Imperial Valley press., 1930-03-07
CHEVROLET AIDS
OLD POSTMASTER
CHANGE CUSTOMS

For the first time in 27 years
George W. Rilea, United States
postmaster at Agness, Oregon, has
left the mountain Businesses of the
lower Rogue River and visited what
he is pleased to call "the Great Out
side".
For the first time in his life this
likeable old mamie recently cele'
brated his cath birthday-has seen
Il motion picture show.
Barely year ago Postmaster
Rilea (his name is pronounced as
if spelled Riley) took his first ride
in an automobile--a Chevrolet
roadster, which performed the al
most incredible feat of travelling %
miles from Gold Beach up the treach-
crous Rogue in 2G-foot power boat
pilotcd Lv Frank Lowery, master
mariner Of the stream, who has the
contract for carrying the mails to
Agness.
Be it known that George w. Rilea
had at that time lived up for almost
three decades to n resolution never
to do two things-ride in an automo-
bile or see n motion picture show
TO him these factors Of common en-
iovmenG had always appealed as
foiblcs of humanity, never to be
recognized BY persons of dignity and
philosphic inclination. But when he
saw the beautiful little Chevrolet
and listened to the soft purring of
its motor the old man relcnted in
his ironclad determination. He rode
and, as he aftcrward admitted,
"got quite 4 kick" out Of the eX-
pcrience.
The ride in the Chevrolet produc-
ed great change in the life of the
postmaster, and tho passing DAYS
since then have seen the gradual dis
integration of his adamantine de
termination to remain inpervious to
certain things which appeal so
strongly to lis fellows. When that
element in his unusual makeup
which had lain dormant for years,
his love of amusement, had awak
ened sufficiently to conquer his pre-
iudiccs and end the subconsciOus
controversy. Rilea acted with the
cclcrity and the vigor which are his
Distinguishing traits-to use n bit
of expressive even if irrevelant
slang, he plunged in instead of mere
ly getting his feet wet.
Town Isolated
1t was in August, last year, that
Edward NJ. Miller, then automobile
editor of a Portland newspaper,
heard of Agness and its postmaster
The town is practically inaccessible
except by way of the Rogue River
and up 10 that time no passenger
ear had ever rolled along Rattle
snake avenue, its main thorough
fare. threcfOurths of a mile long,
which was named by the postmaster.
His store and residence building, in
which he also conducts Uncle Sans
mail affairs, is situated at the In
torscction of Cougar street. which
also owes its graphic name to Kilca.
When Miller learned these facts
and also discovered that Postmaster
Rilc1 had never ridden in an auto
mobile nor seen 4 motion picture
show, and had vowed that he would
=
gencc in features so worldly, he pro
cured Chevrolet roadster from a
Portland dealer and had il conveyed
up the Rogue River in the small
motor boat. Several thrilling Incl
dents marked the pcrilous passage
particularly the shooting of Crooked
rifle, n Whirlpool into which q raft
of lumber had been sucked and had
emerged as individual pieces only
a few weeks previously.
Since then wear has passed. but
the ride in the Chevrolet proved the
entering wedge causing Postmaster
Rilea's resolution to topple Now he
has visited "the Great Outside" and
seen a motion picture show. More
over, he cniovcd the experience, as
he frankly admits, fully as much as
he did the ride in Chevrolet,