The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-26
Evening Chat

1vSAAAA5 s
y At a recent meeting q the National
b Fsociationio OF Postmasters in the Cap
City OF the nation, the many in
ktdng papers that were read and
General interest that was shown
Fac work, calls attention to the re
trkable activity displayed in every
inch Of 1.-THE postal service since the
sgfnning OF Postmaster General Bun.
Geson,s administration.
n It Is O noteworthy fact, however Il
may be explained, that, excluding the
border states, the south, properly
speaking, has had but two men In that
Office since the day of Benjamin
Franklin-Joseph Habersham OF Geor.
gia and Albert Sidney Burleson OF
Texas. The more populous states OF
the East with their political power and
material advantages, have had the
greatest number Of such appointments
20 ofsthe4 AS men who have held office
having come from that section. The
border states have had Is and the
West only s.. It was not, until 1866
that the West was at all recognized
IN the appointment Of such cabinet Ct.
ticer, when Alexander W. Randall, OF
Wisconsin, was chosen by President
johnson. Subsequently that state fur.
nished three more postmasters Gener.
al viz, Howe, Villas and Payne. In
1829Sthe Postmaster General became
nEmember of the Cabinet by the action
Of President Jackson, his first appoin.
tee toQthat position, Hon. William T.
Barry of Kentucky, receiving that
honor
pennsylvania and New York Lead
In considering the states OF the un.
ion that have been most fortunate in
appointments to this office, 1t Is found
that Pennsylvania and New York have
each had six to their credit; Connec.
tcutt, Kentucky, Tennessee and Wis.
consinf four each; Massachusetts,
Maryland and Ohio, three each and the
remaining scattered among the is
states from which all the postmaster
general have been selected.
The term Of service was, 1t seems,
much longer In the older days than
at present. From ITS to 1850-75
! years-there were only II men in that
position, Gideon Granger, OF Connec.
ttcut, having served IL years and 8
months, and Return J. Meigs Of Ohio,
8 years and 3 months. From 1850 to
1913-63 years-there have been 81
men in that office. Whether the shift
ing currents Of political life and ex.
pediency, or other causes. have oper.
Hated to make changes in this office, It
appears that many occurred In the nd.
mtnistrations Of some Of our chief ex.
ecuttves. Roosevelt, for instance, had
q tPostmasters General; Grant, Arthur
and Cleveland Tin the %latter's Q terms)
also had four each; Washington and
Buchanan. three; Jackson. Fillmore,
Lincoln, Hayes and Mckinley, 2 each.
The remainder of the Presidents ~.
identity held on to the men they dad
originally appointed.
The postmaster general being by the
nature Of his official duties brought
fntoSclose contact with the people, II
might be Of interest to know some
thing of these men, who they were,
: and what notable achievements are
connected with their names; but all
that is past history and does not con.
Germ the issues Of today. A few of
the more important measures may,
however, here be- mentioned.
During the administration OF Presi.
I dent Tyler, while Hon. Charles A. Wick
' ltffeEof Kentucky, was postmaster gen.
eral, many reforms were instituted.
such as %cheapening the postage, i'm
proving the manner of letting routes
by contract prohibiting private ex.
presses and restricting the franking
privilege. The foreign desk from which
ultimately grew the admirable arrange
ments of the Postal Union, was in.
stituted by Hon. Horatio. King, 1of
Maine. Through the efforts Of Judge
Hall, OF New York, Postmaster Gen.
eralE under President Fillmore, the pos.
tages on letters was reduced to three
cents. The registration system came
In under Postmaster General ann
bell Of Pennsylvania. during the ad.
m%inistration OF President Pierce. The
Free Delivery Service was inaugural.
ed ins1S63 by Hon. Montgomery Blair,
Of Maryland, also the money order
system in 1854. in Lincoln's admins.
tratton. The Railway Mail Service
dates from July, 1862, when Judge
Holt, OF Kentucky. ordered its estab.
lishment, the first railway postoffice
being from Quincy, ILL.,, to st. Josenb.
Mo, on the Hannibal and st. Joseph
railway.
Historical! Data Of Beginning and
Progress.
Some interesting historical data
touching the Introduction or beginning
Of the chief features of postal prog.
ress other than that already given may
briefly summarized as follows:
stage stamps first issued at New
July. 1S47.
5tamped envelopes first issued in
esne, 1853.
Letters registered July, 1855.
Newspaper wrappers, act Of Con.
gress February, 1861.
Free City delivery July 1853.
Money order system, November.
1854.
international Money Orders October
1857
Postal Cards, May 1873.
Postage reduced to two cents in DC.
tober, 1883.
Special delivery, October, 1885.
Rural delivery, October, 1896.
Postal Savings January. 1911.
M DorNa1 pnnI Ta-..-. Snsa