Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1924-08-16
Country's Heroes
Not All In Army
Thrilling Story Of Mail Car
riers' Hardships. Dangers
Faced For Service Alone.

OANAO 0sAAA NAAs~O AAAo AASAOSS A~~ FSSS~~
time as we'll as in war.
Records of bravery and of heroism
equal to the deeds Of daring perform
ed by those patriots who have faced
shot and shell of an enemy country
are not lacking among the army OF
employees of the United States gov
eminent. While the hardships en-
countered and the loss of life are no,
so great in numbers as those recorded
in actual warfare, nevertheless, they
bear mute testimony to the valiant
service rendered by these faithful
servants of the people bent on per
forming the onerous and difficult,
tasks assigned them.
And the praises Of these heroes arr
not sung in either prose or poetry.
They, are not broadcast throughout
the land. There is no Congressiona!
Medal of Honor bestowed on them; NJ
decoration Of any kind awaits them
There is not even so much as cita
ton for bravery and meritorious ser
vice performed in the line of duty.
But these faithful employees OF
Uncle Sam never complain. They arc
not seeking notoriety. They are be-
ing content to carry on their dali:
labors without thought of reward
other than that which goes with th'
consc. BUSINESS of duty fulfilled.
There is no class of employees D.
the government that faces more act
ual perils of life and limb and art
subject to more vicissitudes of the ele
ments in their daily routine thar.
of the. men who carry the mails ovei
some of the more difficult of the sta,
routes. These men are not paid sal
aries but work under contract, award
ed under the law as result of COM
'petitive bidding. It might be sait
that they differ from all other gov
eminent employees in that they fl.
their own salaries.
When it is pointed out that during
the last two and one-half years St
carriers have lost their lives while il
the performance Of duty, it will bs
seen that the tasks assigned them are
hazardous in the extreme.
There are star routes scattered
turnout the country where "seas OF
mud" are considered Of slight moment
and where the perjls encountered
from ice packs and foes many times
result in death or serious and per1na-
nent injury.
To the city dweller reference to
mail man brings picture of the gray
coated carrier who delivers his letters
and packages unhampered to any
great extent by wind or weather. But
the denizen of the rural district thinks
of him as a driver of horse drawn
or motor vehicle, whose arrival is re.
garded as an event in the daily life
of the occupant Of the farm, putting
him as it does, in touch with the out
side world and with his fellow man.
In January Of this year Reinhold
Dream, carrier on the star route be-
tween Buffalo and Murchison, South
Dakota, fell a victim to duty. For
several years Dream had been max
ing twice-a-week trips between the
two hamlets, encountering all sorts of
weather conditions but never failing
to carry out his. part of the contract
with the Post Office Department. He
had started from Murchison as usual
on certain Saturday and when he
did not put in his appearance tie
next day at Buffalo, a search was
made for him. He was found just one
mile outside Of town with both hands