Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Clipping, Newspaper |
Title |
Newspaper Clipping - History of Railway Post Office |
Scope & Content |
One (1) original newsclipping; 'Railway postal clerks were hardy and quick' . Article by C. William Brew. [transcription] Railway postal clerks were hardy and quick [Photo of] C. William Brew Historical Ties [photo of envelope] Fig. 1: RPO cover from Chicago and Council Bluffs, Iowa, is postmarked Nov. 17, 1919. [photo of envelope] Fig. 2: Nov. 10, 1932, cover was delivered by Pitts. and St. Louis RPO. The Railway Post Office system began in the 1860s with the development of the rail system. A mail car was added to train to sort and deliver mail to the stations along the train's route. It didn't take long for the system to expand. The railroad became the primary and fastest method of handling the mail. Coast-to-coast was accomplished in 1889. The railroad cancel RPO with its assigned number became a collector's item. The letter in Fig. 1 has a cancel of the Chicago and Council Bluffs, Iowa, Train No. 8. The cover is dated Nov. 17, 1919. It was mailed from Chariton, Iowa, to Grinnell, Iowa, a distance of 170 miles. The railroad line that carried this letter was the CRI&P (Chicago Rock Island and Peoria Railroad). Fig. 2 is a RPO on the Pitts. and St. Louis, Train No. 19, dated Nov. 10, 1932. It was sent from Corning, Iowa, to Anamosa, Iowa. It was carried on the CMSP&P from Anamosa to Ceder [sic] Rapids and to Oskaloosa to Sigourney, via CRI&P to Eddyville and via Chicago & Council Bluffs R.R. to Corning, a distance of 200 miles. Also, note the cancel on the stamp contains the letters RMS which means railway mail system. Sorted on train These letters were sorted by a postal clerk as he traveled along the route. In all probability, the process was just routine, as opposed to the many events that happened in earlier days, such as train wrecks, fires, errors catching the stringers, or throwing the pouch into the designated areas. One substitute clerk of legend put mail hook out too soon and caught a semaphore post. Confused about the goof he just made, he threw the sack of mail just in time to have it crash into the station's window. The crew laughed so much that no demerits were given. For weeks after, the crew still hooted the substitute when he would board the mail car. It was a while before he was assigned to perform the task again. RPO clerks needed intelligence and to perform at a high rate of efficiency. They were to required to pass an annual test of 284 difficult questions. A sorting test required the clerk to sort cards at the rate of 16 per minute. The mail sorting abilities of these clerks was astounding. The myriad slots, boxes and pigeon holes would confuse any average individual. But, the clerk could pump mail into its designated place at a rate of three times the test required and into unmarked slots. He must have a memory of 3,000 to 10,000 destinations. Routes and time schedules of the various trains along his route was imbedded into his mind. It became automatic for him. Tough times There were serious moments, such as the time the clerk got his chain caught in the pouch and threw it off the train. He went with it at 65 mph; there was little doubt of his outcome. Other deadly risks were possible. Wrecks and holdups were always on the horizon. Holdups were rare but they did happen. All mail clerks were required to carry firearms, mainly pistols. There are several incidents where the clerks needed them to help stave off a robbery attempt. As late as 1939, two postal clerks repulsed a desperate group of bandits, with gun play. This was on the Chicago and Carbondale train 31 at Onarga, Ill. Badly wounded themselves, they managed to wound one of the bandits and save a $56,000 payroll. The life of a postal mail clerk had some glamor and lots of hard work. Once it was in their blood they usually stayed for a lifetime. One mail clerk racked up 2.7 million miles of RPO duty. Many others could claim over a million miles of duty. That's dedication. It's interesting what information comes from a couple of covers and some research. References "Mail by Rail," by Bryant Long and William Dennis. Encyclopedia Britannica |
Search Terms |
Newspaper Clipping Postal Clerk Railway Post Office RPO |
Collection |
Jesse E. Covey Collection |
Catalog Number |
CP.2009.GC.10-3 |