The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-26
Evening Chat
At q recent meeting q the National
-$ociationIo Of Postmasters in the Cap

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 ofEthe AS men who have held office
having come from that section. The
border states have had Is and the
West only 8. 1t was not. until 1866
that the West was at all recognized
in the appointment of such cabinet Of
fcer, when Alexander w. Randall, of
Wisconsin, was chosen by President
johnson. Subsequently that state fur.
nished three more postmasters Gener.
OIL, viz, Howe, Villas and Payne. In
1929 the Postmaster General became
q member of the Cabinet by the action
Of President Jackson, his first appoin-
tee to that position, Hon. William r.
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. It Is found
that Pennsylvania and New York have
each had six to their credit; Connec.
ticutt, Kentucky, Tennessee and Wis.
consin 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, It seems,
much longer in the older days than
at present. From ITS to 1S50-75
Syears-there were only II men in that
position, Gideon Granger, of Connec.
dcut, having served 10 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.
ated to make changes in this office. II
appears that many occurred in the ad.
ministrattons Of some of our chief 'ex.
e%cutives. Roosevelt. for instance, had
q Postmasters General; Grant. Arthur
and Cleveland lin the latter's 2 terms)
also had four each; Washington and
Buchanan. three; Jackson, Fillmore,
Lincoln, Hayes and Mckinley. 2 each,
The remainder Of the Presidents ev.
identity held on to the men they had
originally appointed.
The postmaster general being by the
nature of his official duties brought
into close 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.
dent Tyler, while Hon. Charles A. Wick
ltffeEo Of Kentucky, was postmaster gen.
era, 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 tho frankins
privilege. The foreign desk from which
ultimately grew the admirable arrange
ments of the Postal Union, was in.
stituted by, Hon. Horatio King, of
Maine. Through the efforts Of Judg.
Hal. Of New York, Postmaster Gen.
eral under President Fillmore, the pos.
tageso on letters was reduced to three
cents. The registration system came
IN under Postmaster General amp
bell, OF Pennsylvania, during the ao.
mtnistration Of President Pierce. The
Free Delivery Service was inaugural.
ed IN 1883 by Hon. Montgomery Blair,
OF Maryland. also the money order
system In 1864. in Lincoln's admins.
tratton. The Railway Mail Service
dates from July. 1862, when Judge
Holt, of Kentucky, ordered its estab.
1ishment, the first railway p~ostoffice
being from Quincy. ILL.,, to st. Joseph,
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.
Eessi other than that already given max
briefly summarized as follows:
stage stamps first issued at New
HJuly. 1847.
5tamped envelopes first issued in
me, 1858. "
Letters registered July, 1856.
Newspaper wrappers, act OF Con.
gress February, 1851.
Free City delivery July 1863.
one order system, November,
1857!
Postal Cards, May 1873.
Postage reduced to two cents in DC.
tober, 1888.
Special delivery, October, 1885.
Rural delivery, October, 1896.
Postal Savings January, 1911.
Parcel Post, January, 1918.
The number Of postoffices In 1883
was q. The maximum number reach.
ed 76,945 in 1901. since which time,
by the introduction of rural delivery,
the number has steadily declined, 90.
565 having been discontinued. July
I. 1915,l there were 56,3so post offices
IN operation.