U.S. Postal History

U.S. Postal History 

In our time, mail is an entire industry for the delivery of goods, with huge warehouses, and many planes, vans, wagons, in which the goods are sent. A total of 100-150 years ago, that it looked quite different, and here are some facts from the life of the U.S. Postal.

Pony Express

In 1860, a William Russell made the following announcement, which was stuck in the drinking establishments, on poles and buildings:

Required young skinny wiry fellows to 18. The ability to ride daily deadly risk, preferably orphans. Payment of $ 25 per week

What do you think, what were recruited these people? For the carriage of mail across America! The train was passing from Missouri to California in 24 days - almost a month, and the first mailing was delivered for 10 days, there are young people - and the first postmen were Johnny Fry and Sam Hamilton - overcame to 160 kilometers per day, the prairies, swarming with bandits and Aboriginal people. This post office was called "Pony Express". Shipping was not cheap - $ 5 per 10 grams, regular mail, it costs 50 times less expensive, but if needed urgently to deliver the mail, had no choice. The record for speed of delivery of the letter was delivered in 1861, when news of the inauguration of President Lincoln from Missouri to Sacramento, California, was delivered in 7 days 17 hours. In the same year construction was completed transcontinental telegraph line, and October 26, 1861 Mail Service "Pony Express" ceased to exist after 18 months of work.

Rocket mail

Mail was delivered at different times, horses, ships, sleigh rides, snowshoeing. cars, motorcycles. mules, camels, airplanes, dog sledding, and snow by parachute ... But the strangest way to deliver mail - it's rocket mail. In 1936, two rockets were used to deliver mail across a frozen lake at a distance of 600 meters. Rockets fell prematurely and broke the ice. The postman brought mail and delivered it on the classical way - on foot. It would seem - crazy idea, but in 1959 the submarine USS Barbero balls started up a rocket with 3000 letters "on board" in the direction of a military base in Meyporte, Florida. The missile flew 150 miles in 22 minutes, and then landed in the right place. Despite a good start. this method of mail delivery was considered expensive, and the distribution is not received. Well yes, because at the slightest inaccuracy, especially at distant "transmissions," it may happen that will deliver the letters have nowhere to go. In addition, the brittle, fragile items, or just send an email meaningless.

Post mules

In the soup, Arizona (near the Grand Canyon) is a special post office. Within the canyon the use of helicopters or other means of delivery is not practical, and widely used "mules" mail. Each mule can carry up to 70 kilo-mail, and for 3-5 hours-mail is delivered to the right place. Working week in mules lasts 5 days, so by sending an email before the weekend, will have to wait for the day.

Diamond in the envelope

When a jeweler in New York on behalf of Harry Winston has decided to present a diamond called Hope (Hope) Smithsonian Institute (a group of cultural institutions, museums, galleries), he decided to choose first class mail. Delivery of cargo from New York to Washington cost $ 2.44 dollars for the brand and 142.85 for insurance administration. In Washington, James Todd postman took the letter at the post office and took him to the Natural History building, which gave the curator. According to Todd, his hands shook slightly during the delivery of letters with a diamond because of its value and exerted the attention - the cost of pebble is more than $ 300 million.

Chameleon-mail

In December 1954, a postman from Orlando, Fla., received an unusual letter, which was written:

Dear Sir, I am sending you a chameleon, because I live in Ohio, and the climate is cold for the animal. Release it, please, at will.

Sincerely, David ....

PS. Let me know as soon as everything will be fine, I'm very worried for him.

After a few days caring owner chameleon got a reply:

Dear David, I received your chameleon and immediately released him on the lawn near the mail.

Regards, L. Bryant Jr., the postman

A child in a parcel

Chameleon - it's all right, but what about the child to send mail? In 1914, a four-girl Mae Pierstoff, living with his parents in Idaho, visited his grandmother, who lives in Maine. Caring parents figured that the weight of the girls is in the range allowed for posting in the premise. At the time, as now, the U.S. is allowed to send mail and poultry, so that the parcel was sent by "chicken" fare - 53 cents. When she "got" to the destination, the postman delivered a parcel of loving grandmother. 6 years later, in 1920, sending mail, people were banned after an abandoned child's mother sent him to his father.

Pneumatic

At the beginning of last century, air mail was very popular, for example, more than half of all mail within New York sent it through a high-tech systems. The pressure in the pipes created by fans and compressors, the speed of "rounds" with the post was more than 150 kilometers per hour. In New York, was 136 pneumatic operators, called "rocket troops," they sent the container to wait every 12 seconds.
Despite the efficiency of delivery in this way, gaps in this mail was missing. First of all, the weight of a postal item should not exceed three pounds, and the sorting and packing inside the letters took a long time. Because of this, in 1922 the use of pneumatic refused.

In the premise - to freedom

Henry Brown, who was separated from his wife and children, sold into slavery of all, I decided to send a mail to freedom. It happened March 29, 1849. With the help of a friend the shop owner he was "packed" into a box measuring 90 × 60x80 inches with an inscription on one side, "Beware of the top here," and pointed address Makkima James Miller, then "human rights" and a supporter of the abolition of slavery.
With the growth of 167 centimeters Henry and weight 60 kg, he took with him a small container with water, and stayed in the "post prison 27 hours. During delivery, he moved in a van, then in the baggage car, and then again in the van, then on the boat, then back in the van, mud, and then by ferry, and finally again in the van that took him to the house Makkima.

The publicity this story has meant that in 1850 the Act was passed prohibiting the help runaway slaves, and Brown had to go to England, where he lived until 1875. So much for American democracy and human rights. While in Russia were serfs, so that here too ashamed to remember ...