Waterman L. Ormsby, a reporter for the New York Herald, was the only through passenger on the first East-West run of the Butterfield Stage. He sent periodic dispatches to the paper describing his journey.

Tipton is mentioned in his first dispatch of September 16, l858:

"At Tipton, Moniteau County, Mo., the end of the Pacific Railroad, the bags are first placed on the coaches of the Overland Mail Company. We left St. Louis this morning at eight o'clock, and are to leave Tipton at 6 p.m. Thus far we are up to time. I shall mail you this at Tipton, and after that will write as the journey will permit. If I can write in the wagons with not less convenience than I have written this in the cars, you will hear from me regularly."

In his letter of September 20 written near the Red River in Indian Territory, he describes the scene at Tipton when the first mail was loaded on the Overland Stage: "My last letter was written on the Pacific Railroad, near the western terminus, and left us in anticipation of meeting the first overland mail stage at Tipton, about one hundred and sixty miles from St. Louis...Since that time we have traveled day and night, across hills, mountains, and plains, as fast as four horses with constant relays could carry us.. .To gain thirty-two hours, as we have on the already close time table of the Overland Mail Company has not given us much time to go easy over the stones. I have given up several attempts to write, out of sheer despair, and perhaps your printers will wish I had given up this...The only sleep I have had since last Thursday morning has been snatched in the wagons, on roads which out-Connecticut Connecticut. Yet the new scenes which constantly meet the view, the variegated aspect of the country, the curious characters to be met, and the novelty of roughing it overland are, I think, quite a recompense for any slight inconvenience which may be experienced. But, to the details of our journey.

"The Pacific Railroad train, carrying the first overland mail, arrived at Tipton, the western terminus of the road, situated in Moniteau County, Mo., at precisely one minute after six o'clock p.m. of Thursday, the 16th inst., being several minutes behind time. We there found the first coach ready, the six horses all harnessed and hitched, and Mr. John Butterfield, Jr., impatient to be off.

"The town contains but a few hundred inhabitants, and all these seemed to have turned out for the occasion, though they made no demonstration on account of it. The place is, however, but a few months old, having been built since the completion of this end of the line, and doubtless excitements are too rare to be appreciated. They looked on with astonishment as the baggage and packages were being rapidly transferred from the cars to the coach. The latter was entirely new and had not yet held a load of passengers... The time occupied in shifting the baggage and passengers was just nine minutes, at which time the cry of "Ml aboard;' and the merry crack of young John Butterfield's whip, denoted we were off. I took a note of the "following distinguished persons present;' as worthy of a place in history: Mr. John Butterfield, president of the Overland Mail Company; John Butterfield, Jr., on the box; Judge Wheeler, lady, and two children, of Fort Smith; Mr. T.R. Corbin, of Washington; and the correspondent of the Herald. It had been decided to take no passengers but the last named gentleman, on the first trip, but Mr. Butterfield made an exception in favor of Judge Wheeler, agreeing to take him to Fort Smith, where he intended to go himself. You will perceive, therefore, that your correspondent was the only through passenger who started in the first overland coach for San Francisco, as all the rest of the party dropped off by the time we reached Fort Smith. Not a cheer was raised as the coach drove off, the only adieu being, "Good bye, John;' addressed to John, Jr., by one of the crowd. Had they have been wild Indians they could not have exhibited less emotion.

"Our road for the first few miles was very fair, coursing through several small prairies, where for the first time I noticed those travelling hotels so commonly seen in the western country. These are large covered wagons, in which the owner and his family, sometimes numbering as high as a dozen, emigrate from place to place, travelling in the daytime, and camping near wood, water, and grass at night. . We rode along at a somewhat rapid pace, because John, Jr. was determined that the overland mail should go through his section on time: and, though his father kept calling out, "Be careful, John:' he assured him that it was "all right" and drove on.

"The first stopping place was at "Shackleford's" about seven miles distant, and we seemed hardly to have become comfortably seated in the coach before our attention was attracted to the illumination of our destination--a recognition of the occasion which seemed quite cheering after the apparent previous neglect...

"This locality is called Syracuse and is principally owned by T.R. Brayton and Mr. Shackleford, who have done much to establish the route through this section. The Pacific Railroad Company is building a depot here, and the western terminus will shortly be extended to it."