Running the mail

Sometime in the late 1920s, Dad acquired the contract for “running the mail” in our district, from McCabe’s Corner to J essie MacTavish’s, a distance of about two and a half miles For many years of my recollection the annual salary was $96.00 or eight dollars a month. In later years slight increases were noted, but barely. During all this time the post office was located in McCabe’s store at the extreme east end of the route, the mail being transported there each week-day from the evening train. From that postal depot three mail routes went out: upper Iona or “the Hill”, the Valley and ours. A number of residents who lived within easy walking distance of the post office did not have boxes and simply picked up their mail there in the evening, for this was as well a daily social event of no small importance.

Each driver sorted his own mail in the small post office at the back of the store and delivered it that same evening. To miss getting the mail out each night would be considered a mark of dishonor and only exceptional circumstances, such as major storms, would bring that about. The Post Office Department provided the driver, or “courier” as he was called, with a gener- ous-sized canvas mail bag that hung comfortably over the shoulder and contained a variety of pockets neatly fastened by buckles and snaps. Also supplied was a small black and white metal plate labelled “Rural Mail” to be affixed to wagon or sleigh, but most drivers simply ignored this symbol of honor. We carried on the mail route until 1950 and faithfully delivered it by wagon, sleigh, roadcart, gravel truck, car and occasionally by horseback