recorder as a reporter as well. Kleenex in his ears while sitting on a can that reads “exposed” defends the sound of guns firing.

Two tired mules with authenic harness stop for a rest along the “Emigrant Trail” which started on Main Street in Porterville, traveled south to Orange, east to Date, and intersected Highway 190 to Springville.

The 14th Wagonmaster and first ever woman, Connie Hammond, examines the 1975 flyer and Rodeo Tea House event.

Tom Masonheimer readies himself for the bull whip chinnanigans, or did “Bull Whip” get the cigarette? Front Cover Jackass Mail Run stalwarts gather at the infamous “Mountain Lion Saloon” in Porterville to plan (some say plot) the next run. B.J. Ladd, saloon owner in bowtie, hosted the roudiest gang of cowboys, cowgirls and just plain characters for decades. Pictured in the middle is the 1st wagonmaster Chet Griswold.

While participants in the Jackass Mail Run were referred to as miscreants, saddle bums, drunks, and worse, the women involved were always “the Ladies.”

History of the Jackass Mail Run Written by Pete Perez

Downtown Porterville where riders and wagons prepare to head out under the reports of amid shotgun blasts and giddy anticipation.

With the clatter of hooves and a rousing, “Move ‘em out!”, the Old West will come to life once again in Porterville on April 9th when the entourage of the 50th annual Jackass Mail Run “heads for the hills” with their cargo, a strongbox full of mail bearing the official “Jackass Stamp”, on board a mule-driven wagon fashioned after those of the Gold Rush era. At the reins, dressed for the occasion in full western gear (donated by local businesses) will be this year’s Wagonmaster, flanked by teamsters, a shotgun guard, assorted horsemen (and women) all decked out in true cowboy fashion. At the meandering pace of 5 mph, their all-day journey begins at the Porterville Fairgrounds (after picking up the mail at the Elks Lodge) and follows a route that includes parts of the Emmigrant and “Lewis” Trails. Their destination is the foothill community of Springville, where the Springville festivities will already be in full swing. A lunch stop is scheduled around noon where men and beast will get a fill of grub and quench their thirst. At various points along the trail the team will be joined by folks on horseback from all over the Western United States, drawn by the opportunity to participate in this

unique nostalgic event, and the entire procession will arrive in Springville, barring an ambush that is, at approximately 4:00 that afternoon. From there, the delivered mail will be distributed (by the U.S. Postal Service) to anywhere in the world. A local tradition since 1962, the annual Jackass Mail Run itself is not a factual historical event. However, it truly captures the spirit of the Old West, and serves as a reminder of Porterville’s role in the development of overland travel in the West back when panning of gold was a career, claim jumpers and outlaws were a common threat, and getting from one place to another over largely untamed land could be treacherous. Because the area was largely populated by miners, many of whom had left their families behind in the East until their fortune was secure, it is not surprising that correspondence of any kind, letters, newspaper and the like, became a valuable commodity. Capitalizing on the miners’ insatiable demand for news from home, young entrepreneurs such as Alexander Todd earned huge profits as “expressmen”. Todd utilized a subscriber list, for which he charged $1.00, just for asking the postmaster if the subscriber had mail; if so, the fee per letter was $2.00. Newspapers, sometimes over a month old, sold for $8.00. Add to this the

A rest stop along the “Emigrant Trail.” Today the Humane Society representatives and a veterinarian accompany the riders to ensure the stock are not abused or pushed too hard.

commission he earned to deliver gold dust for deposit, and soon Todd was earning up to $1,000 per day! Of course, this was during a time when attacks by outlaws and wild animals were a very real threat to travelers, making the job of mail or freight carrier a hazardous one, even by today’s standards. And although the Jackass Mail Run is an authentic portrayal of those “wilder” times, rest assured that “law and order” will be kept, thanks to the combined effort of the California Highway Patrol, Tulare County Sheriff ’s Department and the Porterville Police Department, who will be on hand to head off any overzealous desperados. As one might well imagine, the concept of law enforcement was not of much interest to early California’s gun-toting, whiskey-drinking, card-playing inhabitants, who were pretty well accustomed to living by their own rules. The challenging task of keeping a wagon team in line fell upon the shoulders of the Wagonmaster, who directed and supervised everything from animal training to cargo loading, and whose word WAS law. The Wagonmaster earned his position having a reputation for strength, loyalty, reliability, and being quick on his feet. His was a title of respect, much as it is today for the person privileged to be chosen Jackass Mailrun Wagonmaster, although the qualifications are not as strenuous. The bizarre initiation rites to which a new Wagonmaster must be subjected to are probably not found in any history book. Ex-Wagonmaster (1996) Pete Perez considers the appointment of Wagonmaster “a privilege and and honor”. All the ExWagonmasters and their fellow committee members are dedicated to keeping the Jackass Mail Run well running so that Porterville’s early traditions can be preserved and remembered for generations to come.

50 Years & Still Running

Upwards of 300 riders would eventually accompany the mail wagon to Springville stopping along the way for lunch and to rest the stock. Over the years, the J.C.’s, Cowbells, and others cooked lunch for the huge crowd serving up to 400 people.

Doc Small under the black umbrella watches over the Confederate Canon Crew, a traditional part of the Jackass Mail Run celebrations.

Dressed in full CSA attire, Jim McNiece of the Confederate Canon Crew reloads his firearm.

Jackasses (aka committee members) prepare the new wagonmaster (aka victim) for the traditional operation to determine whether he has the “guts” to lead the Jackass Mail Run to Springville.

The usual “trail tramps, saddle bums, teamsters, dudes and dandies, and mountain men” pose at Jackass Mail Run headquarters (aka the Mountain Lion).

Ex-wagonmasters Carol Simmons, Art Thrall, John Hall and Walt Pratt inspect the tack in preparation for the Mail Run

“Village Idiot” Art Thrall on “Bill Rodgers” gives orders to an irreverant group of onlookers.

B.J. Ladd, (right)owner of the headquarters of the Jackass Mail Run, the Mountain Lion Saloon, enjoys a stogie with his bartender.

“a Cavalcade of Stalwart Sons and Daughters of the Golden West, riding at their own risk and by their own volition to re-create the glorious days of the Old West as those days never were.” -Bill Rodgers

Downtown Springville in 1987, where Kevin Gibson, wagonmaster, leads upwards of 300 riders and wagons into town among gunfire and thunderous crowds.