Reed was Superintendent of the Express Department of the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company, which in March, 1866 purchased the Butterfield Overland Dispatch, operating from Atchison and Leavenworth to Denver. The Holladay Company's objective was to block Wells, Fargo from expanding eastward from Salt Lake City, and to stop the American and United States Express Companies from moving their operations west of the Missouri River. Holladay also wished to cut into westward shipments of gold from Idaho and Montana via Wells, Fargo. Wells, Fargo's response was to buy the Holladay Company on Nov. 1, 1866.
From the description of Letterbook : Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company, 1866 May-Aug. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702144797
