Omaha daily bee., 1896-09-03
LETTER CARRIERS CONVENTION.
PInns for the Coming Annual Meeting
Mt Grand Rapids.

NJ trunu Rapids.
! More than ordinary significance attaches
to the approaching Labor day in the minds
of the letter carriers Of Chicago, says the
Times-Herald. In addition to being the hol.
iday of the masses of toilers. among whom
they are numbered, 1t will be the occasion
of the opening of the annual convention of
the National Association of Letter Carriers
at Grand Rapids, Mich. The event has been
uppermost in the minds of the men in gray
for months. All or nearly all the letter car
riers of Chicago will attend in a body. There
are in round numbers LOO carriers enrolled
in the service of the main Offices and the ste,
lions. Every carrier has a personal interest
in the trip and the convention to follow, and
every carrier will take part in the excursion
unless prevented by some unusual cause. 1t
promises to be the largest exodus of carriers
in the history of the Chicago office. They
Will be enabled to enjoy a holiday, take part
in the parade at Grand Rapids and make a
showing of their strength, without interior
ing with the regular holiday deliveries.
General Superintendent Frederick f. Stoll
has applied his genius for organization for
weeks to the arrangement of a program
Tor the trip, which will be perfect in every
detail. The carriers, their friends and other
employees OF the postoffice have engaged a
special train of two sections on the Michigan
Central for Grand Rapids. 1t is scheduled to
leave at 10 O'Clock on the morning of Labor
Day, after the last delivery.
HesinS, Superintendent Stoll and other of
ficials will have the use of the private car of
an officer of the road. Another car for com
missary purposes will be loaded with food
and refreshments A rate of $3.70 has been
secured for the round trip. 1t is expected
that the carriers and others on the excursion
Will swell the number of visitors to 100 or
l 200. The trains will arrive in Grand Rapids
at 3 in the afternoon, where the visitors
VIII be received by the Grand Rapids car
r!ors and their Ommitte of arrangements.
Nowak's Illinois State band, of forty-eight
instruments has been engaged to m
them. In honor of the OCCASION, the mem
bcrs of the band have provided themselves
with new uniforms of white duck Many of
the carriers have ordered their new fall uni
forms in time for the trip.
Colonel Stoll's roam horse, Roanoke. Which
has figured in the equestrian paradeS, viii
have been shipped to Grand Rapids in time
to carry him in the parade which has neen
arranged for their arrival. Postmaster Hes
ing VIII be mounted upon a charger which
has been promised for his use, and Is said
to be one of the best pieces or horseiieSh
in Michigan. The postmaster will lead the
parade. Great things are predicted For this
display. Mr.. Stoll's force of carriers has
been divided into two platoons, the biggest
men Of the force in front and the siX-fooIers
in the front rank. As a mark of special
honor they have been assigned a place in the
column Immediately in the rear of the Grand
Rapids carriers, and the officers of the ma
tional association. Four thousand carriers
or more are expected to be in line, every
large city within 300 miles of Grand Rapids
being represented. Large delegations ere
promised from New York, Detroit, Cleve-
land, Cincinnati, TOldo, Columbus, Milwau-
kee and Jackson. The Seventeenth United
States infantry band, stationed near Detroit,
will lead the Detroit carriers, Fifty mu-
sicians of the carriers band from New York
will march before the Gotham letter car
riers. The New York delegation has en-
gagged a special train and arranged for stops
at the principal cities en- route to serenade
the postmasters. A band of forty pieces will
the Cleveland carriers.
Convention headquarters will be at the
Morton house, Immediately opposite. The
convention itself gives promise of being
the largest and most successful since the
organization of the association. Over 600
delegates have been elected to attend. Post
master Carroll of Grand Rapids will make
the address OF welcome. Governor Rich
has promised to deliver an address, and
other speakers of note are likely to be in
attendance. Among the prominent men
whose presence is expected are m
General w. l.. Wilson, First Assistant Post
master General Frank H.. Jones and A. W.
Macham, superintendent OF free delivery for
the United States. The postmasters of the
principal cities within a radius of 500 miles
are also likely to attend. At the close of
the convention the delegates and promi-
nent visitors will be entertained at a ban
quet in the Morton house, where mi
Hesing will be the speaker of the evening.
To meet the expenses a fund OF $25, 900 is
said to have been subscribed by the citi-
zens of Grand Rapids.
Subjects of importance to the carriers
OF the country are to be considered by the