Letter carriers

An old man labeled “St. Valentine,” carrying a “U.S. Mail” letter pouch, delivers valentines to “Col. W.D. Mann,” John A. “McCall,” Henry H. “Rogers,” John D. Rockefeller Jr., John D. “Rockefeller,” “Son McCurdy,” Edward L. “Hamilton,” and Richard “Pat McCurdy.” Caption: St. Valentine — Don’t be afraid to take ’em, boys. They’re valentines; not subpoenas.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Even on Valentine’s Day, Puck pursued the scoundrels of the insurance industry and Standard Oil with barbs of criticism, and not the arrows of a Cupid. The figures in the doorway were prominent names before the scandal-hungry public in 1905 and 1906.

William Loeb forwards a telegram from John N. Parsons of the National Association of Letter Carriers for Postmaster General Payne’s attention. Parsons appeals for a leave of absence for members to attend the convention of letter carriers at Syracuse.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-29

President Roosevelt asks Postmaster General Cortelyou to let him handle the situation as a personal matter. Until Cortelyou can provide a report, Roosevelt does not want any changes made to Wilson’s route or conditions except a possible increase to his salary.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-29

President Roosevelt requests a report on a Pennsylvania post office “showing that the substitute letter carrier was actually at work and had been at work.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-31

President Roosevelt would like the messenger and star route carriers to have their accounts audited and paid monthly instead of quarterly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-18

The Civil Service Commission has determined that the three postal carrier were transferred due to improper political considerations by Postmaster McMichael’s subordinates. President Roosevelt does not believe that McMichael was aware of the political pressure being used against the carriers but he approved the transfers at the suggestion of his subordinates. The carriers will be returned to their previous routes. The reasons for transfers will now be kept in a written record, and special care must be taken to ensure that transfers are not influenced by political or religious considerations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-30

President Roosevelt encloses a confidential letter from Senator Platt and asks that no changes be made in the district’s fourth class post offices until Roosevelt can meet with the district’s senator and congressman.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-19

President Roosevelt approves of Postmaster General Payne’s plan regarding the letter carriers and William Randolph Hearst. Payne intends to bring individual cases to the attention of the Civil Service Commission rather then launching a widespread investigation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-05

President Roosevelt instructs Postmaster General Payne to work with the Civil Service Commission and investigate “letter carriers’ conventions.” Members of the classified service should not go as delegates to conventions or take “offensive political action.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-16

Vice President Roosevelt received George Howland’s request for input regarding the appointment of a Kentucky letter carrier. Roosevelt has no power in such a matter and instructs Howland to contact his representative or Senator William Joseph Deboe.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-09-07

Timothy L. Woodruff informs William Loeb about the case of Percy Frampton, a letter carrier in Long Island who was dismissed for alleged intoxication. Theron H. Burden, however, believes that it was because Frampton did not support Postmaster George Ripperger’s man for president of the Long Island City Letter Carrier’s Association. Woodruff asks if something can be done and encloses a statement by people on Frampton’s former route.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-08

James Bronson Reynolds reports to President Roosevelt on a conference he recently had with Postmaster John N. Parsons regarding the attitudes of the letter carriers union towards the present political campaign. Reynolds feels he has more up-to-date information than what Roosevelt may have been told by William Loeb or George B. Coretlyou, and offers to come to Washington, D.C., to brief Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-12

Senator Lodge informs President Roosevelt that Assistant District Attorney Casey dropped a suit against a mail carrier who was stealing mail and that Casey also received money from the mail carrier’s mother to retain legal counsel. Lodge asks Roosevelt to have the Attorney General contact Edward Mansfield to learn about this case. He would also like the Attorney General to speak with Stebbins in regard to the Curley case. In addition, Lodge discusses his voyage.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-24

William Loeb asks Postmaster General Wynne on behalf of Attorney General Julius M. Mayer to grant a three months leave of absence for letter carrier Edmund Rothschild.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-22

John Charles Black, president of the Civil Service Commission, discusses whether or not Frank H. Cunningham, president of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, violated an executive order by writing rural carriers to encourage them to solicit their government representatives concerning legislation that would benefit them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-15

Mail carriers of St. Louis march in a parade at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1904

Newspaper article arguing that rural letter carriers should be part of the civil service, which would limit political patronage.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11

Postmaster General Payne has received James Sullivan Clarkson’s letter regarding the letter carrier conventions that endorsed William Randolph Hearst for president. Assistant Postmaster General Bristow and his investigators are looking into the matter. Depending on Bristow’s findings, the Civil Service Commission can investigate individual cases or start a general investigation into the whole matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-04

Nicholas Murray Butler promises to deliver President Roosevelt’s letter to Albert Shaw. He also enjoyed his visit to the White House and will write President Roosevelt with results of his meeting with Whitelaw Reid.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-02

James Bronson Reynolds is concerned whether or not President Roosevelt will be able to carry New York in the fall. He advises addressing the lack of office space for letter carriers in the New York Post Office. Reynolds offers to share the findings of his upcoming visit to Chisinau (Kishinev), Russia, and Romania where he will look into the condition of Romanian Jews.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-31