The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-07-12

riers. of ice, it would seem arallinr to
cne not accustomed to forest life. En'
these indefatigable boys always made
time with old Maj or pilot under
them, they were as fearless of the elc
ments IS they were Of bears and other
animals The route from Bellefonte ~
Ri1gway was harder still. owing to
longer distance of amJr0kpR wilderness,
and having the Susquehanna. Bernrtt'S
Branch and the Clarion IN cro,e hut
there were seldom failures in the mails,
and then only when the streams wore
too much swollen. Who. among the
settlers Of that day, fails to rcco'lcct the
indomitable Cooney," who for loru
time vas the mail carrier from Belronte
via Ridgway to Smethport? lie was
little but id old, and his rpmarI;a
be physiognomy Obtained for him tho
cognomen of Judge Burnside Had
he been in charge of one huncrcd thous
and dollars in bank notes he would not
! have been more careful than he was "f
his mail. That portion Of the " Pike y"
which vas finished, and over which he
Travelled, vas his peculiar care. Every
fallen tree that intercppted his riding
was sure to be reported to the suncrin.
tcndent Of the turnpike, with strict or.
orders for its removal before his return
on pain Of forfeiture of charter. or the
destruction of their gates. Poor fellow,
he did not live to see a railroad in pro.
cess OF construction that was to annihi
late those lnng fatgueinG and lonely
rides he 50 patiently and cheerfully
endured. Then there was the Warren
mail--twcnty two miles without house.
end merely a bride path-part of the
way not undcrbrushed The writer
once had occasion to ride on this path,
about mid way he met dan " Hyatt,
a young.ter then, with the mail. It
was a hot day apart from the shade
Dan was on foot, the mule ahead, his
long ears we've nearly covered with vel
low jackets, and the vital fluid was
dripping from the wounds they were
making. The mule looked sorry. and
didn't appear to appreciate his precious
burthcn, neither did he seeem to care
as much for Uncle Sans service as for
tuft of fresh grass. Dan appeared to
be philCsnphizng thus, This, though
lonesome service. has its reward be
sides, who knows but those SADDLE bags
contain precious or sad news. the former
to the afflicted and the latter to curb to,
exuberant joys; something of peace or
war they may have had Fl hi il
tant documents may be vending their
way to influence score of votes at al
events, | am the harbinger of communi
cation between the outer world and the
wilderness, and for which am bound. >
Perhaps the whole postage paid and tc
be cole cted in his mail bags would not
have purchased feed of oats for the
muIe-yet its Importance in enbrvc
could never be realized. 1t was the an
nual cry Of those narrow minded. one
idea, selfish close f ted watch dogs Of
the Treasury to decry the usefulness of
the Postoffce department. Whenever
1t does not pay expenses abolish it Why
should We be taxed to furnish revenue
to establish mail routes AID Offices where
cent per cent is net returned? Cut off
every appondage that does not pay
The Postotf1ce Department, III its organ
lzAtion, was not intended as & revenue
measure for the support of the Govern.
ment, but more considered as one OF its
expenses to be borne equally by the
people, aud it may be regarded as one
OF the wi'est N assures Of our govera
ment to extend it, ram f ations com
mensurate with the movements Of the
population in the redemption and set
tlement of so large a country as ours.
Let these who are ready to pounce
upon every administration for its ex.
penses in supporting this part of our
system ponder upon these things The
man who would begrudge the expense
of carrying mail at public charge to
the pioneer who leaves the comforts Of
more civilized life to extend our set.
Elements and plant his family upon its
confines, because it does not pay )"
is TT for " treason, stratagem and spoil.