The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-04-26
ORGANIZATION OF
LETTER CARRIERS
This Body Has Had Steady
Growth in Nineteen
Years.
FIVE THOUSAND MEMBERS.
NOW OCCUPYING ATTENTION
OF RICHMOND MEMBERS OF AS
ISOLATION.

The organization of the National AS
oociation of Letter Carriers was con-
summated at Milwaukee, Wis, with
VIM. H. Wood, of Detroit, Mich, as
president, Aug. 1890, 1889. The first
annual convention was held in Pythian
Hall, fremont street, Boston, Mass,
Aug. 1915, 1890, with a total of seven
ty-six delegates present, representing
fifty-three branches. From that day
the organization has grown rapidly and
on last Sept. 81, 1907, at the conven-
ton held at Canton, Ohio, the delegates
present numbered 7O3. The National
association at this time embraces over
LOO branches.
The object Of the organization is to
promote the general welfare of all the
letter carriers of the United States and
assist the department in its endeavors
to make the service more efficient.
Since the organization of the Ma
tional association fraternal insurance
feature has been added, known as the
Mutual Benefit association. 1t was in
stituted by the National association,
Aug. Z, 1891, at Detroit, Mich. and
was intended to give moral, social, in
tellectual and material aid to it's mem
bers. All carriers and sub-carriers
who are physically sound and between
the ages Of twenty-one and fifty years
are eligible to membership.
A fund was established from which
Is paid in accordance with the general
laws governing the benefit fund, a sum
not exceeding $1,000 dollars to the des-
ignated beneficiary of each deceased
full rate member: $1,000 dollars to a
two-thrd rate member; $1,000 dollars
to a one-third rate member and $500
to a one-sixth rate member
Its growth has been steady and con-
sentative and it has fully demonstrated
its powers for good and its usefulness
in the economic life Of it's members
and their families. 1t has paid to the
beneficiaries of 372 deceased members
$3.50, 49O96. 1t has passed the expert
mental stage and is now an assured
factor in fraternal insurance among
letter carriers. Its membership Jan.
/, 1908, was 5,344, with an emergency
fund of $194, 905.69.
There is also a sick and accident fea-
ture to the National association, known
as the Letter Carriers National Sick
Benefit association. This furnishes to
the carriers, accident and sick benefits
at a mere nominal price, and all those
in good standing in the N. A. l.. c.. un-
der &C years of age and in good health
are eligible to membership. AS na-
new but Is growing rapidly under the
fostering care of chief Clerk, John T.
Mugavin, Of Cincinnati, o.
A Letter Carriers Home is now &C.
cupying the attention of a very enthu-
siastic committee in particular, and ev-
cry letter carrier in general, to be To-
Gated at Colorado Springs, Col, and a
fund is now being raised for this pur-
pose. Temporary arrangements in
tents have been made for the accom-
mediation of about twenty cases of tu-
berculosis that need immediate care
and attention.
Much has been accomplished by the
national association, through it's ma
tional officers, established in Washing
ton, D. c., for the relief of the carriers.
Tho eight hour law for which the
carriers all over the country strove so
hard was passed by congress in 1888.
Previous to its passage carriers in
many cities were compelled to work as
many as II and 10 hours per day,
thereby making the hours long and the
work arduous. After the passage of
the law the department placed a con-
struction of the same in various ways:
holding that Sc hours constituted a
weeks work, and that carriers would
be employed any number of hours each
day so that the limit did not exceed IS
hours for the week, which also inc.ud-
ed Sundays. This construction, how
ever, caused a great deal of trouble to
the department, as the carriers brought
the matter before the courts. After a
long delay a decision was finally given
in favor of the carriers that each day
constituted a days work. and was COM
plete in itself regardless of the num-
Der of hours consumed, so that no
more than eight hours were consumed
in any one day. After this decision by
the United States supreme court the
department has strictly adhered to the
law, thereby requiring no more than
S hours to be consumed in any one day.
This law was championed by the late
S. s. Cox, member of congress from
New York, through whose efforts it's
passage was in great measure due.
and whose memory the letter carriers
OF the country hold dear. The appre-
citation Of his efforts were shown by
the erection of a splendid monument
to his memory in the city of New York
by the carriers. which was unveiled in
July, 1891.
The passage of the law granting
them fifteen days leave of absence with
pay each year, was another great vic
tory for it is enjoyed by the letter car
riers as much or more than by the en-
ployes of any other department.
Since the enactment of the laws pre-
viously mentioned the entire efforts
,E ha