The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-15

bury and Burlington, the two nearest offices,
on foot until 1891 when post road was es-
tablshed from Windsor, through Wood
stock, Royalton aud Randolph to Montpe-
lier thence through Jericho to Burlington.
The distance to Boston by post road was go
miles, and the postage on one ounce OF let
ter mail was sixty-eight cents, or thirty-four
times the present rate. Montpelier was at
that time in Caledonia county, the shire
town Of which was Danville, the population
being 113. In April, 1901, Judge Buckley
was succeeded by Timothy Hubbard, who
moved the pOst-office into his store on Main
street, at the head Of what Is now State
street. State street was not laid out at that
time, and Hubbard's store stood in the
space between the buildings now occupied
by George e. Taplin and A. G.. Stone, fac
ing the east. Sylvanus Baldwin, who sue
ceeded Mr.. Hubbard moved the Office into
his cotton-mill near the old " Arch BRIDGE"
where Il. w, Bailey & Co.'s grist-mill now
stands, and it remained there until Mr.
Baldwin went to Europe, during the last
year OF his term, leaving the office in charge
of his brother, the late Daniel Baldwin,
Esq, who transferred it to his store, on the
site OF the present Walton block on State
street. The next postmaster was Joshua
Y. Vail, who took the office in February,
1918, and served until May, 1829-the longest
term OF any postmaster in this Office. Dur
ing this time the Office was located in the
little building which now stands in the
rear Of the residence of II. II. Deming, on
State street, situated tn en- on the site of the
present Ballou building. Thence, under
George w. Hill, who was postmaster from
May 1929, to February, 1887, it was trans
ferred to the old two-story building on
Main street now occupied by William
Miller. George w. Barker, who was APP
pointed in February 1887, removed the
office to State street, and it has remained
on this street ever since. During the adj
ministration of Barker and Edwin s. Mer-
rill, the Office was kept in building where
the Christ church rectory now stands. Mr..
Merrill took the office in 1910, and held 1t
until he left town, in 1913, when he moved
to Winchendon, Mass, where he has held
the office of postmaster for forty-twO con-
secutive years, being still in Office. George
w. Reed, Esq, who succeeded Mr.. Merrill,
moved the Office twice-frst to building on
the site of the present federal building,
thence across the street into an old build
ing where the Emery store is located.
Charles Lyman, who succeeded Mr.. Reed
in April, 1849, moved the Office across the
river into an old building that stood where
the Phinney bookstore is located.
"Charles G.. Eastman was appointed
postmaster April 28th 1858, and during his
administration the Office was again re-
moved across the river into the place now
occupied by Bowman's fruit-store. 1t was
not moved again until James G.. French,
who was appointed postmaster April I'd,
1861, removed it to a building built by him
on the site of the present Langdon building,
at the corner of State and Elm streets.
Previous to the appointment OF Mr.. French,
the late Judge Redheld held the Office OF
postmaster from June 14th, 1858, till April
I'd, 1861. On the day that Captain John w.
Clark, whose commission was dated April
18th, 1869, took possession OF the office, he
removed the Office to the rear part of the
Phinney bookstore, until he could fit up an
office in the Ballou building, where it had
previously been kept. 1t was returned TO
its old quarters in the Ballou building July
2lst 1869, and there remained till October
Sd, 1874, when it again crossed State street
into the Langdon block, where the large
and convenient quarters which it occupied
until its removal to the present location
were fitted up by Mr.. James X. Langdon.
The public called for their mail at this Of
flee until January 1st, 1891, when the final
removal to the elegant marble structure
erected by the United States government
occurred. July /, 1881, after term OF
twelve years and three months, the second
in length of any postmaster, Captain Clark
was succeeded by General James S. Peck,
who died in Office May 2Sth, 1884, and was
succeeded by George w. Wing, Esq, who
held the Office four years, retiring August
9th, 1888, when the present postmaster,
Fred w. Morse, took possession. In Novem-
Der, 1884, an appropriation was made, and in
February 1885, the present site was pur-
chased. The following summer the build
ings were removed, and in 1886 the founda-
ton and basement walls were laid The
building was ready for occupancy in De-
cember, 1890, about six years after the first
appropriation was made. The total appro-
priation for the building was $4,000
nearly all of which amount has been ex
pended"
The postal account of the Office for the
year shows that there has been sold 1877 SOC
one-cent stamps; $4,000 two-cent stamps
II, 800 of other denominations 3,05C
stamped envelopes; 105,524 postal cards
postage due'stamps, value, $3.50; news
paper and periodical stamps, S673.72. These
sums, with box-rents (S663.10) and minor
items, amount to S16,27G.71. The total ex'
penses are SIS, 1872 20, leaving net revenue
of S7,A4.42. OF the expenses, 81, 670.S5 was
for free delivery service and ID for pos
tai clerk. Deposits from fourth-class post
masters, amounting to 500, 4S2.76, were
made. In the money-order division the
business amounted to S30,342.2S. In the
registered letter division, 9,41l pieces have
been handled; in the letter-carriers divis-
ion, three carriers employed, S21 1872 pieces
have been handled In the last preceding
year 702, 537 pieces were handled, an in
crease of 119, 355 in one year.
The roster of the office is: F. w. Morse,
postmaster; j. K. Goodenough assistant
postmaster; ID. +. Clark, money-order clerk
G. A. Knapp, mailing clerk; W. b. Linds-
ley, general delivery and stamp clerk; let
ter-carriers, John Miller, III. W. Brown and
Z. f. Callahan; substitute, II. A. McAllister
railway postal clerk, Willard Holden; E.
p. Richardson, janitor; A. b. Robinson, la
borer
The statement makes a neat pamphlet OF
twelve pages, a cut of the handsome new
post-office building adjoining the front cover
The work is from the press of the Watch
man Publishing Company.
The Press Excursion.