The Nome nugget., 1959-03-13
By FRED LOCKLEY
Second Installment

Taking notebooks, started down Front Street to get the names of patrons. One of the first places I entered a restaurant l stated my errand The proprietor, a woman, looked ln- creduous, and asked. "How much are you going to tax to bring my mal?' I told her 1t would be free delivery, and no charge whatever, as the government paying five dollars day for my services. Free delivery! Now wouldn't that paralyze you she exclaimed incredulously. Going to bring letters around for nothing. Well, God bless Uncle Sam. That is the only thing I ever head of in this camp that free.' Almost without exception the people offered to pay for having their mail delivered and could scarcely credit the fact of having service dered without cost
 The inspector had told us of the condition that existed at Dawson in the early days of the sam- pede there where one was almost compelled to show the color of his money to get attention. "For the credit of the service, boys, want no grating here" he said, and I may say right here that his request was complied with Not only that, but it happened that neither my comrade Ben Taylor, myself smoked drank. This fact a constant of astonshment to patrons. We had dozens of saloons on our routes. As soon as I had taken the list of names to be delivered, later, whenever would bring mail, the invari- able query would be Well, what will you take?" Thanks, I don't for anything,' I would spond. Take a couple of cigars then, and the barkeeper would produce box of his best What! you don't smoke either" he would exclaim in tonshnent as I declined the preferred cigars. One insisted that L take something, and feeling
 
 courteous, I said, "very well, will take drink of boiled water if you happen to have any handy" The look of that his face. He paused, studying me, evidently to see if l was in earnest and then said though loath to believe that evidence of his senses ''Did you say boiled water?' Such stock that the shelves to choose from, and you ask for boiled water. Say, I have up against all sorts of people and a few other sorts in my time, but you, you than take the cake; you take the whole bakery. However, it's up to you to nominate your poison, so boiled water goes," and he poured me a beer glass of boiled water did not repeat the experi- ment; that my first and last drink There after, I kindly but firmly declined all liquid refreshments. I did not want the population to turn out en masse to gaze upon me as freak if not of the first water, at least of boiled water!
 We spent the afternoon in getting the and locations of our patrons, and in arranging them in numerical and alphabetical order. Next morning we reported at the postoffice and given several pouches of letters which had been taken from the cases to make room for later mail Breakfast just in the little back kitchen so cleared the table and used it and the floor upon which to sort the letters, and get out those belonging to our patrons Chairs being a minus quantity (they were pressed into service in the register and money order department when not in use in the ktchen) improvised seats from rolls of paper. We had to abandon the table presently to allow dinner preparation to get under way. In little about 12x12, eleven clerks were working It a of standing room only.
 
 taking out the partition and removing the kitchen to tent. We found letters for of patrons that had been there for months Some individuals would have a dozen letters. The paper mail had not been opened, there were no facilities for handling it. In consequence, several tons of second third and fourth-class matter had accumulated. We worked until II pm. looking through the cumulatons of old letters and getting out mail for our respective routes.
 Improvisng carriers sacks from canvas regis ter supply sacks and valise straps, and routing our mail best could started out next morning on the first free mail delivery ever made in Alaska.
 The first establishment my route boat anchored in Snake River, the Minneapolis which used private hospital and boarding house. It was one of several other similar business loca- .tions my route. The high cost of business lots,