New Britain herald., 1915-02-01

Following his discharge from the army Major Hicks returned to Bridge
 port. His business was forever ruined so he accepted position as assistant superintendent c of tn Adams Express company at Bridge port. This position neceSsltated much travelling however, and having seen enough of that in the army and wish ing to settle down in a home of his own, he requested that he be made an Adams Express agent at New Britain. He obtained this situation in 1866 ana has made this plac ce his home ever since although he has by no means been connected with the express com pany all that while.
 At one time he was superintendent Of the Malea ble Iron Works He was a malleable iron expert and at that particular time there were but few men his equal in this country. At another time he was manager of ten consolidated brick yards and from there he went into the post office under President Harrison.
 Post Office Grown Since 1889.
 When, in 1889, Major Hicks first took over the post office it was To- cated in the city building next to St. Marks church. At that time the small office was considered enough to do the business of the city and eight carriers and seven clerks were we'll able to handle all the work. Today Major Hick has under him fifty-three clerks and carriers, showing how the department has grown. From doing an annual business of about $58, ,000 in 1889 the office business has increased during the sixteen years that Major Hicks has been in charge until it is now about S163,OO0 per annum. Six teen years ago there were no sub stations; today there are six and a seventh is under consideration. In 1889 there was no rural free deliv- cry but in 1902 two such routes were esta blished, the first carriers being w. H. Ibelle and J. s. Rowley. The lat ter was killed at the East Main street crossing and when Major Hicks took office he appointed c. w. Barbour and c. N Peterson the rural carriers, and they hold that position today. Parcel post postal savings and all of the other improvements in the postal de- partm ent have come under the ad- of the present postmas- ter and the only branch that has not increased is the call boxes at the Of flee. There are today about 700 boxes at the office, which is not any more than when Major Hicks first entered the service, the reason being that the policy of the government has ever been to do away with the office de- livery and have the carriers deliver all mail There are now 105 mail boxes on the street, about twice as many as when Postmaster Hicks first took office
 Lynch and Caldwell the Veterans.
 Of all the men who were employed in the post office when Major Hicks began his term as postmaster in 1889 Bernard J. Lynch. the veteran car rier, is the only one still in the ser vice. MT. Lynch was appointed car rier on July l, 1887, being one of the five first carriers ever appointed in New Britain. The others appoint ed at that time were James Whitley, E. Callahan. On April 1, 1888, Frank A. Anderson was appointed an extra carrier.
 But as long as MT. Lynch has been in the postal service Frank Caldwell
 
 he now being in his twenty eighth year. MT. Caldwell was first appoint ed clerk under J. H. Pease's regime as postmaster and remained there two years, resigning when his paren1; moved to Lynn, Mass. He returnc to this city later, however, and w.. again reappointed, this time by Maj. Hicks on August 14, 1890, and has
 
 his last appointment he worked i'll the post office department of the Cor bin Cabinet Lock company and there learned much about the lock box bus. mess that proved a valuable asso, when he went into the post ofIict. again.
 For the past twelve years Edward has been Major Hicks right hand man, acting as assistant post master. Others who assisted Post master Hicks in this capacity were Lizzie Beatty and c. o. Johnson.
 First Term Appointees.
 C. w. Norton, another veteran clerk in the office, was appointed by Major Hicks on August 1, 1890. Dur ing his first term as postmaster Major Hicks appointed the following car riers: George H. Beckett, F. Vogel John Anderson, c. M. Beatty, H. J. Juengst, George D. Parker, F. l.. Sun burn and Peter McAvay, the four last named still being in the service. Since his appointment in 1903 Major Hicks has named the following carriers: w. l.. Stevenson, M. J. Hartson, Daniel C. Darrow, F. E. Coleman, George w. Pitzsinger, Walter V. Prelle, J. E. Wright, G. C. Clark, T. H. Dehan, Adolph C. Bigge, c. J. English, J. V. O'Brien, J. F. Burns. G. F. Peterson, r. A. Johnson, D. F.. Ahern, c. W. Rainey, Walter $. Sanderson, r. J. Seitz, Donald H. Bell, J. F. Fitzger- aid, H. J. PhalOn and M. J. Johnson.