The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-07-28
EDWARDS.

i ED AW4SSs
/ Where II Edwards, was asked By
one Of = group Of gentlemen convera
ing not long ago, on San Juan island
Why, says another, it is below Seattle
on the Great Northern railroad. Yol
are thinking Of Edmonds, remarked ,
third. Edwards is in our own count.
and near the south end of LOPEZ
island. You remember Cap. Edwards
who used to keep little store in Fri
day Harbor? Well, he is dead; bu
shortly before his death he donated ar
acre or two of land frum his farm al
the head Of Mud bay, Lopez island, ia
. Mr.. Hess for store, postofilce, etc
So, when the postOfice was established
1t was called Edwards, in honor of Its
chief patron. That was about five
years ago, think. The store at Ed
wards did not long continue, as Mr..
Hess found himself short of means;
but the postoffice has been well patron
lied, though greatly handicapped by
the extremely poor way the mail has
been supplied. When this Office was
petitioned for, the government was
asked to place it on the Friday Harbor-
Anac0rtes line, as it is but q short way
off the regular course of the mail
steamer supplying that route. But as
usual with new Offices, the postal de-
partment responded that for economi-
cal reasons, the office must for awhile,
at least, be supplied through the office
at Richardson. The settlers believing
that half loaf was better than none,
consented to this. That was their mis-
take. Had they held out for the call
ing in Of the mail steamer, they would
have got what was asked for. But to
be supplied through another Office was
not their only hardship. The schedule
for the arrival and departure of the
carrier between the two offices, re-
quired that he start from Richardson
not from Edwards-several hours after
the arrival of the mail steamer. By
that arrangement, the mail to Edwards
must lay over at Richardson, and mail
from Edwards must stop there too,
from twenty to forty hours. To illus
trate: A letter mailed at Edwards for
Port T0wsend, Seattle or any mainland
Office, must tarry at the Richardson
office some twenty hours1before leaving
our own island. Again, and worse
still, a letter for Friday Harbor or any
Office Whatcom way, was snugly
housed at the Richardson office for
forty hours or more before starting on
its mission. This was all caused by
having the carrier start from Richard
son in place of from Edwards, taking
the mail Of the latter Office with him
in time to connect with the mail steam
or and bringing back the Edwards
mail. It is surprising that the settlers
patronizing the Edwards Office sub
mitted to such injustice for four years.
But they did; and when it was neces-
sary to get off an urgent letter to any
place they had to carry it to Richard
son. When the new contract for carry
ing the mail between these two offices
was let, a patron of the Edwards office
hoping to remedy the mail service, took
the sub-cOntract, and Immediately set
about securing a change of schedule for
carrier. 1t Is hard to get q wagon out
OF all old rut. The department at
Washington, though requested III the
prescribed way to make the change,
delayed in responding. Perhaps they
were too busy to look after the interests
of small office; or may be, red tape
had something to do in the case. At
any rate, the new carrier had to start
in under the old objectional schedule.
In this predicament, an appeal was
made to our very efficient and accom-
mOdating representative at Washington
City, ]. H. Lewis. He promptly called
at the general postoffice department
and having explained our grievance,
secured the desired change. Now the
carrier starts with the mail from Ed
wards in time to make close cOnnec-
ton with the steamer at Richardson.
AS consequence, there is no longer
any delay of the Edwards mail. The
patrons of this office are much pleased
with the change. It is hoped that at
an early date the government may be
pre-, . led upon to have themail steanl-
er, Buckeye, call at this office. With
regular steamer connection with Ana
cortes, Edwards would become the
most preferable route to Seattle, What
com, ETC., for residents of southern and
central Lopez. In winter the long
rough voyage by way of Port Towns
end is something to be dreaded, while
that by way Of Anacortes and the fine
large steamers on the WhatcOm route
would be cheaper and more comfort
able. K.