The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-15
CAN'T CURB P0STMISTRESS.
She Is still Enforcing POIiteness in
Her Texas Office.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Washington, Dec. 12.-The Texas
sheriff who appealed to the Postoffice
Department last week on behalf of the
citizens of a little town in the south
western part of the state, asking that
the postmistress, who, according to the
sheriffs letter, required citizens of the
town, from the Mayor down, to remove
their hats and look pleasant on asking
for MAIL and who emphasized her views
with a brace of revolvers, be toned
down some," has again been heard
from. The sheriff evidently overlooked
the fact that it takes some time for
an inspector to travel clear across Tex
as, and his appeal is urgent. His letter
follows:
There amt no inspector showed up
in these parts yet, and we'd like to
know if one is coming. When l wrote
you last week things wasn't exactly
calm and peaceful and since then the
situation has sure become acute and
unsatisfactory. This lady postmaster
here found out in some wayne amt
yet decided how-that the Mayor and
me and the other leading citizens of
this town was some VeXed and annoyed
with her. and since then the postoffice
amt done any business to speak of.
If it was a man dealing out stamps
and handing over our mail you can
rest easy we wouldn't have asked for
help, and as it is we certainly are sorry
to bother you. But we amt making
war on women, including this one,
which can handle her armament quite
casual and tlippant; so we want you
to do something.
This town respectfully protests to
you against the way in which this ac-
credited postmistress is urging her
views on politeness; this town respect
fully protests that it amt got time to
leave it's hat outside the door when
getting its mail; this town respectfully
protests that its duly elected Mayor
is important in the eyes of it's citizens
and that there amt no call for him to
act humble when he's getting his mail.
This Mayor amt felt right since he
skipped out of the postoff1ce last week,
some undignifed and frisky, owing to
the fact he forgot to take off his hat
and bow, and he is going to resign If
something amt done. Please attend
to it, for we are getting snippish and
1retIul IN our LeIlptIS anu are lIdDlC
to do something we might regret. Tell
the inspector he'd. better come to see
me first. She heard he's coming and
there amt no use of his being rash
and careless"
According to the officers of the POST
office Department, Texas is forging to
the front as the most troublesome state
in the union, so far as the personnel
of the postal service is concerned.
H., Ton "
ed at the Postoffice Department from
town about 300 miles from that ruled
over by the postmistress with views
on politeness The petition was signed
by twenty of the leading citizens who
complained that owing to feud be-
tween the postmaster and his only as
sistant, a mail carrier, who transports
the mail to the postoffice from the rail-
road station, ten miles away, they had
not received any mail for the past ten
days.
The writer asserted that the relations
between the postmaster and his assist
ant had never been very cordial, but
that recently they had a fight in which
the postmaster was worsted. since
that time both the postmaster and mail
carrier were prepared to shoot on sight.
The mail carrier got the mail every
day at the railroad. but couldn't get
near enough to the postoffice to deliver
it, He couldn't open the mailbags
because the postmaster had the key
and wouldn't consent to the leading
citizens rifiing the bags.
The petition closed with the state
ment that the business of the town
was suspended and that the citizens
sat around watching the postmaster
and his assistant take an occasional
shot at one another.
The above are just two of a number
Of similar cases that have been brought
TO the attention of the Postoffice De-
partment in the course of year. Ac-
cording to an inspector who covered
the Texas territory for some time, "a
man earns his money down there"