Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-09-10
THE FAST MAIL SERVICE.
Its Developme mt and Growth Since its Be-
ginning in 1864.

It's DeYSlOpme mt anu OrOwCh SluC6 us De-
ginning in 1864.
The first railway postofice in the United
States and the first realization of the plans
of its founder, George B. Armstrong, was
run upon the Chicago & Northwestern
railway between Chicago and Clinton,
Iowa, IN August, 1864. A car was crudely
improvised for the purpose, and In COM
parison with the elaborate postal cars of
today it cuts sorry figure, writes Fernan-
do Jones, of Chicago.
| For long time the center of operations
was in the west, and until the service was
made a separate bureau of the postoffice
department, with Mr.. Armstrong at its
/ head. He had an assistant at Washing
| ton, although he maintained a supervisory
oversight over the system throughout the
entire country.
The progress and development Of the
idea of Mr.. Armstrong; railway mail sys-
tenn after the success of the postal car upon
the Northwestern road was not rapid. In
October, 1864, a like attempt was success
| fully made on the line between New York
and Washington. Then fo lowed in their
order the Chicago, Burlington Il Quincy,
Illinois Central and the Chic ago. Alton &
St. Louis. For two seasons the service
dragged along and then came the
realized that the new project was a
necessity in the postal affairs of the
nation. There was then, from the per,
iod after tbs Inauguration, 1864, until
after General Grants election to the
presidency, with John A. J. Cresswell,
of Maryland, as postmaster general, a
slow growth of the railway postal system.
Every year, however, showed gradual
Improvement. Shortly after President
Grant took his seat the service gained a
great and welcome impetus. Grant, be-
ing an Illinois man, knew Mr.. Armstrong
and what we had already accomplished
and also knew the value of his enterprise.
Vice President Colfax, who, before his
election to that high office, had been for
years chairman Of the house committee on
postoffic and post roads, and had been an
earnest coa6jutor with Mr..
| Armstrong in his labors, was in a
position to render him greater service.
| Then it was that Mr.. Armstrong was per-
mitted to have full scope in the elabora-
| ton of his plans for the service. He re-
commended the consolidation of the old
route agent services with the modern rail-
way postal service, under the title of rail
| way mail service. This was done. He
recommended also the allotment Of the
country into six divisions, superintend-
ent to be at the head of each. This was
also carried out, and Mr.. Armstrong was
made general superintendent in April,
| 1869.
Thus the railway mail service rose and
expanded as we know it to-day. In its
greater proportions, the logical accompan-
iment Of the nations development, 1t is
the counter part of the sy stem as Mr.. Arm
strong left 1t when he suddenly died.
| Naturally the increase in population and
correspondence caused a like elaboration
in many of the details of the service. But in
outline and in most of the more important
| details 1t Is now what it was when Mr..
| Armstrong was at its head.
Now many of the most valuable features
of the postal car service which Mr.. Arm
strong originated has spread across the
Atlantic ocean and been taken up by the
nations of the old world Would John
| Bull, witt his conservative notions, ever
have originated such great departure
from old-time methods? trow not. Yet
postal cars are now running throughout
the British Isles; howbeit the passenger
cars still bear the remittance OF the ancient
stage-coach. with close compartments and
doors upon the sides. The mail car. as well
as the schoolmaster, is abroad, and has in
vaded every civilized country where rail-
roads have been introduced and some
countries where civilization is questioned.
The writer has himself seen travelling
| postC tfices running across the dikes of
Holland, up he slope of Germany, away
up in the Austrian Tyrol and through
the mighty Alps in the great tunnel from
genial France TO sunny Italy. Even in
the Barbary States along The southern
shores of the Mediterranean sea the mail
car and pullman palace together traverse
! the Algerian country for the delet tation
and convenience of the Moslem of Sahara
and the Arab of the desert How long
before they will be introduced in darkest
Africa along the 1Cu'e lately traversed
by the intrepid Stanley?