The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-12
CONVENTION FOR
AMERICAN FORK
P0StmaSterS of State viii
Meet in Utah County
Town in 1903.
0DELL OF LOGAN PRESIDENT
PROFITABLE ASSEMBLY is HELD
AT MANTI.
Especial to The Herald.l


POstmasters' association today decided to
hold their 1908 convention at American
Fork The date was not fixed. Joseph
Odell. postmaster at Logan, was elected
president. The other officers elected were:
Postmaster Roberts of Bingham first
vice president; Mrs. Griffiths of Smith
field, second vice president, Postmaster
DOugall OF Springville, third vice presi-
dent; J. p Madsen of Mauti. fourth vice
president; John Peters of American Fork.
secretary and treasurer; S. w. Ross of
Lehi, assistant secretary and treasurer.
One of the most successful conventions
of the pOstmasters of Utah ever held in
the state closed this forenoon. Il was
claimed that the convention was the re-
suit of much good derived by the post
masters of Utah and the fourth annual
convention closed with good wishes for
MantIs postmaster and her citizens gen
orally.
The convention was held in the high
school building and President A. L. Thorn
as presided with his usual dignity, mixed
with humOr. Mayor L. r. Anderson gave
the opening speech of welcome extending
the freedom of Manti to the visiting post
masters. He said the postmasters would
have an opportunity to go through the
temple, which caused Postmaster Glove Of
Provo to inquire of Mr.. Madsen, the local
postmaster, if that was really a fact. Mr.
Glove seemed somewhat astonished at the
remark. As the Manti temple is the only
one of the four temples that has an arch
running the entire width of the magnifi-
cent structure the Provo postmaster &C
tUally realized the expression made by
Mayor Anderson. Mr.. Glove gave a happy
response to the mayors speech
4 communication from Inspector Durand
was read to the convention, in which he
expressed his regrets that il was impOs-
sible for him to attend tho convention.
Ex-Governor Thomas Speaks.
Postmaster Thomas then gave. an in
terestng talk telling of the excellence OF
the postal system which is the best in the
world d whole.
He spoke of the infancy of the postal
service and of the tremendous strides
which had been made in liz years. At
that early period there were only 100 post
offices in the country: today there are
&C. 600 with over 205,2SS employees. The
length of mail routes had increased from
1900 to AIS, III miles, and every working
day mail travels a distance equal to fifty
five times circumference of the globe. The
number of pieces of mail handled in
creased from 1000 pieces TO over 3l.l25.2I6
daily. The postal income increased from
$4,000, 1l3 years ago, to Sl67, 932, 1S2 in 1906.
Mr.. Thomas gave other figures to show
the growth of the postal system. lie said
the greatest progress had been made along
he said can recall the day when the
coming of the mail man was rare occur
renee In 1853 free delivery was com
menCed in q few of the leading cities with
a limited number of carriers. Today there
is free delivery in 1,1S4 cities by 22,965 car
riers,. but this great increase is Overshad-
owed by the wonderful growth of rural
free delivery 1t is astonishing to recall
he said, that the first rural service COM
menced only in 1896 ON eghty-four routes,
and that in a little over ten years the SyS-
tenn had increased to 5.I66 routes with 3d.
666 carriers. This was a most important
service. In some respect the rural clti-
zen is more fortunate than his neighbOr
of the city. The rural carrier sells stamps
| and money orders and can take up mail at
one portion of his route and deliver 1t at
another. He thus becomes a special mes
| senger for the patron. In the cities the
| carriers cannot sell orders, and cannot
| deliver mail collected on their routes.
Free delivery service has been extended
/ also to citizens residing on star routes
In 1906 over 50, 600 families were served.
President Thomas said one of the best
/ indications of the growth Of the postal
/ system Is the difficulty in securing diff
ferent names He said there was story
| told in the pOstOffice department that a
Dostoffice was asked for by some citizens
/ of Virginia. The name suggested was not
satisfactory. The citizens told the de-
/ uartment to select the name The clerk
! looking at the map saw the name of a
mountain. Purgatory, and selected it. 1;
| happened that the postmaster appointed
was named George Godbethere.
| The president congratulated the post
! masters upon the holding OF their th1rd
/ annual convention. He said they met IN
der much happier auspices than last year.
| The last congress had been generous in Its
| appropriations. and this was felt in every
| office in increased salaries TO clerks and
| allowances to pOstmasters.
/ The roll was next called and forty post
| masters responded, which is said to be
one of the largest representations known
| since the organization came into existence
! There were in all fifty visitors
Discussion of Troubles.