The Washington herald., 1921-07-31

Il am thus particular in order to give due eredi,
to those gentlemen. Mr.. Harker and Mr.. Mccoy who
assisted in performing the above mentioned services
"Yours respectfully.
DANIEL HUTCHINSON"
That the way the Presidents message was
handled in 1857 Now il Is shot by wire. and is in
print almost before the President has finished deliver
ing the words to the Congress.
What il meant carry the mail in 1886 is shown
in this letter to Amos Kendall then Postmaster Cen
era, from man who desired the mail contract It is
dated Elkton. Nd, November 2S. 1886
-your favor Of the asth inst received and in
have to say:
First have IS horses the road from Bat-
to Philadelphia of which are extra for the
express mail,
Second. Each horse has to 10 miles every
Third. In some of the routes the run is in
"Fourth Il have /, stands.
Fifth. ! have Is boys, 10 of whom are riders
Sixth. Each rider goes 20 miles.
Seventh. The two bush creeks, Stony Run,
North East Little Elk and Big Elk are sometimes
impossible in consequence of high water. But
expect to get permission from the railroad company
to cross the last four creeks the railway bridges
AT the Susquehanna have good boat and
good ferryman. can be ready the day of delivery
of the Presidents message to start at any hour You
may direct from Baltimore and it through as fast
as we are now carrying it IL you wish it done in
less time can by putting double the number of horses
on the road each horse to miles and can deliver
i in Philadelphia in 6 hours provided there is no
snow to obstruct the stock that day. What extra
allowance will you give%
Linked with the railway mail car installation come
Of the desperate fights which took place between
the mail clerks and hold-up in the early days
the West Many time did mail clerk look tip fro,.
sorting letters to gaze into the round niuzzie Of
steadily held As and obey the command Stick em
Up. And many time did the mail clerk die for
refusing to obey. and starting to defend the mail
His job did not caH for lighting but the men who
carried the mail had the sense of responsibility and
tAe honor OF the service strongly mbued in their
make-up that they died at their posts quiet heroes
TO the march OF civilization rather than let the rob-
hers accomplish their lawless purposes unhindeted
Today m spite of the recent holdups in which large
sums OF money were stolen, mail robberies are few
and far between, and the whole force of the govern
ment moves swiftly catch and punish the yioiators
of this public service. .a@a.
HE United States mail is the greatest express
f II business m the world The parcel post, estab-
hshed in 1913 after nearly half century of
agitation. carries I.5oo.ooo.ooo packages annually.
Sitter mnding the Injunction to mail Christmas pack
ages early, down to the posto6ce and see how the
little rivules Of packages gather into mighty stream
at the central point Then consider how few are ever
lost and wonder the efficiency and trustworthness
Of the mail service.
In I847 the postage stamp was officially, adopted
and placed on sale in New York City on JulyI That
year Sco,3So stamps were sold. In 1870 there were
issued I37Iz7ooo33 adhesive postage stamps 69SosooI
special delivery stamps, nearly Iooooooooo postal
cards, about asooooo.ooo stamped envelopes and war
savings stamps, documentary stamps, postal savings
stamps thrift stamps. internal revenue stamps and
Others bringing the total Of stamps up to s46Io
which had to be printed in the Bureau of Printing and
Engraving under the strictest of government super
vision.
a entirely new postal service was established
- for the soldiers at the cantonments of this
country. Nearly 100 such cantonments each