Norwich bulletin., 1913-01-20

 I as guests was that held on Saturday | evening in Foresters hall where go | of Uncle Sam's men gathered for a social evening. which was made fur 1 thef notable by the list of disting guished 1 guests who accepted their invitation 1 to be present. These included Con gressman- -elect Bryan F. Mahan of New London, Mayor T. c. Murphy of this city, Francis P. Bent Of Brook lyn. W. Y, superintendent of the ten- emsnt house district, Postmasters Will liam Caruthers of this city, John Mc- Ginley of New London and Charles J. ters Arthur L. Peale of this city. Franklin Dow of New London and Thomas Linnehan of Westerly. and former Postmaster Currie Gilmour of Greeneyille.
 These all occupied the long table across the head of the room, at either end of which were seated President Patrick S. Hinchey of the local car Preseident Thomas Jefferson McVeigh of the local clerks association branch. No. 544.
 Over the platform the national colors were arranged for decorations and at each side were large reproductions of the buttons of the clerks and carriers associations, done in the identical col ors of the original and winning much rick F. Shea. Clerk William R. Me Cord had his full orchestra on hand, discoursing vIiely airs for the ban quetters, who acknowledged the pleas ure the music gave them @ eth shouts sion of every number. Song sheets with the choruses of popular songs en- abled the banquetters to join with gramme. and for David F. Clshman a special line was invented in the re- frain of one popular air to the effect that he was the guy that put the "tige in tiger"
 One of MacDougaFs special oyster chowders was served and when full justice had been done to this the speaking was taken up- Postmaster Caruthers, however, was called upon earlier in the evening, and, after ex- pressing a cordial welcome to the vis- itors, gave an interesting review of the postal service here
 Postmaster Caruthers.
 Postmaster caruthers sketched in a very interesting way the development of the post office business in this city connected with practically every ad- vance that has kept the Norwich postal department in the front rank.
 His first entry into the postal ser master BidwelI he became stamp clerk. a position which also combined the duties of delivery clerk serving for from 800 to 300 call boxes. Those were,
  there was a chief clerk with four clerks in the office here. On Oct. l, 1884, still under Postmaster Bidwell the car rier service was instituted here, with One carrier and five auxiliary car- riers. Here again MT. Caruthers, who was chief clerk by that time, had an active part as he made the plans for the service.
 Under President Harrison MT. Car uthers received his appointment as postmaster. How his forethought and interest for the working staff was ex- ercised was shown by the fact that he was the first to put the Norwich car7 riers. under civil service. On the side of the public he also showed his will lingness and ability to give them the best that the service afforded by se- curing the first SunGay, night mail the city had enjoyed. This was not ac- eompiished without effort that included trips to gee the postmaster at Boston, the securing of letters and petitions, conferences with railroad officials at their headquarters, and much other de- tail, which finally resulted in the Cen tral Vermont putting on train for this service. With the aid of Congress- man Charles Russell another advance that benefited not only Norwich; but all the industries along the line of the Norwich and Worcester rGad in New London and Windham counties was achieved when the double service be- tween Norwich and Worcester and
 
 cured,
 When Postmaster Caruthers was back in the service again in 1898. af- ter an interval when the place was on the work of securing stations for this territory with the result that there are now seven hundred numbered sta tions and three named stations con nected with the Norwich office.
 Still another advance in which the office is notable in the state is in the rural free delivery routes of which the first from here, the post master said, was established in 1900 and there are nine now.
 To mark the present year as an other step forward is the inaugura- tfon of the parcel post service and the fact that for the first time in its his tory the Norwich post office business has gone over the million mark This was the record shown when the an nual report was made up on Dec. 31, 1912, showing the business for the year. From business which was transacted by Total staff of IT when Postmaster Caruthers entered the ser vice in 1870. the local office has in creased to a total of TO employees, in cluding the men at the stations There are now 1T city carriers, rural car riers, 1 carrier for parcel post and Is clerks at the main office
 Hearty applause greeted the popu- lar Norwich postmaster at different points in his recital of local service conditions and testified to the faith fulness and efficiency of the Norwich staff
 Assistant Postmaster Pea1e was for the evening. place ae filled with marked ability as he introduced each speaker with a pleas mt and witty allusion that put every body in a good hunor.
 Local President Speaks.
 President McVeigh of the clerks was first called upon after he banquet had been disposed of. re- spending in a pleasing way in which le made some complimentary refer ences to Representative Thomas Reilly, to MT. Bent's service as an aI= Herman in New York and to Post ! master SaFuthers as a man distin- 1 yuished for executive ability among l he pestTaa asters of the state. He was l ollowed by President Hinchey of the l Carriers association, who spoke of the 1 yaiue of fraternal gatherings such as | he present, both speakers reusing | much enthusiasm by their remarks.
 Pestasast MeGiniey, Postmaster Mckinley was next in ! reduced as man known from the | Atlantic to the Pacific, and he respond | d by expressing his confidence in Con- | ;ressman- elect Mahan as the right 1 n tn for t1le unStIpap fIp tbinus