The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-10-22
MODEL GERMAN POST
RECALL SOME HISTORY
Postal Service Dates Back TO
Ancient History-Wen Or
ganized Under Caesar.

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with the exhibit turned over TO no
National museum by the post office
department there are three mail wagon
models from Germany, which prove OF
considerable interest on account OF h
present disturbances in that country.
These three models were fashioned
by an expert metal worker named
Robert Liebscher. OF Dresden. Ger
many, In the latter part Of the 18th
century. and represent three types or
typical German post carriers OF tho
18th and 18th centuries. The largest IN
q four horse coach built to accommo-
date about II passengers and carry
several sacks Of mail. It IL complete
to the minutest detail. and painted q
bright yellow with black trimmings
n the German arms emblasonod on
the doors. The other models are
smaller. ONE being a single horse man
Post" and the ether a two-wheeled
chaise. Both the latter were used for
mail alone where there waR little IL
AM passenger travel along the posf
routes.
It may not be generally realized that
the origin OF the post system, which
has developed into one Of the most
effective instruments Of civilization,
dates back to ancient history, and the
old testament. In those early times
the fore runner OF the postal service
was maintained by monarchs and In
~divtduals In authority, whose slaves
and servants acted ne couriers. deliver
Ing messages n relaying each other
when the distances were great. The
first system OF this sort u credited 70
the Persian empire In $50 b. c.; Cyrus
the Elder posted a number OF mounted
courters ut different stations within his
domain situated about a days journey
apart, that he might receive his pro-
vincial reports without delay.
From the Latin word ''positus,"
meaning stationed. this method Of COM
munication by means OF relays placed
at different points along the roads.
came to be known a. a post system,
and eventually az the postal system OF
today.
In the time OF Caesar, about SIS b. G..
the courier service was wen organized,
and IL Is said that letters sent by him
from Britain, to Cicero at Rome
reached their destination In 20 or 20
days. Scarcely any private messages
were delivered unde this early or
der. but gradually the messengers OF
the OFFICIALS came to carry letters for
individuals addressed TO n same town
or city toward which they jOurneyed.
Al h end OF Third centruy, how
ever. Emperor Diocletian appears to
nave been the first who installed a
public postal system, and later Theo-
doric the Great. Chariemagne, ana
others built up such services for COM
munication with all parts OF their en-
pires. A report on a 18th century or
ganizaton OF China, which included
some 10000 stations, IS made by Marco
Polo, and It 10 also known that the
ancient Aztecs of Mexico had a foot
messenger system which was remark
ably complete and efficient.
Near the end OF the 18th century the
University Of Paris established routes
IN France. originally for the benefit Of
It's students. but eventually for OUT
siders as wen. Louis XXI maintained
flrst q private mounted messenger SER
vice. and later. In 1864, installed post
stations on all the main roads OF
France.
The first actual letter post OF Car
many seems to have been established
In the Hanse towns In the latter part
OF the 18th or the early art OF the 1stii
centuries. A line OF letter posts fol.
lowed, connecting Austria with Lom-
Dardy, In the reign OF Maximillian
Q469-1519), which Is said TO have been
organized by Franz of Thurn and
Taxts, who established another post
route In 1915 from Vienna to Brussels,
connecting the more distant parts "a !
the domain Of Charles ". The FANNY |
OF the Prince OF Thurn and Taxis con-
tinued to hold certain lights with re- |
gard to the German postal system until |
1906, their posts being entirely distinct
hon tIlOSe Oh tine crown. eE L
In 1872 q route was laid out hetyeeu |
Vienna and Nuremburg. while Charles
v established q permanent riding post |
from the Netherlands through Liega
Treves, Spire. and Rheinhausen. |
through Wurtemberg. Aurtemberx. |
Augsburg. and Tyrol to Italy.
With the increase OF correspondenca
the courier system became ineffioient
and wagons were introduced. Cores
pondence Itself induced travel 70 be- |
fore long, post wagons with seats for |
several people appeared on the high
ways, az a combination OF post and |
travel stages resulted. In some places
the mail and passengers were kept sep-
arate, post cfIRtses, driven by poetboys
or Positions. being rented from sta
ton to station. the mail still going By
courier as before. But IN other places. |
on long trips. as was the case In Ger |
many especially the post and passen-
gers went together IN great stage and
mail coaches, similar to the large model
IN the National museum collection.
.I II