 Although he did not become wealthy by mining, he could see the critical need for fast and reliable mail service between California and the eastern states, most of which was then being transported by sea around South America.He teamed with fellow Pennsylvania entrepreneur Absolam Woodward, and they received a contract in April 1851 from the U.S. Post Office to provide monthly transport of the mail between Sacramento, California and Salt Lake City, the most difficult leg of the first overland mail service.The mails were run once per month in each direction.