Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-01
POSTAL EVOLUTION.
STORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE MAIL SERVICE.

References to tho Post-Beginning Of
What Has Become IN Almost Perfect
and . Cheap System.
1t seems almost incredible, in view Of
the wonderful labyrinth of postal routes
all over the world today. that there ever
could have been a time when there were
no postoffices, no letter carrier, no mail
facilities at all.
But, of course, there had to be some
means of communication even in the
earliest ages, though these were confined
for centuries to emperors and kings and
other great rulers. The emperors of
Egypt, of Persia, Of Assyria and Of
Rome held many lesser kings and satraps
as their vassals. With these it was nec-
essary to communicate with certainty
and regularity, and therefore couriers
were employed to carry dispatches and
reports to and from the more distant
provinces.
OF course no one man or one horse
could traverse the whole route. so sta
lions We're established along the roads
at certain intervals, where couriers were
brothers, and carry on the dispatches
with uniform speed. These stations
we're called posts" from the Latin
word positum-fxed or placed-whence
comes the name of our modern postal
system.
In the Old Testament are frequent
references to the posts. In II Chronicles
you will find, 80 the posts went with
the letters" and $50 the posts passed
from city to city" In Esther also and
in Job and jeremiah you will find other
illusions TO the posts. But they were
never for the use of the common people.
The Roman Emperor Augustus was
the first 10 establish a system of posts
suggestive of the present system. You
have heard the saying, "All roads lead
to Rome" This was the origin Of it:
From Rome as a center post roads were
built, called royal highways, extend
ing all over Europe. After the decline
of the Roman empire these post roads
were abandoned by degrees, and during
the dark ages they almost entirely dis
appeared.
In the thirteenth and fourteenth CEN
turics however, their need began to be
so strongly felt that posts between diff
ferent parts of the same country were
established, and soon these were extend
ed into other countries. These posts
We're carried first by foot runners and
then little later by men on horseback.
1t was not long, though, before the
post privilege was extended. and it was
found impossible for horseback riders to
carry the increasing mail, so wheeled
conveyances were provided, and the
next step was for these conveyances to
carry passengers as we'll as the mail.
And thus from the post was evolved
the mail coach. What this meant to our
hitherto shut in ancestors it is hard for
Us of the present day to realize even
family. But it is safe TO say that the
evolution of the public post and the
mail coach did more than any other one
thing to hasten civilization.
In the reign Of the Emperor Freder-
lex III, Francis Won Laxis. whose grand
father is said to have established a post
al service across the Tyrol and Syria.
entered the service of the house of Haps-
ouiS anu UCSdLlC tuO AOuuuSI VI VIC
modern postal system. Through Won
Laxis the emperor established regular
posts throughout his kingdom between
| the years 1440 and 1893, and at the be-
| ginning of the sixteenth century the
Austrian post became the international
post Of the Hapsburg dynasty.
In France the University Of Paris Or
| ganized apOstal service in the thirteenth
century which flourished until 1919. In
some parts Of Europe there were brother
hoods and mercantile guilds which es.
tablished posts and postoffices subject
to the government.
In England, in 1868, Rowland Hill
started private post, but Cromwell g
heavy hand came down on the enter
prise. and the men who carried the let
tiers We're trampled down and killed by
his soldiers. Later on Mr.. Hill came to
the front again, instituted many re.
forms in the service, and at last gave to
England a real and effective postal serv-
ice. Louis XI Of France founded postal
system in 1864, which was greatly i'm
proved by Charles TX in 1865.
But 1t was not alone the Christian
nations that felt the need Of q postal
service. When the Spaniards invaded
South America, they found a regular
system of posts in operation, SO that the
news OF their landing was carried to the
inca with incredible swiftness, the post
men being runners, who carried around
their waists knotted cords, code of sig
mails or sign writing.
Coming down to our own country,
suppose we take a peep at the mail
methods in vogue in its earlier days.
Let us take as type the postal service
between Boston ard New York. where,
in 1852, post was established Ito goe
monthly" Post riders, starting at the
same hour from each end of the route,
carried the mails. Leaving on Monday
morning, they met and exchanged bag:
ut Saybrook, Conn, on the following
Saturday. Then each man returned tc
his starting point, which, Of course,
took nearly another week.
1t was Benjamin Franklin that, in
1913, suggested the plan for a posta
service on which our present system j.
founded In the early days of this sys
Y R<xw~r 49,