St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-08-17
The RURAL CARRIERS.
Practical Subjects Discussed at
Sixth Annual Meeting Here.

The sixth annual convention of
the Vermont Rural Letter Carriers
Association was held in the Pythian
hall here Thursday and Friday.
There was fair attendance and
much interest shown in the practi :
cal talks and addresses of the SEES
sions 1T the opening session
Thursday afternoon invocation was
made by Rev A. p. Grint and an ad-
dress of welcome by Postmaster A
+. Stone. He spoke of the impor-
lance of the work of the departm ent
from the rural carrier at the ex-
IRENE end of his route up to the head
of the system itself. He wished
them a profitable discussion of the
subjects before them and hoped
they would also have full opportun-
ity to enjoy the attractions OF the
village. A brief response was made
by E. S. Robinson of Morrisville,
thanking Mr.. Stone for the hearty
welcome he had given them
This was followed by the announce
ment of the following committees:
Press committee, Addison county,
Carl Barber; Bennington,E E. M. Haw-
kins; Caledonia, V. D. Blake; chit
tenden, L. J. Dean; Franklin, G. r.
Brown; Lamoille, Rufus Atkinson;
Orange, e. H. Sargent; Orleans,A r.
Wells; Rutland, GLAND Gibbs; Wash
ington, II. NJ. Cross; Windham, Frank
j
On resolutions Elmer Benedict
and E. S. Robinson.
On constitutional. H. Beckwith,
L. F. Mixer and A. H. Stewart.
On fnance-J. c. Carpenter, H. S.
Drury and E. E. Alexander.
On credentials-A. r. Garvin,
J. H. Beckwith and A. A. Webster.
Presidents Address.
H. w. Spooner the president of
the association and the Oldest rural
carrier in point of service in the state
was then introduced and delivered his
annual address. He said in part
So many inquiries have been re-
ceiVed relative to placing rural free
delivery under contract system that
1 have taken for my subject THE
Past the Present and Future of X. +.
D."
Most of you know what the past
has been, how it started. Some
fourteen years ago how hard it strug-
gled to live, for it was a question for
the first three years whether it lived
or died, but about the time it started
on it's fourth year there was an in
crease in salary, and those few who
were in the service were informed
that the salary was $500 per year.
this was about the year 1899, and
from that time to the present we
find the r. f. D. working into an or
derby system.
Pardon me if 1 speak of some of
the changes that have taken place
since 1899, as L wish to refer to these
later. At that time drop letter rates
applied on letters collected by car
the office from which he started,
also on letters mailed at the
office for delivery on the route
from the same office. This was alb
olished August, 1900. At that time
mail collected by carrier for delivery
h +aJz 70 t1a
office for cancellation and delivered
on his next trip. Twenty-fOur hours
for delivery, where in some cases it
was only to be taken from one box
to another.
Carriers were not allowed to can
eel any stamps. Later we Cancelled
mail, collected for delivery on the
route. Still later we were furnished
rubber canceling stamps and cancelled
all mail collected. Again later we got
orders to give our canceling stamps
over to the post master and cancel
only such mail as we collected for de-
livery on the route and that with an
indelible pencil which order continues
in force today. For the first few years
we furnished our own straps and pen
ellis We were allowed to carry most
anything outside the mail for hire
We carried passengers took subscrip-
tons and did not have any trip re-
port sheets to bother with. 1t matter
ed not whether the regular or substi-
tute made the trip. If the delivery
was made and the collection turned
safely over to the post master that
was all that was required.
One mile was the distance travelled
off the route with a register or special,
any kind of box answered, placed
anywhere or in any position. Carriers
were required to examine all boxes
whether signals were displayed or not.
All carriers were required to count
the mail; until about 1901 or 1902,
we had all holidays, then the order
was revoked and they were taken
from us, except such holidays as they
saw fit to donate. But later, thanks
to the rural carriers friend, the Hon.
George B. COrtelyou, they were re-
stored to u.s. excepting Christmas.
so the changes came. 1t had passed
the experimental stage-rural free
delivery had come to stay, and these
changes taught US that it was being
worked into an orderly system.
Let us look back only ten or twelve
years and we find it has grown from
a few carriers to an army of more
than 41,0OO, delivering mail daily to
more than 10000, 600 of people and
in some sections of the country it is
the greatest education they ever had.
The carriers are well informed as to
their duty and it may truly be said
that our wagons are post offices at
postal business may be transacted.
Thus we find the present system work
ing wonders for the people.
What is there in the future for
rural free delivery better than we
have today. The first thing that
1 will mention is greater improvement
in our highways. They have worked
wonders in the past ten years and
look for greater improvement still in
the next. l look for a large increase
~. ,f coil E,ov, 1nl
people must settle in the rural dis
trict. The large ranches and farms
will be cut into smaller ones. More
must farm for a living or we will
see still higher prices for farm pro-
ducts for we are not producing
enough for home consumption. There
fore. / predict there will be more
people on the rural routes through
out the country
Few if any carriers will be obliged