The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-22
bristol DEMANDS
own POSI0Ff|C[
VIRGINIA CrrY UP IN ARMS OVER
THE ACTION or THE POST
OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
INJUSTICE TO TOWN
OFFICE ORDERED ABOLISHED DO
ING MORE BUSINESS THAN THE
TENNESSEE OrFICE-MOvE OF /
POLITICAL TRICKsTERs.

BRISTOL. VA. July 21.--The cities
OF Bristol, Va. and Bristol. Tenn.
have combined population of about
seventeen thousand. The population
Of each city is about the same. The
main street of the two cities is the
dividing line. which street is known
as State street, the State line run
ming down the center OF same. While
It Is practically one city they are as
separate and distinct in their govern
ment and management as II they were
a thousand miles apart.
All the hotel, two large female
colleges and the railroad passenger
stations are on the Virginia side. Each
city has its separate mayor, council.
courthouses. and all city officers.
Disappears in Night.
Before the War Between the States,
when Bristol. Va, and Bristol, Tenn,
were nothing but mere village upon
the State line. there was one postof-
fee for the two cities. which was To-
Gated on the Virginia side and known
as Sapling Grove. After the assas-
sination of President Lincoln, when
Andrew Johnson. Tennesseean, be-
came president OF the United States,
he appointed a friend Of his who lived
in Bristol. Tenn, as postmaster for
this Virginia Office, and the story Is
that the Virginians woke up one morn
ing to find that their postoffice had
disappeared between the two suns to
the Tennessee side. and 1t has been
there ever since until a change came
about last February.
Virginia for more than fifty years
gave half. II not more than half. OF
the patronage to this Tennessee office,
and although she has made frequent
applications to have postmaster APP
pointed from the Virginia side the
Tennesseeans have always antag-
onized this. and the Tennessee SEN
ators have threatened to defeat the
confirmation of any Virginian ap-
pointed to the Office.
Let 1t be understood that Bristol,
Va, is an overwhelmingly Democratic
city and situated in a congressional
district which Is doubtful to say the
least. and that Bristol. Tenn. Is sit
uated in a congressional district with
about fifteen thousand Republican
majority.
Slemp Secured Change.
Some two or three years ago Con-
gresham Slemp. Republican. repre-
senting the Ninth congress bnal dis
trict, convinced Mr.. Taft that Bristol.
Va, had been treated unjustly in all
these years. and induced him to NOM
.
Virginia. Republican. to be postmas-
ter to the Bristol, Tenn. Office, and
thereupon a howl went up from the
Tennessee side, and the two Demo-
cratic senators from Tennessee de-
clared their purpose to defeat Mr..
| Goodelrs nomination, and thereupon
President Taft sent for Mr.. Slemp
| and told him that he thought 1t best
to withdraw Mr.. Goodell's nomination,
hut hn hn lad
| (Slemp) to establish a postoffice in
Bristol. Va, and Notwithstanding the
| fact that Postmaster General Hitch
cock and his first assistant postmas-
ter usually sided with the Tennessee
Republicans and antagonized the eff
forts of Mr.. Slemp to establish a post
Office for Bristol Va, yet, under the
positive instructions of President
/ Taft the office was tablished and
was opened last February. The post
office department, although COMPEL
ed to open the Office under the in
structions of the president. hampered
/ its opening In every way. They re-
auired the newly appointed postmas-
ter, Mr.. Gauthier. to take the money
out of his own pocket and buy the
| equipment for the office. which he
did at an expense of two thousand
dollars.
/ Mr. H. E. Jones. owner Of the
building In which the new office was
| to be opened, spent between four
and five thousand dollars in putting
this building in a condition At for a
| postoff1ce, and the new postmaster
through instructions from .the post
| office department, at Washington,
made contract with Mr.. Jones to
rent the building for one year from
last February.
New OHHrc n GucCrso
| The new postofflce was a marvellous
success from the beginning.
1t has paid the government In net
receipts over thirteen hundred dol
lars per month, or nearly sixteen
thouand dollars year Business Ia
rapidly increasing, and 1t Is under
stood that it is doing more business
today than the once on the Tennessee
side, but notwithstanding all this
Postmaster Burleson, without a note
of warning to the Virginia senators
or congressman, or to any Virginian,
recently ordered that this postoffice
should be closed on the 31st day OF
July, and all mail intended for citizens
| Of Bristol, Va. should thereafter be
addressed to Bristol, Tenn.
| Would Lose Identity.
1t is claimed by the Virginians that
this will not only destroy the identity
of Bristol. Va. but that 1t will injure
its business. and that 1t will greatly
injure the Ninth congressional dis
trict from a political standpoint and
will aid the Bristol. Tennessee con-
gressional district. which Is already
overwhelmingly Republican. The
Bristol, Va, Democrats, as we'll as
the Democrats of the Ninth congress
sional district assert that At appears
lA.r-1