The Hattiesburg news., 1915-10-18

the Postoffice Department as sour
OF information, for mail routes al
as a rule, fair indexes to good roat
thickly-settled communities and bu
ness activities. The first office esta
lished on the road in Mississippi WI
at Columbus, March 6, 1920, wi
Thomas Sampson as Postmaster, b
additional information as to wht
business began, and whether or n
this place was wayside or termin
Office, it is now impossible to obtai
since the records of the departmel
for that period are somewhat incor
plete, owing to the destruction of
greater portion by fire in the yes
1886. But from official data prior [
the establishment Of the Columbus o
flee, it follows as reasonable concl,
sion that the route at a later dat,
was DETECTED there from the MiIitar
to the Robinson Road. Corroboratin
this view the following is given:
Post Office Department,
February 4, 1925.
Sir,-In obedience to a resolu-
tion of the Senate of the United
States which directed the Post
ter General to report to the SEN
ate "the amount which, in his
opinion, it will be necessary to ap-
propriate to render the post road,
passing through the Indian coun-
try, between Columbus and Jack
son, in the State of Mississippi, fit 8
for the transportation of the mail
from the City of Washington to
Natchez and New Orleans, in COW
cred carriages or stages" l have
the honor to state, that an ex-
penditure of ten thousand dollars.
it is believed, would prepare that
part of the above mail route, which
is within the Indian country, for
the passage of stages. .
This estimate is made, in part,
from the data furnished the de-
partment, by the person who has
lately made repairs upon this
road, under an appropriation Of
Congress, and who is well ac-
quainted with every part of it.
| have the honor to be,
Respectfully, your
Obedient servant,
John Mclean.
Hon. John Gaillord,
President P. T. of the Senate.
An unofficial source is authority for
he statement that about 1929 the
lail route over the "Natchez Trace, ?
so, though mail contracts
o not state the roads over which they
re to be carried, was changed to the
lilitary Road. Strengthening the
tatement already given regarding the
comparative distance from Nashville
New Orleans over the two roads.
ie following extract is here repro
uced from departmental advertise
lent, issued January 2S, 1918, invit
lg proposals for service for four
ears, commencing January /, 1919:
(Route) 23S. From Nashville
by Franklin, Columbia, Keg
Springs, Mount Pleasant, Fishing
Ford, Big Spring, Bear Creek, the
Factors and McIntoshville, to
Chickasaw Postoffice, estimated
at 24S miles, three times week.
(Route) 239. From Chickasaw
Postoffce, Choctaw Agency, Red
Bluff, Grindstone Ford, Port Glib
son, Trimble's, Greenville, Hunts
town, Union and Washington, to
Natchez, 274 miles, three times a
week.
(Route) 24S. From Natchez, by
Swansville, Woodville, Pinckney-
vile, Webb's, st. Francisville,
Thompson's Creek, st. Johns,
Plains, Baton Rouge, Manchack,
Blanchardsville, Godberry's and
Buffers to New Orleans, three
times week, 214 miles.
1t is a reasonable assumption then. |
tn the removal of the State Capitol |
jackson, together with the impaired |
ndition of the Military Road south
Columbus, that the bulk Of travel,
not the mail, was diverted from 1t /
d the Natchez Trace to this central. |
Robinson, road-route to Jackson. In /
pport OF this view, both stage and
egrapk lines were established
er It, the office of the latter at Co
nbus, 1s45, being perhaps the first
the State. Positive evidence of the /
rly existence of such line is found
the occasional discovery by axmen
insulars imbedded in the fallen
es along the route.
Efforts have been made to secure