Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1929-12-20

that he can and will survive 1t. All
through the horrors and sorrows OF the
great World war Santa Claus was in
the trenches of all the armies on both
sides. Wherever disaster. pestilence
and suffering exist. there will Santa
Claus always be found bringing com
fort and happiness and none of these
have the power to shorten his life for
an instant, nor to stay his hand in his
ministry to the needy. Into the homes
Of the poor as well as into the man.
sions of the rich he pays his secret
visits and sheds his CHEEKY blessings
impartially. He may not always brink
to you all the Joys you wish, but in his
great wisdom he will bring to you
those which he knows are best for
you. And though you. as little girl.
may not see him now when he steals
into your home, you will be able to
see him when you have grown older.
And when you have visualized him you
will have communed with Divinity.
Your Santa Claus lives, Opal Marie.
and there is no harm that can ever be-
fall him.
Is there a Santa Clausi
Ask ]. F. Martin, postmaster of the
town of Santa Claus. Ind. For there
is such town (not to mention a ST
Nicholas, Pa) and the story of how II
came into being Is interesting. The
town Santa Claus was first christened
Santa Fee, when 1t was founded in
1916. One Thomas Smith, a surveyor.
was called upon to plot the place, orig
inally composed of seventeen town
lots. Seventy-six years before that
time, Shadrack Hall had built tan
merry there
For several years the town went by
the name of Santa Fee, the popula
ton increasing all the while After
families had settled in the village it
was decided to apply to the govern
ment for post office. While the re
quest was being considered, postal au
thorities observed that there was an
other town In Indiana named Santa
Fe. Consequently the post office de
partment ruled that there could not be
post offices in two towns of the same
name in any one state.
Notice to that effect was sent to the
people Of Santa Fe few days before
Christmas, in 1855. Immediately call
ing mass meeting to see what could
be done about remaining the town. the
citizens of Santa Fee decided to give
their village the name of Santa Claus
Santa Claus. Ind, is In Spencer
county, twelve miles from the Ohio
river and about four miles from Lin
coin City, near the boyhood home OF
Abraham Lincoln and the site of the
famous Nancy Hanks Lincoln memo
itants. boasts milk and cream sta
ton, blacksmith shop and comb
nation general store and post office
over which MIR. Martin presides Blu,
the most interesting thing about Santa
Claus, Ind, is the fact that every
year that post Office is flooded with
letters to Santa Claus from children
not only from all parts of the United
States but from Canada, Mexico and
other foreign countries as we'll.
Mr. Martin has been postmaster for
twenty-seven years and In that time
has played Santa Claus to millions OF
children. For he reads all letters he
receives from children and, If he has
time, answers some of them
"MostIy. they're just gentle remind
ers to Santa" he says. Sometimes
run across queer requests for gifts
One hoy asked for baby elephant
On rare occasions he receives letters
after Christmas. thanking Santa for
past favors.. During the Christmas
season parents wishing to make the
Yuletide more realistic often mai
boxes OF addressed and stamped lei
tiers to the Santa Claus post office Il,
have them posted with the official
"Santa Claus" postmark Many per
sons interested In unusual stamp can
relations write to the postmaster ask
ing him to cancel stamps on enclosed
envelopes and return them by mail
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