The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-24

The inscription. burst into tears. Besought
by her mystihed husband TO account Tor
her emotion. she said tina the shaft per-
petuated a great injustice 20 her father
above whose grave the monument right
ully belonged. when they lad returned
from their drive. Mr.. Gordon questioned
his wife more closely, and so satisfied was
ha Of the injustice TO her father ana SO
deeply was his own heart touched at the
grief II caused the sensitive natures OF
MS much-loved wife. that ne resolved TO
devote his energies and means TO undolng
the wrong that had been done.
"A GIGANTIC TASK.
1T was a gigantic task, said Mr.. Cor
don. Il found myself in Washington
surrounded by officials who 'were so bent
on ascribing the honor to Armstrong
that they had not hesitated 20 stoop To
most questionable means. one documeht
I'm particular. which in its original form
irrefutably established the claim OF Mr'
Davis. had been supplemented by inter
Iineations and altered by crasures unlh
II conveyed a FAR different meaning. THIS
document afterwards went before the
sanate. in response TO q resolution, ana
when Postmaster General hatton was
asked for an explanation OF the erasures
and interlineations me said that they were
simu1y the result Of a final revision OF the
document by the General Superintendent
of the Railway Mail Service before CIV
ing 1t his Signature
Mr.. Gordon was only partially success
fun. He interested influential men, irends
u himself and Of descendants oil Mt
paws. and convinced a great many OF
Tho nowers.tbat-were Of the just title
~ his fa~ther-ln-law TO the distinction or
having originated the vast scheme OF as
,ribution u mail in transit, but Congress
has never officially recognized the pIloi
claim of Mr.. Davis over that advanced by
he heirs Of George y. Armstrong 9H'
Mr.. Gordon oherishes a lingering nope
that "honor 20 whom honor rs Que Win
vet be awarded by the Government.
CAME TO RICHMOND.
The story Of william A. Davis from
youth has TO do with postal affairs. Born
IN barren county. ia september fVf' ne
rode on horseback at the age OF fourteen
years 20 Charlottesville, where ne re-
NAMED with a relative. IN the postohice'
until twenty-one years ola, Wheh ne was
called TO Richmond by the postmaster
tera who hac learned Of the young man $
ability through correspondence on the sub-
fect or pos;ai matters. He became assist
ant postmaster. and remained here unul
the spring Of 1885, when he cecded 10
tamoye 10 Missouri. He settled at 81.
Joseph. but It was not long before the
Postofiec Department knew OF the
change. and when a change or pOstnas-
tiers shortly afterwards was made, Mt
Davis was rendered and accepted the ST.
Joe Office. He was succeeded, however
In 1851 ny a Republican appOintee OF Presi-
dent Lincoln. but the latter retained the
services Of Mr.. Davis. who was given en-
the charge OF the distribution OF mail
from that point.
AZ hat time there were sixteen dis
trlhuting" postofices scattered through
out the United Saes. To some one ~
these an the mail OF the cuontry had 20 be
forwarded before proceeding 70 It's desti-
nation.
WHAT SUGGESTED THE IDEA.
The entire overland mall was then dis
tribu,ed in the St. Joseph Office. BY the
failure Of connections at Quincy and the
frequent delay Of trains on the Hannibal
and St. Joseph railroad. unusual quaint
lies 81 overland sman matter would be
,hroWn into the postohice for Distribution.
N could not possibly be assorted In tho
brief dine between the arrival Of trains
nd the deror gre 81 overland COACHES
This suggested to Mr.. Davis the idea q
Sistrlhuting IA transit between quincy
ana 81. Jospeh. He thought out the de-
tails OF a working arrangement and made
mans Of the special cars that would be re-
guircd. lie laid the matter before the
postmaster. q Mr.. Bittnger. and the lat
Ier thought The idea entirely fcasin e 81
much impressed was he. In fact, that he
determined 20 use all the influence he had
10 induce the Postmaster-G General, Hon
Montgomery Blair. 10 grant authority to
frv the experiment. Mr.. Bittinger an
paaied through his personal friend, Gen
o~al Francis 4. Blair. Jr. who stood IN
the important relation OF son 70 the Post
master-Gcncral.
N, make The story short. no desired
permission was given. and In 1862 the first
"eurrorlh % the present vast Railway
Mail Service was ln 0neraiion. II worked
as Mr.. Davis had predicted Where form
erlv mail would accumulate and remain
a. che ofice "A week whit Il was beng
distributed. II now was thrown OF the
train already distributed. and al one
placed on the starea
TWO YEARS LATER.
George y. Armstrong was at that time
assistant postmaster at Chicago. Some
time afterwards he wrote 70 the post
master at 81. Joseph, asking for details
az Mr. Davis scheme. Being assured that
II Was IN successful operation, q couple
OF years afterwards he succeeded In OBJ
tsinins authority from the department
20 inaugurete q similar service on the
railroad between Chicago ~nd Clinton,