Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-26
RAIL WAY MAIL SERVICE.


-
Said to Have Had Its Origin on the r., W.
Il u. Railroad About 1888.
The railway mail service, which is
ono of the most important features OF
tho Postotiice Departments magnificent
equipment, is said to have had its
origin about 1888 on the Philadelphia,
Wilmington 4 Baltimore railroad.
People interested have discussed the
matter at considerable length recently
and sundry articles nave been printed
on the subject 1t Is believed by many
that the following. which was printed
IN the Delaware Gazette of this city
in 1888, is proof that the railway mail
service was first put into operation on
the p, W. & b. road: .,..
Sin the mai train of cars of the
Philadelphia, Wilmington Il Baltimore
railroad there is Il handsome car which
is divided into oommodious apartments,
one CT which is a complete postottlce,
furnished with a desk, pigeon holes,
cases, q letter box and everything need
full for the business of rosto!iice. This
apartment is occupied by clerk or
agent of the Postotfice Department, who
receives the letters which are put into
the box at the different towns on the
route, stamps them, charges them,
arranges them in parcels and delivers
them ut the places Of their destination.
In this mode the way mails are accom-
modated and distributed with con-
venience and dispatch unknown to the
history of letters and postotlces. The
partment in the rear of this travelling
postotiice contains the great mail. Our
citizens find coed deal of convenience
in tho arrangement and frequently avail
themselves of this locomotive postollice,
when their letters are too late for the
hours of the regular establishment in
Shipley street. -
Commenting on this publication, the
March number of tho Railway Post
office, printed in st. Paul, Mimi, says
This article can scarcely be regarded
as other than the chronicle OF an
authentic event. The minuteness with
which the car is described and the com.
plete absence Of anything in the nara
tion looking to sensational effect tend
to strengthen the appearance of plausi-
bility. In the hope of securing some
confirmation Of this newspaper state
ment, as we'll as additional information
upon the event that it naIratos. the
editor addressed letter of inquiry to
Assistant Superintendent II. G. jack
son of the Second division, to which
the following reply has been rscsived !:
=" Montgomery. Ala, March 7,1900. -
Mr. James Elliott, editor The Railway
Postofi Your letter of the "a
inst, quoting an article from the Della
wa,e State Gazette regarding the rail-
way postoilice service on the line of the
F.. W. Abb. railroad in 1888, has Just
reached me here The statement is
interesting and surprising. Surprising,
because IN the first place, speaking
without any facilities for reference as
to the history of the p, w. & B. rail-
road. | would not have thought the
road was sufficiently developed at that
time to admit of this. Also, because,
although l was closely associated with
prominent officials of the load, yet that
none of them should have made mention
OF such an important fact. Further,
because from the year 1865 | met, fire.
quentiy,. every railway postal clerk and
postmaster along the route for long
period, and that mono of them should
have known of it or at least spoken of
it, However, admitting the authenticity
OF the account, 1t does not detract from
the mert of Col. George b. Armstrong,
for tle result Of his initiation has!been
continuous. There was successful
experiment, as you knew, in Michigan
and one in Illinois, but they did not
last, whereas permanency is the rroper
tnst OF success. | do not think that
Col. Armstrong claimed entire origi.
nality, b'G rather practical develop
inent OF the idea and appreciation of
us potentinlity. ! shall be interested
in pursuing this matter.
Yours truly, X. y. Jackson ~
Investigation here shows that the
r., w. ~ b. railroad was in operation
as such as early as 1886, two years prior
TO the chronieling' Of the event noted
ABOVE. CONCERNING Mr.. Jackson's let
ter, The Railway Postoffice says:
On all matters connected with the
history OF the railway mail service no
man 10 better qualified to speak than
Mr.. Jackson. Having been closely
associated with its development from
its first crude beginnings, and having
more than any other Official been ins
strumental in its establishment and
extension throughout the Eastern
States, it would seem as tboupb he
could scarcely help being acquainted
with what nurpofts to have bern n
practical application of the theory that
% years later was adopted by the Post
once Department Though the cogent
efforts of Col. George B. Armstrong !;
yet this newspaper account must stand
as containing u strong probability of
| truth. - =
So far as is known, there is NOTHING
on record to show that the distribution
OF mails on trains was in vogue prior
to the time it was adopted on the p,
W.. b. road, as mentioned in the