The times., 1899-05-09
THE POSqOFFICE
At WINSTON N-SALEM
A Hyphenated Name Adopted
by the Department.
The Inhabitants Of the Two Places
Dwell in Harmony.
Snlem's Postmaster Objects Because
Under the Constitution lie liz
Minus an Office.

The postofiices at Winston. n. c., and
Salem, n. c., will be consolidated on July
l next, and the residents of these two
at the Winston-Salem postoffice. This
office will be the only one in the United
States with hyphenated name and the
circumstances surrounding the consolida-
tion are OF interest. Salem is much the
older town. From it sprang Winston,
which. originally suburb, grew until it
overshadowed its parent city and almost
absorbed it. Salemites look on Winston
ians as mushroom growth while Win
stonians regard the Salemites as old
fogies. Gradually the new town grew up
to the borders of the old town and the
boundary became purely imaginary. 1t
still remained in law, however. and there
are two distinct corporations with their
town governments. Winston pays for its
progressiveness, and the taxes in that
place are said to be double what they are
in Salem.
AS Winston rose In wealth and impor-
tance, Salem declined. but all propositions
to combine hthe two have been refused.
known as Winston and the Salem
people as Salem. Finally the railroad
station changed its name to Winston
Salem. 1t CALLED the spirit OF the Salem
ties to take second place on the hyphe-
mated name, and for long time they per-
sisted in leaving off the Winston end, but
finally they became reconciled to the new
name. 1t was distinctive and aristocratic.
1t stood in class by itself. 1t was COM
pared to Mrs. Brown Jones. the Huckie-
bery-FiDns, and other distinguished par
tees whose names are connected by
hyphen.
The success attending this change was
such that the telegraph and the express
company followed suit and changed the
name of their offices to Winston Salem.
Reconciliation became the watchword and
residents of each town Wed with those OF
the other in expressing sentiments of reci-
procity. This era Of good feeling led to
the inauguration of movement for a
joint postoffice. Many people lived in Sa-
lem and did business in Winston. Driving
up the main street of the town the driver
would explain, AT present you are in
Winston. now you are in Salem" Only
the old residents were certain where one
began and the other ended Consequently,
while for purposes of taxation they pre-
ferred to have two corporations, they
sought the consolidation of the two offices.
George w. Beavers, chief OF the division
Va was StHl "
Winston Salem to adjust the case. On
his report the department decided to con-
solidate the two Offices. but protested
against adopting the hyphenated name. 1t
Should be either Salem OF Winston, and
the department did not care which.
This, however, suited neither town. The
Salemites did not want consolidation if
they could not preserve the name, and
Winstonians declined to give way to their
older neighbor. 1t was represented that
such action on the part OF the department
would destroy all the harmony now exist
ing and revive all former jealousies, and
as result the department agreed to ac-
cept the hyphenated name. The postoffice
proper will now be located in Winston.
although known as Winston Salem, and
the postoffice at Salem will be abolished.
but a station will be established imme-
diately in lieu of the postoffice. Everyone
is pleased but the Salem postmaster. who
still wants to be an independent pOstmas-
ter. He will be offered a clerkship in the
consolidated office and may perhaps be
made clerk in charge of the Salem station.