The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-12-29

tnat the Christmas Festival had
been a happy success.
Amende Honorable.
An article appeared in the last is
sue of the KEYSTONE under the title
OF THE Ketchum- Dickey Route -
IN which undue reflections were
thrown upon Delegate Dubois, and
also arraigning the PostoHce De-
partment. The cause of the COM
plant contained in the article men
toned, was the apparent indiffer-
ence and inactivity Of Mr.. Dubois
in regard to the continuance of the
mail service over the above named
route, even after his attention had
been called to the matter. The ar
ticle was prompted by statements
made to us at the time, in regard
to this mail service, but we find
upon further consideration and in
vestigations of the facts that the
KEYSTONE was wrong in its conclu
sions, and did Mr.. Dubois injustice.
The KEYSTONE has always advo-
Gated and defended the rights of all
interested in the public good; it
will not, on the other hand, know
ingly, promulgate through its col
umns unfair misrepresentation,
nor hide under the cloak of expe.
diency unjust actions from a fail
and righteous criticism.
The Ketchum-Dickey route has
somewhat interesting history. l.
was established in the spring OF
1886. The KEYSTONE Of May Z,
1897, comments on this route i'll
the following manner:
The route was finally established, and
| a tri weekly service performed for short
! time, when trouble between the contrac
tors and the parties to whom the work
was sub-let caused temporary suspen-
sion. Bids were again invited and the
lowest was that of Y. Fl. Pease, a heavy
mail contractor. The contract price for
year would not have paid the expenses
for winters service, and to avoid this a
petition was gotten up stating the road
to be impracticable for travel during the
winter, and requesting that the route be
abandoned until May 1st. In order to
procure signatures to this petition, Mr.
Pease promised that during the summer
and fall daily mail should be carried
over the road in consideration of the
abandonment of the route during the
winter. He succeeded ir getting mum
Der of names to the petition, some being
| Of those who were active IN securing the
| mail route at first. In conformity with
the request, the route was abandoned
and service discontinued until May 1st.
All that MIR. Pease wanted was to avoid
carving the mail during the winter
months, and he did not hesitate to use
those who signed his petition as tools to
accomplish his purpose.
Such petition as that must have
given the Department at Washing
ton reason to entertain poor opln-
ion of town that demanded mail
service and then after getting it,
coolly turned and stated that the
road was impracticable for por-
ton of the year.
Next in the midst of this "semi
summer" mail service comes the
following letter from the Second
Assistant Postmaster General, dated
June 2, 1887, to Delegate Dubois,
who was then at Springfield, ILL.,:
SIR: In reply to your letter of inquir.
of the 26th ultimo in relation to change
Of service on route No. 42175 from Ketch
UNI to Dickey. have the honor to inform
YOU that an order was made on the 19tl
ultimo on the above named route sus
pending service from December 1st t.
April 3Oth of each year and increasin.
service to six times week from May Isl
to November 3Oth of each year, said in
crease to take effect June /, 1887.
In a private letter to the KEY.
STONE in 1887, Mr.. Dubois says
that it was only upon the assurance
that the arrangement was whai
your people desired that | con
sented to the abandonment OF the
service in winter"
When Mr.. Wright, President O
the P. & l. Co. and Major sHynd
man called at the department te
secure, if possible, the continuance
of mail service on this route dur
ing the winter months, they were
confronted by the I'd Assistant
Postmaster-General with persona
letters in one hand, and petition
signed by few citizens of ketch
am, in the other, both certifying
hat the route was not practicable
one during the winter. This stu
alton of course put quietus upon
any further efforts to obtain at tina
time what at present seems an 40
solute necessity to our people, VIZ
Mail service all the year round or
the Ketchum-D ickey route.
| The question naturally arises
who is to blame for the present con
dition of affairs that now exist IL
relation to this mail service? Ger
tainly it is not OH account OF any
special neglect on the part of Mr.
Dubois, for we learn that there IA:
been no attempt On the part OF tn
citizens of Ketchum during tn
mast summer nor fall to inform
either him or the Department
IL ;,,o-ooo;no nacessity of al