Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-11-23
Friday. November 23, 1900.
OUTLINES HIM.

lie has passed, his requiem has been
sung, his place in the affairs of the
world has been filled and, like many a
great mans, the name of Hon. VIM
IL. Wilson will soon be memory
only. There are some of our people
who had the good fortune to know
him, and few ever came in contact
with him but felt the better for
having known him. We have with
us on the lower Rappahannock a
monument to his generosity and
foresight, one that is now fully
established and promises to continue
to be of benefit to our people. We
refer to the mail route between points
this side of the Rappahannock and
Urbanna, being supplied by the little
steamer Owen billiard. Previous b.
the establishment of this route all
mail from Richmond, and Virginia
at large, whose destination was the
lower Northern Neck, was required
to be sent via Baltimore, Md. This
section was virtually cut off from all
communication with the rest of the
State. Richmond and Norfolk papers
were usually from As to 60 hours old
when we received them.
While Postmaster-general of the
United States Mr.. Wilson visited this
section upon several occasions, and
his perception and kindness did the
rest Time and again we had en-
deavored to get better communion
ton with the rest of the State, but
what with the red-tape and gen
eral disinclination to venture upon
such an.apparently unimportant and
expensive scheme all efforts failed to
influence government officials. A
personal call upon Mr.. Wilson in his
office at Washington by a citizen here
was all that was necessary to in
stitute the movement. The appli-
cation was taken and without send
ing it through the regular and tedi
Gus channels the Postmaster-general
endorsed it and sent it to the proper
department, with instructions to put
the matter through.
Two weeks later the FIRST mail from
White Stone, Irvington, Weems and
Millenbeck upon the new route
started. If we recall correctly it
consisted of two lone letters, and for
a week or SO the indications were
that the route, as far as dispenser
Of much mail was concerned, would
be a failure. 1t was not for long,
however, and to-day six or eight
sacks, and sometimes more, are re-
quired to accommodate the service.
If the intervening star-routes do their
duty letters and papers leaving Rich
mond daily at q. m. are received the
same day or night throughout most of
Lancaster county and at the county
seat of MISUNDERSTANDING latter
being served by subsequent extern
sion Of the steamer route to Merry
Point and the Inauguration of
land route. Upon certain days mail
from the North is scheduled via
Richmond to us over this route and
reaches us quicker than it could do
when awaiting departure of steamers
from Baltimore. We will not soon
forget what boon it was to us two
years ago when the river and bay
were blocked with ice and two wagon
loads of belated mail, brought from
West Point, were distributed through.
out the Northern Neck by the little |
Owen billiard.
AS we have said, we believe the |
route is permanently established. We
would like to see just such another
route running from Urbanna or
Bowlers to points higher up the
Northern Neck, feeling positive that
it would be as much a success as the |
one we are discussing. We have
made efforts in behalf of such a
route but-well, Vim. L. Wilson IS
not at the helm, and there is little
hope of early success. Nevertheless
efforts on this line will he continued |
and at some day success may crown |
the effort.