The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-23
OLD POSTAL SERVICE.
Seattle's Mail Delivery in the
Days Gone By.
TWO MEN DID ALL THE WORK.
Letters From the East Came By Way of
San Francisco and Portland
Local Routes.

In the postoffice yesterday Thomas W. Prosch,
who was postmaster in the latter '70s, the pres
ent Incumbent, Griffith Davies and mis- assistant,
W. J. Colkett, the veteran of the service, were
discussing the postal facilities in the early days.
Seattles first postmaster was A. A. Denny. w.
n Gillian had the office in the early 70s and he
bought about 81. 900 worth OF fixtures for il. The
custom in those days was for the outgoing post
master to sell the fixtures to his successor. In
1913 or 1874 he resigned. 1t was generally ex-
pected that D. T. Wheeler would be his sue
cessor. Mr.. Wheeler was so sure of the position
that he bought the furniture and paid for it,
out to his disgust the Office went to w. H. Pun
phrey, who held it until 1876 Mr. Wheeler
Kept the fixtures stored until the fire came in
1859 ana burned them. Mr.. Prosch was post
master from 1876 till 1875; o. j. Carr, 1873 to
1887; J. NJ. Lyons, 1857 to 1889: A. NJ. Brookes,
1859 TO 1881. Mr. Davies took the Office April
OF this year. The first money orders were issued
in 1872
''When first went in" said Mr.. Prosch "a
mail steamer ran from Olympia TO Victoria twice
week. Then the route was shortened from
Tacoma to Victoria twice a week, with one
trip more a week from Tacoma TO Seattle.
Finally this mail service from Tacoma to Vic
torla was given six days each week.
"a steamer ran to Snohomish, La Conner and
into Whatcom once week. and one additional
trip was made as far as La Conner.
OF San Francisco and Portland. From Portland
they were brought to Tacoma by train, and then
the boat carried them to Seattle. A railroad ran
south from Portland through the Willamette
valley and another piece of road north fromsacra
mento. The distance between was covered by
Ben Holiday stages, until the railroads were
built toward each other piece by piece to
junction. Some of the mail came by that route,
but the most of it by steamer from San Fran
cisco to Portland every five days. There would
be great rush of mail here at the Office the day
following the arrival of the Frisco train at
Portland
"In those times one assistant was all the post
master had. and that was enough, except on ex-
traordinary occasions"
Mr.. Colkett first began work in the Seattle
Office in June, 1850 40. J. Carr was postmaster
them said he, 'and his daughter was his as
sistant. She went off on vacation, and took
her place. As there was no allowance for clerk
hire, received s2I month aud later got $40 a
month and board. The postmaster paid me for
some time out of his own pocket. When his
daughter came back to the office he himself
went away Tor several months, and / was in
charge
1.-The Office was at first down on Yesler avenue,
or Mil street, just back OF where the First Ma
tionai hank now stands Later We moved a
little INTO n building adjoining the alley.
The ..t9ey order window. stamp, registered
letter and general delivery windows were all
together. and one man frequently looked after
them all There were three or four hundred
boxes within easy reach. OF course. | knew
everybody in town, and when l saw a man com
ing into the Office | would shake my head il
there was no mail for him and he would not
bother to inquire further If l nodd Vi to him
he would know there was something in his box.
In distributing the mail could reach most of
the boxes without moving about much
| q in fha
county, outside of Seattle, were Slaughter,
White River, Renton and Newcastle. \. J.
Ohm, who still lives in the city, carried the
mail on horseback to Slaughter twice a week.
Once a week he went from there over to Osceola,
but as his horse pretty well used up when
he reached Slaughter, he generally walked over
that route, distance OF six miles. 4 boat
carried the mail across to Port B!aAeey once or
twice a week. Everything from Eastern Wash
ington came down into Portland and from
there up here. good deal OF mail, as much
perhaps was handled by the government
service, was carried by the Wells, Fargo d Co.
express They delivered tons OF matter here
during the year.
''When President Hayes came out here in 1880
one of the two mail steamers between Tacoma
and Victoria was taken off OF the route for a
week to take him around the Sound, and the
other had TO do the work. The result was that
the mails were very irregular, coming at any
time OF the day or night. was Just beginning
then, and as Mr.. Carr had put the office in my
charge, l felt a terrible responsibility, ana
thought must be on hand i'll person when the
steamer arrived. was afraid TO trust the mail
10 any one else, and so on several occasions 1
sat up till or O'Clock in the morning waiting
for that boat.
1.-The force in the office grew slowly by the ad-
dition OF a clerk or two at time until Septem-
Der, 1857, when the free delivery system was or
twenty to cover the part OF the city within the
free delivery limits"
Mr.. Colkett who has been in the postoffice.
with the exception OF but few months since
he first began, has occupied every position ex-
cept that of carrier. For some years he has been
very efficient and popular as assistant post
master.