Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-08-01
A Wall FROM ST. LOUIS.
Prospect of Free Mail Delivery Here
Arouses Ill Feeling I'm Sister City.

|
Taking for its text an article that
appeared in the RECORD recently, the St.
Louis Republican, Leader makes the fol-
lowing plaiative comments on the sub
ject of free nrail delivery in Alma:
"While the population of Alma num-
bers little less than that OF St. Louis,
they have a transient population of col
lege students, who naturally increase the
amount of business transacted through
the postoffice. This accounts for the fact
that Alma will have free delivery, while
patrons of the st. Louis Office trudge for
their mail as of old Changes made i'll
the rural routes the past two years have
directed former patrons of St. Louis post
Office to Alma. Farmers, who for wears
have been in the habit of coming to this
city to trade would also have their mail
directed TO the St. Louis office, now re-
ceive their mail by rural delivery through
Alma department. This is true of
large territory west and south of the city.
When Mrs. Frances +. Burns transfers
her Office as Great Lady Commander of
Ladies of the Modern Maccabees to Port
Huron i'll the fall, the local postoffice de-
partment will lose one of its most import
ant financial resources, as the revenues
received through this channel have with
out doubt done more TO replenish Uncle
Sans eXchequer through postofice re-
ceipts than has been derived from any
other source through the department in
this city.
All this, however, does not alter the
fact that ST. Louis is and will continue to
be the trading center of Gratiot county
Our merchants have reputation for pro-
gressiveness and push that has won them
the confidence of the people, and their
systematic, courteous, honest methods III
their dealings, backed up by line of
merchandise that is metropolitan in
quantity. quality, style and Workmanship
forms a barrier that cannot be met in
successful competition by Alma or other
suburban towns
In making its estimate of the popula-
tion of the two cities, the Republican
Leader no doubt relied on unimpeach-
able authority, but unfortunately the
census report doesn't substantiate the
statement that the population of Alma
is a little less than that of ST. Louis"
The Michigan Red Book of 1908 gives the
population of the three largest towns in
the county as follows in 1908: Alma,
1o47; Ithaca, 2o2o; St Louis 1850, In
1905 the statistics of the Red Book credit
Alma with population of $500; Ithaca,
1920; ST. Louis 25o3. These figures were
when Alma was a village.
Since becoming a city the boundaries of .
he town have been enlarged and the |
population has been increased by several /
lundred. If the establishment of rural |
rec delivery routes helps TO swell the /
receipts, ST. Louis should have
gained more than Alma, as seven routes
90 out from there, while the local post
'fhce is the center of only five. Accord
NJ to the recollection Of old residents,
st. Louis attained to the dignity of a
metropolitan trade center" about nine
ears ago. At that time a transfer line
vas started on an overland route, and
It. Louis was brought into much closer
ouch with her humble suburban neighbor.
Instead of indulging i'll useless lament
ng over her waning prosperity, ST. Louis
hould devote her energies to overcoming
he handicap that Alma has gained, or
lse admit more gracefully the supremacy
+ her rival.