The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-05-17
The Post ONCE.

Though not yet officially announced
there is little room for doubt that after
the FIRST of July the Olneyville Post
Office will be rated IA second class
Office. There are now only four second
class offices in the state. Newport and
PawtuclSet with salaries of $270O each,
Woonsocket $2lO0 and Westerly with
compensation of S2lOO. At the present
time. Olneyville heads the list Of third
class offices with salary Of $500. This
change of class will hc made simply
because the business Of the Office has in
creased sufficiently 90 warrant il. While
public interest is turned in the direction
of this post office the following brief histo-
ry may be of interest 10 some. Up TO
1850. the people Of this vicinity had no
post Office nearer than Providence, and
probably went there for what little mail
they received. In lSI7, Hon. James
Simmons, then in the United States
Senate, succeeded ia having an Office es-
tablishcd at Simmonsyille, where he car
ried on manufacturing business. Mr..
Walter s. Browrt.l was appointed post
master there aud he still has In his pos
session his commission signed by Cave
Johnston. who was then Postmaster Gen
eral. About three years after, this Office
was removed 10 Olneyyille, where IT
would accommodate more people. Mr..
Brownel about this time removed TO
Cumberland and James Kelley was APP
pointed first postmaster Of Olneyville.
Mr.. Kelley was the village apothecary
and kept his shop in what WAS known
as the b Bink building, n small structure
on the site Of j. o. San Souci's shoe
store. Th building was soon after
wards NOV 20 the rear, where II now
stands, TO make room for the present
building ov ned by Mr. A. A. Pike, and
Mr. Kelley removed his drug store and
the post office into building adjoining.
which he erected for his use and which
is now occupied by Byron A. Smith.
Mr.. Kellcys Old sign can still be seen
on this building. Mr.. Kelley was sue
ceeded as postmaster by Robert Wilson,
who was also town clerk Of Johnston for
twenty-five or thirty years. Mr.. Wilson,
about the time of his appointment, erect
ed an Office for his use on the site Of
Irons Block; this structure Was removed
when the block was erected aud is now
occuLi-l by w. A. Mathewson as n
bakery. Mr.. Wilson was Democrat in
politics and soon after the beginning Of
the war he was relieved from the care Of
the post Office and Frank y. Cummings,
grocer, was appointed In his stead.
Mr. Cummings kept his store and the
office in the store now occupied by A..
Lake. a few years later he bought the
store at The corner Of Plainfeld and
Winsor streets and removed his business
there. But the post Office did not go
with him a. Judge John Brayton WAS
appointed hls successor. The Office was
then removed 90 its present quarters.
Judge Brayton wss az an cKjndge Of
iIlt AOAIL OF kfIlllN'll tH0AT Nia'A ~ oAtA'fAa
Republican. lie was somewhat adj
vancsd in years AZ the time Of his ap-
pointment and few years later be died
in Office. lie was succeeded ny Col. W.
n. =. steere, whose long and honorable
war record gave him the right 20 expect
a lucrative Off se for the seryics he had
done his country. Hs was resident Of
Providence, but this little Discrepancy
was overlooked and Col. Steere was
popular among all men and parties. He
died while holding The Office. He was
succeeded ~ Mr Walter Brownell, who
was appointed by President Arthur In
1883, AMI who held the Office until Pres
ident Cleveland appointed Miss Susan
Lewis. the presen, incumbent. Miss
Lewis has served a. clerk and post mas
ter for sixteen years and is thoroughly
compe,en, and l. very popular with the
many patrons II The Office.