Evening star., 1940-12-29
Mexico's S Ancient
Postal System
BIZ Frederic J. H1Skin.

Spain, the system is older than that. 1t
is the oldest mail service in North Amer
lea and began at a date not now def
nitely known to history. Like the postal
service in other countries, it has grad
ually changed in form, widened in scope
OF service and improved in efficiency.
The first postal system in Mexico
existed in the time Of the Aztecs. How
early this began, there Is no record to as
certain, but there is record Of how
mails were carried at the time Of the
conquest of 1919. Couriers were used
and were called correos, a derivation
from the Spanish word correr which
means to run. The name has remained
in use and the Mexican postal service
is now known as Servicio de Corrsos.
Different insignia were used by the
couriers in accordance with the nature
of the news they carried. If the Aztecs
had lost victory, the couriers let their
hair loose and went straight to the
palace upon reaching Mexico City, where
they Frustrated themselves before the
King to render an account of the hap
DcIlllBo IL ll1Cy Nd1l4Cu ilCWo VI q VIZ
tory, they would tie pieces Of white
cloth around their heads and carry a
sword in their right hand, which they
would hold in an attitude of combat,
thus demonstrating their joy of victory.
Because of the need for endurance the
couriers were trained from early child
hood for their profession, and the Aztec
priests would encourage them and offer
prizes for proficiency. There were small
| towers stationed six miles apart along
| the route of travel, where other couriers
would receive the news and continue
the journey. BY use of this relay meth
| cd often a message was carried dis
| tance of 300 miles in one day. Many
times the nature of messages necessitat.
ed their quick dispatch.
The Emperor Montezuma made use
of the couriers to bring him fresh fish
daily from the Gulf of Mexico to his
capital. The shortest route between the
Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican capital
was then 200 miles. There were many
courier routes throughout the Aztec
kingdom. Some of the lines of foot
travel are traditionally known today.
&* *s
Bv royal letters patent of the King OF
Spain to the Viceroy of Mexico, dated
December 25, 1765, the postal service of
Mexico was incorporated to the crown
of Spain. At that time, two mails car
ried by couriers arrived in Mexico one
on Monday and the other on Thursday.
These were reduced TO one on Monday
and mail was sent to Veracruz on We'd
nesday. Overseas mail was dispatched
once a month, if sailing vessels were
available. The postal service then had
two Offices. one in Veracruz and one in
Mexico City The two Offices operated
independently till the time Of Mexico's
independence from Spain in 1915, when
the two Offices were combined, the Mex
leo City Office having Jurisdiction over
the Veracruz Office.
In 1871, when Count ReWllagigedo was
viceroy, the semi-weekly mail system
was established. This continued with
. out interruption until 1910, when the
second one was abandoned and not re-
sumed until May, 1923, when it was re
established by order of the supreme
executive.
In the same proportion that revenue
increased after the incorporation Of the
mail service to the crown, the service
was enlarged. In 1890 there was chief
postmaster, an accountant, seven Off
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due to the double service, two more Off
cials another clerk and another porter
were employed, and in 1921 a new off,
cial and file clerk were added.
In this respect the postal system Of
Mexico may be said to have had its
modern beginning only four years earlier
than the United States Government.
controlled system, for it was in 17e4
that Congress passed the first law regu'
lating handling of the mails. However
q postal system was set up in earlier
years. Letters and parcels were carried
; by private messengers at much expense
Postage stamps were not issued in tn,
United States until 1847.
On November 16, 1924. the sovereign
general congress of Mexicos new anC
independent government decreed tina
all the mail service of Mexico woult
be subject to the federal government
of Mexico under direction of tht
Minister of Finance. Mexico's posta
service is now under the Jurisdiction o
the Ministry of Communications ant
Public Works. The postmaster genera
is not cabinet member as is the cas-,
in the United States. but he is also chic
of the Mexican telegraph service which
is owned and operated by the govern
ment.
In Mexico, as in the United States
the mails are greatly facilitated b,
railroad and airplane service. TIL,
Mexican railroad system, comprising {
total of 14,500 miles, Is sufficiently com
prehensive to unite the most important
: centers of the population and industry
of the country. thus making possible
many arteries through which the mail
flow. Not only the republic proper, bu
the railroad service touches borderine
nations-the United States and Guate.
mala.
The National Railways of Mexico ar
owned and operated by the government
, and comprise about IS per cent of al
/ i