The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-23
EX-POSTMAN AT IA
STARTS NEW TASK
Francis Scannell Campaigns to
Get L. s. Pensions for
Old Carriers.
QUIT TO AVOID DISCHARGE

Francis Scannell. who carried United
States mail for forty-ive years in the
Madison Square district. while the pleas
ant dwelling houses were being changed
to huge skyscrapers. told yesterday how
he had retired without a pension from
the service rather than be automatically
discharged because he had been pre-
vented by a long siege OF sickness from
carrying mail for more than $50 days
In the yea
Scanneli said that he intended dur
ing the remaining years of his life to
do all he could to prevent younger car
riers In the service from undergoing a
similar bitter experience by campaign
ing for pensions for the men to whom
Uncle Sans mail is entrusted and ad-
yocating the suspension OF the $50 day
rule.
Tail, strongly built and still pos
sessed OF much OF the brisknes OF youth.
despite his ~ years. Scannell ooked ut
yesterday In his home at l25 Irving ave
nue., Brooklyn. to shoulder a heavy mail
sack again. but nearly half a century Of
climbing long flights OF stairs had af-
fected his heart.
ut isn't for me that / want pensions
for carriers" he said yesterday. for
they'll be a long time coming and |
won't long have need for one. But I've
seen many a likely lad go In as "A carrier
and work Ions years in the service n
then be dropped without hope of an
other Job when he's too feeble to work
longer. For some OF them. who by rea-
son OF n big family couldn't put by
enough to keep them. it meant the poor
house and for others it meant living on
their children.
at does seem a bit hard when you
tanL NJ t.hat thnea htu ,nrpnr4 finpa ara
doing for their old employees that
Uncle Sam won't give you ever enough
to keep you in tobacco for your pipe
after using up your lifetime TO carry
his mails.
THE districts in the old days were a
deal larger than they are now. Cor Mad
/ ison Square was the home OF thu
| wealthy and the houses were wei
spread apart. There was no heavy car
rying much then. but II was the walking
and the long hours that made 1t har,
work. There was no eight hour law
then and We worked for thirteen o,
fourteen. or as long as they pleased
sometimes.
~ never thought I'd see big autt
trucks carrying the mail as fast as
locomotive through streets. In 1870 W,
got along fast enough on foot and will
horses, and IL was pleasant and safe
TO. 10 go along the dirt roads. witt
your bag on your arm. to hand GU
letters to children who raced after you
Yes. | worked during the blizzard o
SIS. n I'll always remember how w
got through the drifts every day of IN,
storm for one delivery at least. Tn,
first big day Nas the worst and 1t wa
many a long hour before we dragge,
our bags back TO the post office.
81 don't want you to think I'm com
planning about the way I've been treated
for I'm not. but I'm hopeful that tn,
people in Washington will learn how
badly some old carriers. and young one
who are getting old. need pensions
Perhaps " ] could ave taken a Ion.
rest when my heart began troubling m
last July I would be working now.
kept on, for l knew I'd be dropped II
stayed out more than $50 days, will
but little nance to get back again.
Il worked ~irregularls. but as best
could until a couple of weeks hefor,
Christmas. Then | got pneumonia a.
well as another heart attack. and tina,
laid me up for good, The doctors gave
me up, but | didn't, n | managed to
fool them. So just before the $50 DAYS
were up this spring | resigned so they
couldn't discharge me You know. after
' all those years / somehow hated TO be