Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-09
GIVEN A BANQUET
Postmaster Merritt Guest of the City
Letter Carriers.
FEAST PRECEDED BY A RECEPTION
Addresses by Several Representa-
tives of the Service.
MR.. MERRITT'S GREETING
MR.. MERRITT'S GREETING

MR.. MERRITT'S GREETING
| The letter carriers of this city assem-
hled last evening at the National Hotel and
united in giving the new postmaster OF
| Washington, Mr.. John A. Merritt, a hearty
reception and in pledging loyal support &c
make the administration of the postal
| service at the capital success Nearly
| one-half of the carriers of the city were
present. They met the postmaster in the
| hotel parlors, after which they proceeded
| to the large banquet hail. where covers
were laid for about 100 guests. Before sit
ting down Mr.. E. A. Wilbur made an adj
dress of welcome to the postmaster and
other officials of the department. Mr.. Ed
| ward Hines, as POSTMASTER sat at the
head of the long table, with Postmaster
| Merritt his right and Superintendent
| Machen of the free delivery service on his
| left. Other guests of honor were E. J.
| Cantwell editor of the Postal Record; Mai
| ]. E. Bell, superintendent of the city free
delivery, and the following superintendent
Station A, w. A. Hutchins; B. VIM. NJ
| Dove; D, A. c. Irvine; G, B. Parkhurst.
Seated at the long tables were w. B. Dent
J. VIM. Murphy, George Parott. ]. B.
Woodficld, A. w. Hudson, E. A. Wilbur, A.
| w. S: Van Fleet, A. Fowler. w. B. Hop
kins, w. H. Morris. j. E. Benjamin, Robert
Stewart r. S. Trin1bie F. G. Thompson,
Geo Gerhauser. E. E. Longley, W. R.
| Cruit, Frank Fauth, w. H. Haycock, j. S.
| Sweeney, III. Wilson, ". II. Bayden. A. W.
H. Ferris, Jno. Mccormick, G. w Mon
| tague, L. H. Middlekauf, s. H. Stutzman,
i To 1bar cohy AZ Wy
f. Waggoner, Alexander Goodall P H.
Branson, D. E. Brewer, w. B. Britain. a.
| L. Clark, John F. Clark, W. S. Crawford.
=; II; Da1t, H. D. Dickson, G. T. Gailaher,
N: harrington, ]. B. Johnston John j.
King, John O'Neil. c. E. Rittenhouse F. b.
| SWlggert, j. S. Balm, H. A. Cumberland T..
| u; kaysar G: c. Crouch, ]. A. Weigle P.
w Mussen, H l.. Barrick. w. e Vaugbn
A j. Petit and J. r. Gibson
After-Dinner Speeches.
After coffee and cigars had been passed
around POSTMASTER Edward Hines pre-
sented Mr. Machen, who spoke on the
progress of the postal service Acting First
Assistant Postmaster General Allen was TO
nave responded to the first toast of the
evening, but he was una bic to be present.
Mr.. Machen referred to the great prog
ress of the postal service in this country.
which service, he said, was in advance of
mat OF any other country. The first year
OF the postal service in the United States
involved an expenditure of ST 500 Today
TOUR times that amount is spent in year
to allow the letter carriers of Chicago to
ride on street cars. The free delivery SER
wee was established in the United States
in 1858 One of the greatest achievements
or tins country was the prompt extension of
the mail service to its newly acquired pos
sessions. When the United States authori-
tleS undertook to establish mail service in
Cuba they found that in Havana, a town of
100000 population, there was not a single
carriers mail bag The carriers We're sup
posed to be paid by collecting cents on
ed that they actually collected amounts
varying from to % cents. At the post
office there 700 small letter boxes were
rented at from SO TO $50 year. The
Spanish postmaster, the speaker said, told
him they charged for these boxes accord
ing to the business done by the renter or.
in other words, they charged according 10
the ability of the renters to pay. The rent
of these boxes was promptly reduced to a
uniform rate of IS. Cuba had gained vastly
by the postal system of this country.
E. j. Cantwell. secretary of the National
Association of Letter Carriers and editor
of the Postal Record, spoke of the benefits
the carriers had received from unity and
said he hoped they would give their hearty
support to the national association when it
goes before Congress next winter in behalf
of legislation in their interests. He said
| organization had raised the standard of the
letter carrier throughout the country.
Postmaster Merritfs Address.
Postmaster Merritt responded in an ap-
propriate way when called upon, and re-
ferred to the rapid growth of the postal
system, especially since $780, in which time
the number of post offices had increased
from 43 600 to 10000 and the expenditures
had risen from $33 900 600 to s1o0, 900 oo0
The postage was cheaper here than in any
other country in the world, the charge of
the English penny post being equivalent to
cents in this country, while there the
charge is for one-half an ounce only. lie
was glad to be with the carriers of the
post office and commended the spirit of
fraternity and the desire for high stand
ard of work which characterized them.
w. b. Dent responded to the toast THE
Letter Carrier, paying glowing tribute
to the good qualities of those who handle
the mail He recounted wittily the trials
of the carrier in the performance of his
duty ana assured the postmaster that the
great desire of every one of the men Serv
ing in the delivery department was to
make his adminstra a success.
Major ]. E. Bell, superintendent of the
free delivery service of the city, recounted
the progress that had been made since the
establishment Of free delivery here in 1868,
carriers. He had entered the service in
1862, and June j, 1866, was made superin-
tendent of free delivery, which place he has
since held. He referred to the men who
were carriers in the old days of the service
and to Mr.. w. B. Britain who was seated
at the table, and who for thirty-ffve con-
secutive years had been carrier.
Mr.. Britain was called to respond to
1.-The past and present of the post Office
and gave an interesting account of the
changed conditions which the letter car
riers of the city had encountered. He re-
ferred TO the annual leave of the carriers
and could see no reason why they should
have but fifteen days leave of absence
while clerks of the departments are given
thirty days.
Substitute Carriers.
John M. Gibson responded to the toast
1.-The substitute
The evening proved to be one Of great
enjoyment to all who were present.