The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-27
HE LIKED HIS JOB.
Wanamaker Sorry to Lose His
High Position.
WILL PoPuLARlzE HIS VIEWS.
He wants Postal Savings Banks. Postal
1eie9rsphs and Telephones and Free
Rural Mail Delivery.

About 8 O'Clock yesterday morning. the
reception committee of the Chamber of
Commerce and Y. NJ. 9. A. assembled at
the Lake Shore depot, where the cars of
the Wanamaker party were standing, for
the purpose Of escorting the guests about
the city. The day was . beautiful one,
tne atmosphere being clear and the bright
sunshine lighting up the green hilltops,
snowy peaks and glistening waters of
lakes and harbors, ruffied by q cool north.
west breeze.
Miss Wanamaker and Miss Morgan and
MI. Warder accepted the invitation of Mr..
X. d. Mckee. of the geological survey, for
a drive about the city. Mrs. Thomas B.
Wanamaker was indisposed and did not
JOIN the main party, but later she recov-
cred and in company with Miss Elizabeth
Wanamaker took short drive. The other
members of the party, escorted by the re-
ception committees and lady friends, took
the Front street cable cars for Queen Anne
hill After enjoying the exquisite scenic
beauties here unfolded to their rapturous
gaze, the party reluctantly betook them
selves to the electric cars waiting on Re-
publican street and returned via Second
street to Madison. where the cable cars
change was made and the party proceeded
to the end of the Broadway line, from
which another panoramic vision was be-
held and the proposed union of Lakes
Washington and Union pointed out and
explained. Resuming the cars, the party
were taken to the junction with the Jack
con street cable. over which Mr.. Wanna
maker and several Of the escorting party
returned to the CITY,, The ladies and other
gentlemen of the party. however. were 50
delighted with the scenic beauties pre-
sented that they we're 10th to leave them
so soon and expressed q desire to see Lake
Washington, Of which they had before
heard so much. They accordingly left the
others of the party at Madison street and
were escorted to the lake by Griffith Da-
vies. DR.. Kilbourne, DR.. Alison, DR.. Baird.
Mrs. E. f. Whittier. Mrs. g. +. Fishback
and Mrs. Erastus Brainerd. They regret
ted very much that the limited time 1t
their disposal prevented their taking q
trip around the lake. and after promen-
ade about the grounds at the terminus the
party returned to the depot shortly before
the train pulled out.
On returning to the city Mr.. Wanamaker
was escorted by Vice-President T. w.
Prosch, +. +. Whittier and others to the
Chamber Of Commerce, where an informal
reception was held and about 100 business
men and . few ladies called to pay their
respects to the distinguished visitor, the
introductions being made by Mr.. Prosch.
Mr.. Wanamaker was in happy vein and
cordially greeted his visitors with ready
wit and in appropriate terms. He was
looking cheerful and contented and is ap-
parently in the best Of health. His keen
gray eye sparkled with good humor, and
many instances arose of his remarkable
faculty of remembering names and faces.
Several persons whom he had met on his
previous visit needed no introduction, and
to many Of those presented TO him in the
throng yesterday he spoke. addressing each
by name, as if he had known him for some
time.
To . PosT-IHTELLIGENCER reporter he
said: This city has many metropolitan
features about it. and the splendid papers
you publish accord we'll with the fine
buildings here. both of which would re-
fleet credit on far larger cities. l have en-
joyed my trip very much. have kept up
my interest in the affairs of the whole
country. particularly as regards the postal
service. which concerns people in all parts
of the country. ! have some notions of
my own on these matters. you know. and
l am deeply interested in this branch of
the public service. Well, no. I did not
like to lose my position. While / feel q
certain amount of relief at being rid of
the responsibilities attaching to my office.
still l liked the work and would have
liked to kept at it until some
of the measures advocated had
been adopted. The benefit OF the
postal service have been very largely ex-
tended during the last four years, and l
should like to see them still further ex-
tended, and to this end l have made q
number of suggestions to my successor.
shall continue to devote a large share of
my attention to commercial pursuits as I
have always done, but l intend also to do
what can toward popularizing my views
in regard TO the postal telegraph and teIe-
phone, postal savings banks and the ex-
tension of the free delivery system into the
rural districts. 1t is nothing more than
fair that the people living out in the coun-
try should have their letters and daily
newspapers brought to their doors as well
as to those of the people living in the
cities. One-cent letter postage. Scent tele-
sages are all near possibilities under an
enlightened and compact postal system.
A telephone message from the rural post
office to the railroad station miles away to
ascertain if expected freight had arrived
would save the farmer many needless
wagon trips over bad roads, and news Of
approaching frost could be promptly
spread, thereby saving many a valuable
crop. The days market price for produce
may be obtained by farmers direct from
commercial centers. Country life would
lose some of its drawbacks by the extern
sion Of such facilities to the rural popula-
ton. The people who live in the country
bear their full share Of the burdens of the
government and in postal respects receive
less than their share of its benefits"
After chatting with his callers for nearly
an hour Mr.. Wanamaker. attended by the
committees and many of his visitors.
started for the depot On his way down
he stopped and inspected the posiofiice
and shook hands with all the employees.
Passing the MacDougan & Sou,hwick
Company store. Nj MacDougall invited
the distinguished merchant TO step in and
look at it. He said tina, it was a hand
somer store than his In Philadelphia, AL
though he had last year retalled SIS. on, 90
worth of goods.
The party then repaired. TO the depot,
where a large crowd had gathered and
many citizens who had missed Mr.. Wana-
maker at the Chamber of Commerce were
presented TO him. After shaking hands
with every body and pleasant word for