The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-25
THE RICHMOND POSYOFFICE.
1 History Of It's Growth During The Last
Thirty Years.
FORMER POSTNISTERS OF TIKI CITY.
The once ut the Close Of the War and st
the Present TIme-Improvements Which
Mr. Russell Has Recommended.

| When the late war broke out IN 1901, inc
postoffice was located where it now is, in the
custom-house building. and Colonel Thomas
B. Bigger was then postmaster. He was an
appontee of President James Buchanan. He
was removed In 1862. and Mr. John o. Steger
appointed postmaster Of Richmond. by Presi-
dent Jefferson Davis, Of the Confederate
States Government.
When the war ended in 1865. the postoffice
was in one of the stores. under the old Spots
wood hotel. on Main street. between Eighth
and Ninth streets. and when the Federal
army marched into Richmond in 1865, the
| postmaster had departed for the South, car
| rying his supplies OF Confederate stamps and
money with him. They found the Office in
charge of one clerk Mr.. William w. Rowe
who Is still in the postottice.
! Mr. Alexander Sharpe who had previously
been appointed by President Lincoln post
master, took charge OF the Office.
IN OLD QUARTERS.
He soon moved the Office back into the
Government building. between Tenth and
| Eleventh Streets, where it is likely 10 remain.
Mr. Sharpe was brOther-in-law Of General
Grant. and had previously been postmaster
| in the United States army. he renamed
! postmaster Of Richmond until the spring Of
|
marshal for the District Of Columbia, and
moved 10 his home at Laurel Md. where his
| family still reside, he having died few years
| ago.
Miss E. L. Van Lew was appointed post
/ master by President Grant in tho spring Of
1869. and was reappointed by him in 1873.
She served until the summer of 1877, when
| she failed in a reappOintment President
Hayes having declined to appoint her.
| 1t is said that ex-President Grant asked rs
favor of President Hayes who succeeded
! him, that Miss Van Lew be reaDpOtnled AZ
postmaster of Richmond, but the pressure for
change was so strong that he did not comply
| with Grants request. Miss Van Lew Is well
known in this city. and still resides at her
home on Church Hill the well-known Van
Lew homestead. overlooking lower Main
| street and the river.
Under Miss Van Lew the letter carrier SER
vice was inaugurated in this city. At first
| there were only a few appointed, but later on
| the number was increased 20 sixteen. AT
/ that time there was no eight-hOuT law under
| which the carriers served They worked ten,
| eleven and sometimes twelve hours day
COLONEL FORBES.
Colonel W. w Forbes succeeded Miss Van
| Lew in the summer of 1877. He had been IN
| former years an Old Line Wing one of the
Log Cabin, Hard-C Cider and Coon-Skin Wings
| Of is4i. He Just suited President Hayes, who
was looking for Old Line Wings TO break
the Solid South with and when he met Col
| onel Forbes and heard his Wing story II was
love at first sight, and he hesitated no
! longer in making the appointment, al
though the number Of applicants were
many, among whom were Miss Van Lew, A.
| J. Jefferds DR. Charles 5. Mills. II. l.. Pc
| louze. ID. w. Bohonan. George A. Hundley,
| Cloe Burton, Mr.. Stark, and Colonel William
! G. Knights name was mentioned as a dark
horse When Colonel Forbes presented him
self at the White House as 81 old Line
Wing" and Virginia gentleman" he Sc
! cured the commission as postmaster and re-
turned home smiling
| Colonel Forbes at that time was registrar in
the United States Bankrupt Court, and had
| previously represented his native county OF
| Buckingham in the Legislature as Wing for
many years prior to the war. He had also
| been sheriff of the same county and the State
proxy on the Petersburg and Lynchburg
railroad
A SURPRISE.
His appointment as postmaster was q big
surprise in this city at the time but he did
not remain postmaster long, for he had some
trouble in the Office and was removed by Pres
| ident Hayes in August, 1880. and retired 10
/ Buckingham county, where he still resides.
DR.. H. X. Gilmer, of Henrico county. was
appointed his successor. DR.. Gllmer had
/ been Mon man during the war, and edited
! paper in the Valley Of Virginia IN 1860 and
| part of 1861. In the State campaign OF 1869
| he took an active part as True Republi-
! can" with the late Franklin Stearns and others
in opposing the election of General Ii. H.
Wells as Governor and assisted in the cleo
ton of Gilbert c. Walker
After his appointment as postmaster he
continued TO reside on his farm in Henrico
county. where he still lives. He vacated the
Office in June. 1885. Mr.. Cleveland was then
President, and after long and vigorous
scramble Mr.. William II. Cullingworth,,
tobacconist of this city, was appointed the
Democratic postmaster Of Richmond.
There was no lack of material offered to re
organize the force Of the Office. When he
took charge he found forty-iye Republicans
and three Democrats In the office. Many
changes soon followed, and some increase OF
force was allowed When he vacated the Of
flee the number of employees had increased 10
sixty-fonr He vacated the Office November
30 1889 and opened wood and coal yard at
Eighteenth and Broad streets
IT was while Mr. CullingWorth was post
master that the mounted carriers were author
lied to deliver mail beyond the city limits,
and the special messenger service was inaugu,
rated here aud also the eight-hour law applied
10 the carrier service.
BUILDING ENLARGED.
II was then that the postofiice building was
enlarged necessitating the removal OF the
Office 10 the Snyder building, cOrn0r Eleventh
and Cary streets while the work was being
prosecuted II proved 10 be very satisfactory
for temporary purposes on account OF yentiia-
ton and light.
The enlargement of the Custom House
building was completed IN July 1883, and
Postmaster Cullingworth moved back into
his DID quarters that month and had the Office
nicely arranged for MS successor, who took
charge soon after.
There were many Republican candidates for
the position in the field all willing 10 make
personal sacrifice for the Grand Old Party. but
President Harrison saw fit to settle the con-
troversy by appointing Mr.. Otis Ii. Russell.
aR. RUSSELL.
Mr. Russell was raised in Brunswick county.
Va, and had been fortunate in holding sew
eral Presidential commissions. He was first
offered the tobacco inspectorship Of Centre
Warehouse. Petersburg, Va, in 1867. by Gen
eral Schofeld which was declined.
In August, 1868, he was appointed by Presi-
dent Andrew Johnson collector of internal
revenue of the Fourth district, with Office in
Manchester.
In June. 1875. he was again appointed col
lector Of internal revenue OF the Third dis
trict which was the Richmond district, by
President Grant.
In May. 1877 he was resppOinted in the
Third district by President Hayes.
In January, 1885. he was appointed collector
of customs for the port OF Richmond by
President Arthur, and in November, 1889, re-
ceived his present commission of postmaster