The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-12-15

Wilfred Laurier, Premier OF Canada,
said: "our hands are tied to large
extent, owing to the fact of our con-
nection with the Mother Country maxi
ing us not free agents and obIiging us
to deal with questions affecting our
selves" The speech was regarded as
almost revolutionary.
Custer county, without a doubt,
at present has the most disgraceful
mail facilities of any county in the
United States. Prior to the building
of the branch railroad to Maclxay we
had six mails a week by the stage, but
now we are only allowed three mails
each week. Our mail days are on
Tuesday when we receive three mails
in one), Thursday and Saturday. OF
late, good portion of the time, we
have not been receiving the mail on
the regular schedule days but it would
come in the next day, or "a hours late.
For instance, last Thursdays mail did
not arrive in Challis until Friday at
1890 o'clock p. M, and the outgoing
mail departs at l o'clock p. m. on the
same day, thereby giving the people no
opportunity to receive and answer
their letters in time to send them off
on the outgoing mail of that day, con-
sequehtly it takes from Friday until
the next Tuesday afternoon-fve days
before the mail leaves Mackay. This
thing happens quite regular now. 1t
is accounted for owing to the fact that
the railroad has changed its schedule
and does not arrive in Mackay until 6
o'clock D. m. and the stage schedule is
to depart from Mackay at 5 o'clock p.
M, and goes up to Dickey that even
ing where it remains over night, aud
comes TO Challis the next day about
noon. Sometimes the stage waits at
Mackay for the mail and sometimes it
doesn't. One proposition is to compel
the stage to wait in Mackay until the
arrival of the train-say $3.50 p. III.
then come on to Dickey, and arrive in
Challis the same as now-the only diff
ference being they would be an hour
or so later arriving at Dickey, but it
would make no difference in the time
from Dickey to Challis, and we would
be pretty sure of getting our mail on
the schedule days. A petition is being
circulated to have the stage depart
from Mackay the next morning after
the arrival of the train, at 6 o'clock,
and come right through to Challis tue
same day without a stop-over, arriving
here at 7 o'clock that evening. This
would make the mail six hours later
than at present if the mail arrives on
the days it is due. Some oppose this
method for at times during the bac
be later than 9 o'clock and the people
he could not get their mail until tht
next morning. But we would be al
most certain of getting our mail OF
mail days. Should this last schedule
be adopted the up-river stages woulC
have to depart at 6 o'clock a IN. instead
) of o'clock to make connections. AL
of these changes are proposed, but lie
the people of Custer county petition
: and work as unit for a daily mail
r 1t can be had if we keep up constan
| and untiring fight for it. There is nc
, use of giving up and say "there's NJ
, use.n We have a 'kiclx" coming, anC
let us ''kiek" often aud hard. We ar
: entitled to daily mail, and if we ar
, unable to get it over the Macka,
: branch railroad, ask that it be giver
5 us over the Star route from Bedrock
: Montana. This might be done by in
creasing the Salmon & Challis line to
: daily. A daily mail from Redrocl
: would be an improvement over tn
present system to the people of Custe
: county on Salmon river. If it was re
quired, we have no doubt but the mai
from Redrock could be run to Salmo
in one day, and right on to Challis tn
next day. But Redrock route is tn
last resort for daily mail service. w
all favor the Macxay route for dali
mail. Isn't Custer county entitled t.
a decent mail service as well as an.
other county ? Are we sovereign
people of this great Republic
may cost the government more to Civ
us daily mail, but according to tn
Bristow report expenses did not Gu
much of figure in the Postoffiee De
partment. There is no question bu
the Government can force the railroa
to carry the mail daily to Mackay
they want to. Years ago the railroa
tried three-times.a-w week mail o
Wood River, but it didn't work. Th
people demanded daily and they gC
It. Custer county with 1000 or 500
people and three mails week, is a
outrage on its people. Why, any tow
back East with 100 inhabitants ha
from two to four mails day. We as
a Idaho's representatives in Congress
use their best efforts to procure dali
mail for Custer county aud we voit