238 HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



"The postoffice was not opened to-day. Back mail is piled all over the 

 floor two feet deep. It is utterly impossible to do the postoffice work of 

 Pasadena with the number of clerks allowed by the Postoffice Department. 

 Since July i Mr. Masters had paid for clerk hire $2,055 out of his own 

 pocket to keep the work going on right, but could get no allowance for it at 

 Washington, nor increase of clerks, and hence had discharged all his extra 

 help — and here was the result." 



As soon as the situation became known an impromptu meeting sent out 

 a committee to raise funds to assist the postmaster, consisting of T. P. 

 Lukens, Geo. E. Meharry, B. W. Bates, A. F. Mills, I^. F. Miller. They 

 raised $350 in two hours, which was increased to $500 the next day. A 

 vacant store-room was secured, piles of mail bags dumped into it, both hired 

 and volunteer assistants were set at work, and in about a week the vast ac- 

 cumulation of back mail was assorted and distributed to its proper owners. 



During December 12 and 13, Washington was besieged with telegrams 

 calling for the authorization of more postoffice clerks at Pasadena. Ex- 

 congressman H. H. Markham telegraphed to the Postmaster General about 

 it. Col. W. A. Ray, chairman of Citizens committee, also telegraphed the 

 Postmaster General. Prof. M. M. Parker, president of the city council, 

 telegraphed to Gen. Wm. Vandever, then our member of congress. And 

 Rev. E. I/. Conger telegraphed to his brother, a member of congress, to aid 

 us in the matter. Out of all this effort came at last some relief, and more 

 clerical help was provided for the office. 



In March 1888, the office was removed from its place on Fair Oaks 

 Avenue into a larger and more commodious room in the Morgan block on 

 south Raymond Avenue, where it still remains — 1895. And at that time 

 the extensive and improved box system, with Yale locks, and passage way 

 or lobby on two sides, were put in nearly the same as now. 



FREE DELIVERY. 



The Pasadena Standard oi July 6, 1889, said : 



" Free delivery of mail commenced Monday, July i. The carriers are •' 

 Capt. A. C. Drake, business portion of city north of Colorado street. L. T- 

 L^incoln, business portion south of Colorado street. A. L. Petrie, mounted, 

 northern outlying district. C. R. Dillman, mounted, eastern district. E- 

 Watson, mounted, southern district. Drake and Petrie are old soldiers. 

 The other three have been clerks in the postoffice." 



The same paper in October said : 



■' During the month of September our free mail carriers delivered 38,838 

 pieces of mail matter, and collected from the street boxes 11,621 pieces." 



And February 8, 1890, it said again : 



" The total receipts of the Pasadena postoffice in 1889 were $13,519.28. 

 Total expenses $11,021.88. Leaving $2,497.40 net revenue to the govern- 

 ment." 



During 1890 our postoffjce matters went on smoothly under W. U. 

 Masters headship, without any marked historic event to note. 



