Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-09-09
The Auto as a Mail Carrier.

The Postmaster at Macon, Mo-, is a
very conservative man, and was rather
pronounced in his preference for mules
10 "autOs" for service on a certain
rural delivery route. He did not OBJ.
ject to the superior speed of the ma
chine transport, but he had grave
doubts of its endurance powers, and
protested to see in the mechanical de-
vice disposition to buck" He had
doubtless read the homily going the
rounds of the press, few years ago
and universally copied, treating OF
"The Whims OF Machinery" and to
be fully imbued with the idea that all
sorts OF mechanical contrivances are
subject at times to "hoodoo" that
cannot, while it is on, be beaten out
with club.
One of the rural delivery men had
equipped his service with a fine A.
horse power auto, with beautiful red
paint on its uppers and squeeze.
whistle and brake, which had worked
quite while to the perfect satisfaction
OF its owner, under persistent protests
and Ominous shakes of the head from
the Postmaster. So confident had the
carrier become, however. that he in.
vited his superior to make trip with
him around the block of his route.
The postmaster consented, and after
the auto bad received its cargo OF
sacks, that officer babe his subordi.
mates an impressive adieu, with the
injunction not to expect him till he
got back, and mounted the auto beside
the carrier, who, be it noted, was his
own chauffeur. Away they went in
splendid style, and pouches and par
GELS were for time delivered with the
celebrity, certainty and dispatch"
called for in advertisements inviting
bids for star routes; in fact he was far
ahead OF schedule time, which fact
was announced by the note of exulta.
ton from his horn" as he whisked
past every mule met or passed on the
road.
But all things must have an end,
and every joy must pail. That is ex-
pected, but the unfortunate happening
often occurs at the most inopportune
times, and thus it was when the Macon
postmaster was given an peculiar DEM
onstration of modern methods for dis.
patch of business. When the auto
reached long, clay hill, on the home
ward stretch. the machine spluttered
as it approached the crest, and pretty
soon dozen or two cogs were scraped
from the shaft gearing, and the wagon
was left as helpless as that OF one OF
our Esculapian chauffeurs who lately
ran into sand.pile while steering his
Rambler with an eye fixed upon
the horizon and stony expression of
mighty resolve impressed upon his
countenance. the first time he attem pt-
ed to "speed" the vehicle after very
brief examination of its structure and
diagnosis of its latent weakness or de.
fects from distinctive marks or chsrac.
teristics.
In this instance, the carrier got his
monkey wrench and made friends with
the earth for half an hour before he
discovered that, like the doctors
lease" the damage was one requiring
a prolonged course Of treatment. On
crawling out, he made q bow to his
somewhat exultant companion and
said: "Well, l find I don't know
everything, and with your permission
I will tackle that hayseed, in the field
over there, for a rental OF his span oil
mules 10 make the remaining ten
miles to town. Mules may be noted
for safety if not for celebrity and dis
patch. and probably that is what the
schedule is for anyhow" So the ques.
ton of improved service by automobile
has not yet been decided by "Pike.
State" experience.