The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-25
ORIGIN OF THE r. Nj. S.

a study OF the old records OF the postal
service. made by George G. Tunell. long
recognized as q Giilgent student OF trans
II rtation problems. contains much THAI
should be OF encouragement TO present
day friends Of the automobile the electric
l. connective, and other new devices. The
railroad itself. according 10 these investi-
cations. was long time IN jrstifying its
usefulness in the carriage OF the mans
and occasioned many departmental re
ports which We're anything but comph-
mentary.
In spite of the impossible roads % the
wet season. the heaviness OF the stage
coaches. and the crude conditions OF the
Gay. the horse for many years was
strong competitor with the locomotive
As late as 1855. which II viii be recalled.
vas six years after the successful tTisl
o. the "Stourbridge Lion, the Postmaster
General threatened 10 remove the mails
from several OF the leading railroads IN
less they were forwarded with greater
expedition and certainty. Soon after the
opening of the first section Of the Baiti-
more and Ohio railroad 10 Ellicotts Mills.
Peter Cooper. running the Tom Thumb,
a locomotive Of his own construction. was
distsnced by : powerful gray horse draw
ing q car. This was in 1880 Cooper's dis
CO MIXTURE was due TO the slipping OF
telt that operated the blower. but this &c
cident only emphasized the irregularity
OF the locomotive OF that day.
As late as October. 1sf. some OF the rail-
ways involved refused 10 adopt schedules
urged by the postmaster general, which
would have materially ouickened the mail
between Boston and Charleston. because
they called for night running. The post
nlaster-general intimated that congress
would Indemnify them for the additional
difficulties and expense incident TO run
mig n the nighttime. 4 short time be-
fore this, ore railway offered TO carry the
nail with night service at $3.50 per mile
per year. and FOR $3.50 il the department
would so arrange the schedules that the
running would fall entirely between sun
rise end sunset. This vas not altogether
due 70 the greater danger and difficulty %
night running but somewhat 10 the TACT
that railroad depending on local traffic
must usually run by daylight in order 20
accommodate its patrons Through traf-
nc in large part goes by night. or uti,
Ives the night, as that between New York
and Boston, or New York and Washing
ton, and similar distances. Even then.
the use Of the sleeping-car seems 10 be
al acquired taste. Ii Hung Chang took
his first ride in one while in this country.
and not q FEY English tourists have tne
same experience.
As late as 1863 the pOstmaster-g general,
according TO Mr.. Tunell's sketch OF the
growth OF the railway mail service. re-
ported that an experiment was made with
a night mail between New York and Bcs-
ton. This was one Of the earliest al
temDts 20 unite several distinct c0mpa-
MES deriving their characters from as
many different states. into one coutinu-
Gus line The time between these two
cities was reduced by this train TO nine
hours. The distance. about 80 miles. left
al average of little more than twenty five
II lies per hour. The service between New
York and Washington was not as salts
factory as that between New FORK and
Boston. Twenty miles per hour seems
h have been all the department could Sc
cure from the railways forming this
route
In July. 1851. the overland mails began
t. be carried over the Hannibal and St.
Joseph railroad the first 10 reach the
Missouri river. The railroad was new.
the demands on it heavy. on account OF
the war and influx OF settlers. and the
trains we're almost always late At ~.
joseph as the most important distrib-
Uting office in the west. large amount
OF mail arrived there every morning by
the railway. The overland stages were
scheduled to leave three hours after the
train was due. and this time was utilized
for the distribution Of the mail. Sc that
y hen the trains were late the stages,
which seem To have ran with greater reg
uiarsty than the trains. left with only q
psrt OF tho mail.