Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-06-01
TWENTY.oNE HUNDRED
PosToFFlcEs IN STATE
Some Interesting Statistics Regarding
the Mall Routes ard the Names
OF the Postoffces.

Of the Postoffees.
On April /. 1912, there were in op-
Grafton In the State Of West Virginia
2,106 postoiiices of all classes: zoos
being postofiices of the fourth class.
and 1of being presidential Offices,
1885 Offices have been authorized to
issue money orders. and IS postofices
have been designated as postal saw
ings repositories. with approximate
~ s35,50o on deposit. This amount
was deposited by about 600 deposit
tors. or an average OF about $50 per
deposltor Since the opening OF the
repositories In West Virginia there
have been more than 1000 deposits
made, an average OF over two depos-
its to each depositor aud about $50
Withdrawals. an average OF less than
one to each two depositors. West
Virginia ranks thirty-eighth, as com.
pared with number OF depositors and
amount on deposit In other states OF
the union, this IL q most satisfactory
showing for state containing no
large cities, or one having no great
army of Industrial workers, the pop
ulation being largely oil the agricul-
tural class. who own and work on
their own property, thus eliminating
to large degree the regular wage
that Ia usually the source OF the ma.
1or portion OF the amounts deposited
In the postal banks.
The state has 514 "star routes"
these being the country mail routes
where the mails are carried by other
conveyance than the railroads or the
steamboats,, mostly on horse or by
stage.
Rural free delivery has been estab-
lished on 800 routes. and inspectors
are constantly looking over the ground
with view OF establishing new routes
Of this character, which in many
cases do away with the old star
routes" but the familiar sight of mud
spattered mail carrier astride his
gaunt half-starved nag is still common
IN the inland districts OF the state
where good roads are unknown
T'ayette county contains 11S post
Offices. the largest number in any
county In the state, and Hancock and
Brooke counties containing only six
each have the fewest offices.
Ohio county. In which IL located the
city OF Wheeling. produces by far the
largest revenue to the postal service
OF any county in the state. nearly all
which Ia derived from the Wheeling
office.
AID. Mercer county, Is the shortest
named postofIice In the state, and Co
lumbia Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier
county. containing twenty-five letters
Ia the longest. Little SeweII Mountain
and White Sulphur Springs both al
so In Greenbrier county. are the next
longest names.
Evidently some localities we're
hard put to 1t to find names for their
Offices as will be noted from the fol-
lowing list OF outlandIsh and unusual
names. Boone county has Bald
Knob and an Anchor: Braxton a Bull
town, Clip and Wildcat. and Hope.
Home. Progress and Slap; Cabell
has Saltrock and Raccoon; Calhoun
Joker: Clay, Big Otter, Duck and a
Yankeedam: Doddridge, Big Battle,
Joy and Coldwater; Fayette has
Beauty. Hawks Nest and a Ravens
Eye; Greenbrier has Cornstalk.
Trout and Sunlight; Jackson has
Frozencamp and Skull Run: Kama
wha has an Angel, Dial and Der
rick; Lincoln has Cowhide. Mud and
Sod: Logan, Panther. a Longpole,
and Squirelim: Mason has an Apple
grove. Flatrock and a Gunville;
Mercer has Pride. Rock and
Wolfe: Mingo has Bias. q Cold, q
Horsepen and a War Eagle; Morgan
has Paw Paw and Sleepy Creek;
Pendleton has Bank, Box, a Key,
Creek. a Branch and Thorn;
Peasants has Horseneck and
Wasp; Pocahontas has Burner
Buckeye, Frost and Sunset; Put
,am has Bee, an Albatross. a Buff
falo. an Extra. a Hogg and Paradise;
Raleigh has Blue Jay. Cranberry,
a Grow, a Dugout. Jap, Pinto and
Prosperity: Randolph has Gear. Job
and Rich Mountain; in Richie comes
First, Gooseneck and Slab; Roane
has Cotton. Pad, Pigeon. Shad
and a Tariff; Summers has a Buck
and Pipestem; Tyler has Big Moose
a Wick, some Little and Next; Wayne
has Crum, Quaker, some Rice,
Staltpetre and Stonecoal; Wetzel has
Fanlight, Wheat and Hundred;
Writ has Windy postoiiice; Tucker
has an Anvil and an Elk; Wood has
Slate and Wyoming has Basin,
Brier. Bud. Castle, Coon. a Lick