The Washington times., 1904-11-13

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v v Of pedestrian feats that ap-
pear incredible may deliver
letters for Uncle Sam in the District or
Columbia. For there are carriers in
Washington that have walked tar
enough 10 circle the globe six times.
If a man started 10 walk around the
globe six times and actually completed
his task within the same amount OF time
that these carriers have completed theirs
We would hail him as a man OF might
upon whom the admiration Of the world
might descend. but the carriers, stout
legged and enduring. perform their re-
markable feats of stamina and strength
as a matter of daily duty and attach
no more significance TO il than does
the public AT large. Who stops 10 think
that the gray coated carrier is actually
engaged in the performance Of a won
deTful feat when he is on his rounds
delivering the mails2 None at all The
average man when he is able 70 walk
hve miles without developing blisters
on his pedal eXJremiues counts himself
an individual OF more than ordinary
physical prOwess, but there are carriers
in the service who walk nve times this
distance every working day in the year
and think nothing of it at all.
When we We're told during the march
OF the allies on Pelzin a few years ago
that the japanese contingent had out
walked all the other attachments
Americans included, by covering a tribe
more than eighteen miles a day, We
marveled q their speed and endurance,
but il body of these champion walk
ers among the carriers had been with
the forces they would have left the
Japs so FAR behind that the Orientals
would have felt like a mere memory.
The postman carries a heavy load OF
mail over his route covering IL in about
eight hours. and when he returns home
after the days work never dreams Of
alcohol rundown or anything OF that
sort. A short rest while he smokes his
pipe. a hearty meal and then he is
ready for an evenings enjoyment "a
round out the day before he retires FOL
sleep He walks more in a day than
IS exacted OF the most mobile body Of
soldiers in the world ana the next day
is as nj as the prOverbial fiddle FOR
the renewal Of his pedestrian feat Nc
days OF rest after a hundred mile march
does he need. but day after day, week
after week. month after month. and
year after year reels of the daily quota
of miles until al -e end OF thirty OF
forty years service the total reaches
astonishing figures.
Routes Shorter Today.
Not all carrier routes are. Of course
OF the same length. Some IN the busl
ness district cover an area OF scarcell
more than half a block. while those Il
the outlying residential sections ar
miles iu length. but the average rouu
requires from ten 10 twelve miles walk
iug a day on the part of the postman
That b. the situation today. but SOM
years ago the routes were considerabl,
longer and when the free delivery sys
TEN was hrst introduced here twenty
four men covered the entire city. Th'
distance some OF these men must have
covered within forty years Is prObabl,
much greater than any carrier now ap
pointed would cover in the next fort
years Two or three OF The veteran
are stiu connected with the service and
as 10 10 demonstrate the health-giVinI
ouau-Ies Of their occupation, are en-
gagged al present I'm the delivery Of mail
though gray haired and past the three
score mark in life.
Albert j. Carew is the Oldest lettel
carrier ia point OF service in Wash
ington. For thirty-nine years he hal
delivered letters 10 the citizens of Wash
ingt0n. Though more than sixty year.
Ola CareW is still hale and hearty and
seems good for another ten years ser
vice al least When CareW became
letter carrier back in 65 be used 20 de
liyel letters all the way from the ole
civ POstofice ou T. Street 10 the Nav,
yard There was no provision for carry
fr.r the carriers 10 or from their route
in those days and he had to walk boil
ways. and though there were but 1--WE
deliveries day he had 10 take lonl
walk four times every day. III Is esti
mated that he walked al least twenty
nve miles a day on this route and fre
ouently he did more. Nor was this lonl