, 1879-04-05
Postmnstcrs and Post Offices Of
-. the Young City.
The Progress from A Log Hut to q
Brown Stone Front,
How q Hat Conld Oncc Have Held Two
Weeks, Mail.
a Postmaster Scared OF by the Indians
Tho Old saloon Building.
Blow Frogrcsa from Lake md Water to
the Present Site.
"reminiscences of the Old Settlers and
the Old Days.

"reminiscences of the Old Settlers and
the Old Days.
To-day the basement OF tho ncw Government
Building Is ready for the occupation Of the Post
Office, und, during the week, Postmaster Palmer
will be moving In bis furniture and fixing up his
cascs so lhat by week from today everything
will bo transferred there, and the Post Office
established In permanent quarters, which, 1t "a
to be trusted, It will not be compelled to leave
until the city has grown so enormously that the
erection Of new building for the special ac-
conmodatItt Of this branch Of tho service will
be impcrativcly necessary. At this time. when
tho Post-Of!lcc is to finally take rcst from
tts wanderings, md find, like Noat's
dove, shelter, 1t mar not be TN
interesting TO look back a matter
OF flftY ycarBt and eco the gnrionE moods md
mutations which tho local Office Inns undergone
since It first found n shelter In log hut on
South Wntcr street with M old bout or 80 for
letter case. And It may not bo unlntcrestfng
too to mention, briefly tho various persons who
hare occupied tho position Of Postmaster
thcro were ycry few OF thcm-sinro tho first
mntl cano to Chicago.
IN ORDER 70 nE6IN AT THE BEGINNING
It Is necessary to start at ttnc when there was
no Post -Oti}co hero ut nil. Chicago tllcn con-
ststcd Of nothing but Fort Dearborn and few
houses, occupied by Indian traders, which lay
under the immediate shelter Of the fortlflca-
tton. About tho only pcrsons who then re-
cciycd letters were tho officers at tho fort md
their families. There were no matl-rortes at
that time extending rs far north md west as
this and the ouly wny Ia which these officers
communicated with the outside world was by
sending conplo Of soldiers once munth on a
1ong and weary tramp to Fort Wuync, Ind,
distance OF las miles, through auow or
tangled woodland, CT flooded prairie, swol-
len streams. The mall-a,,l IL Is necessary
to lose sight Of the modern idea Of the word
generally consisted OF half dozen letters and
pcrtaps as many napers, 80 that 1t was not dIf-
f!cut task for the two soldiers to carry on their
backs this bundle OF matter md the few nrttclcs
Of luxury which this officers might have lusl the
soldiers purchase for them at the sutnptuous
stores in Fort Wayne.
But the tide Of civilization kept moving west
ward, aud this long matl-routo to Fort Wayuu
was soon shortened. In 1928
GEN. HART L. STEWART,
who, halo and hearty, is still rcsI.lent OF tl!s
city, was living in White Pigeon, Mich, md was
one OF tho most prominent mon In the western
hEEk4tA u lt4AL CAAtGs DatAa IOulGb uull
not extended west to WbIto Pigeon,
md tho resular receipt Of lcstors was
a.. luxury unknown throughout TINT
region. III tho ,Yuar mentioned nl,ovo Gcu.
Btewart obtaiucq from the Government con-
tract to carry the mail from Detroit to Niles,
then called Cary Mission, once every two weeks
On horseback. All the mil coming to Chicago
ftom that t:mo on was brought through on the
old Chicago trail Under Stewnrt's contract, ho
bringing 1t as tnr a. Cary Mission. where It was
tnken IL gllarEe BY soldiers, WIG travelled on
around the lake. 'fhcse prrate soldiers wero
detailed by tho officers, who still got the bulk
Of the lnail tint came l.cre,. asrs wcfo sent In
squads Of from three to live mea every fort
work, but t,ler wcre sent in sounds In ordcrthnt
they might protect themselves from The attacks
Of Indians. All tho mail thnt came from the
was brouaht On horseback BY Air. Stewart from
Detroit to Niles, utld he SAYS he could easily
have carried the whole Two wceka' mail In ls
hat. Il then took ak days to make thu journey.
lie hired m assiatant, who started from Desrolt
ono week, md Mr.. Stewart started thu noxt,
they meeting about halfway OH the road. Thls
contsact ran Tor four yeara, or until 1852, the
general receiving as pay ull tlle proceeds or thc
really only In osdor to gut his cwn mnsl
and to accommodate Ills nclghbors that ho tuok
thrtob. In lS90, however. two years after ile
H. and, !n connection With Benjamin Wood
worth, Of Detroit, put on stagc.ltnc between
there md Cary Miasion. running two-h"rse
Wagons, md delivering the malls three times a
~ lucreaso IN the quaNtisy Of mail, but that
which cauo 10 Chicago was still carried by
aosdiess on foot or on horseback mp to thu time
Of tho expiration Of tllc Generals contract.
THE First posT-oPp1cE.
I. i,.,1
that The Officers Of tho Fort ceased to 1nonopo-
!ize tho bulk Of the anail, 1t was
found nrecssrry to establish. il regular
Fost-ohlcc ln lESa Junatl!an n: BRltey-a
huuter, who also did little trading With tic
Indian was given permanent a!tuat!olI-
ulade Postmaster; nut The business OF tho olllca
dida't take up quito nil his time. TIC mail
came once in TIVE weeks, al,d rarcly consisted
papers: When the Black Hawk war broke out
hts wife and daughter bceaMu frightened. at,,i
as Black Hawk WEE expected with Ills wurriors
every hour, they prevailed upon Mr.. Bailey to
run away. This lie did. taking Ills family With
him down tho Ilino!s River to 81. Louis. b..
fore Ills departure lie designated
JOHN B. Q. HOGAN
as bis Deputy. Mr.. Hogan was the representa-.
tive OF 9. u l.. Brrwslar, Of Detroit, who owned
r. bu'ldny log at, ws; s, was l"satc on
Lake strerts. Ho9an, however tn.! Ills own
business to attend to, 30 llc appointed Juhl
Bat'swho is st'lt living In this city. hs Dspnty.
Ile seound foor Of ths hut was dtsi4ea lnio
Bates, who bought hides, ran the t0st-OIl!cu IN
the lott overhead. Tie furniture consisted Vi
woodsa irs1nc, which embraced s!oxsn pig.
charged. Tie Postmaster rot no salury,
but. a. c9snu!sason Of Ii or 20 pc'
ocut Ut The charYes on 1nall lnuttcr. NJ
stamps were used, uor were envelopes, III e1Ira
NaPer Wns chnrEeu tor Ut the saulo ratio "a tIls
ldtlEf. When tit1t, HCntt hCrU with 1fi