The San Francisco call., 1904-03-24
POSTOFFICE HISTORY.

n TO compilation has been made of the history OF the
M General Postofhce of the United States. That
branch of the public service is just much
in the focus of attention that enterprising pub
Usher might benefit himself and the public by giving
history OF the origin rise and of that depart
ment of the Government with sketch of the scandals
which have made it notorious.
William Penn established the first post routes and pos
tai facilities in this country and the Pennsylvania legs
lave assembly authorized his postoice in Philadelphia
in 1900 1t is interesting hat this eleven years be-
fore the British postofce created by of Para-
ment in the reign of Quee. Anne. Soon after this Colo
mel John Hamilton securid royal patent establish,
for his profit ge1ssa postofice for all British
America. This patent hes afterward sold to the
and postmaster for Norsh America was appointed Z
In 1853 BENJAMIN Franklin was appointed this Office
and was given deputy, and salary of G6oo given
the two, IF they could get it." Instead OF getting it,
Franklin got debt Gooo keeping up the service
and giving fast mails. He boasted that when he took
charge the round trip from Philadelphia Boston took
six weeks and he reduced three. He removed
from Office by the Ministry, and reappoined by the
Continental Congress in I7z with salary of $1,000 per
annum and held the place until he embassa
dor France He refused shin plaster money post
age, and asked Congress order that only specie be
taken and this done. Letter postage then ranged
from for sixty miles 80 for GOO miles
In these days of graft and corruption incident the
administration of this essentially department
the Government it interesting read the report of
Isaac Briggs In the early organization of the postoice
class OF officers called surveyors general employed
apparently for the purpose of surveying mail
order determine the mileage charge for carrying
mail Isaac Briggs, Quaker, of these survey
and sent by Jefferson survey the to New
Orleans. The work occupied him and an assistant four
months He reported that just nine hundred and
seventynne and fveenths miles from the Presidents
house to New Orleans, and he made map of the road
III his final report Isaac depored the of
the survey which included medical treatment for him
self and assistant through attack of yellow fever
the whole expense $500! They had to swim all the
streams, and sleep in the night dews and often wait for
storms pass in order get solar observations to fix
latitude and longitude, and all $3oo If the depart
managed that basis it would pay
large profit.
In 1889 the total roster of persons employed in the
General Posoffice, including the Postmaster General
only In 1881 Return Jonathan Meigs Postmaster
General investigated by Congress found delin-
quent for two in of funds into the
ury. This investigation brought about by the de-
tention of letter mailed by member of Congress- but
which he forgot frank 1t made him angry and in his
wrath he for the Postmaster General That Incl
dent reminds of and to affirm
the unchangeabily of human nature
The departments history shows the difficulty of gov
carrying business and instead of the scan
dals to it being wonderful it is a wonder there
are more and worse