Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/364

 300 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY During the winter of 1855-56 Captain Hancock carried the mail between Red Wing and "Winona on the St. Paul-Prairie du Chien route. He made the trip in four days, two days going and two days coming, receiving four dollars a day, or sixteen dollars for each trip. Besides the mails he carried passengers and ex- press, the income from which often equalled the receipts for the mails in those days. It was not all pleasure traveling even as a passenger in those days, the captain states. In the summer time the stage was compelled to cross unbridged streams, often swollen by heavy rains, and in the winter it was no unusual experience for the passengers to be compelled to join in digging the horses and sleigh out of a snow drift. Later Captain Hancock conducted two of these lines to St. Nicholas and Blue Earth City, carrying passengers to and from and supplying mails for St. Nicholas, Austin, Mantorville, Wa- sioja, Concord, Roscoe, Zumbrota, Pine Island, GeneA r a, Owa- tonna, Ashland. Bancroft, Albert Lea and other points. After that he operated the line to Le Sueur. Captain Hancock relates many interesting anecdotes of his experiences as mail driver in those early days. Instead of a pouch for each office the mail was all carried in one pouch, and at each place where a stop was made the postmaster unlocked the pouch, removed the mail for his office, and put in that which he had to forward. The post- masters named were not all men of learning — Captain Hancock found some who could not read — and so the captain was often called on to sort the mail and make the proper distribution. Among other duties the mail carriers were required to collect the revenue due the government. Captain Hancock distinctly remembers his first collection at what was then Goodhue Center post-office — the munificent sum of six cents, which was the gov- ernment's share for the business done the previous three months. During the year 1860 there was a change in the service of carrying the mails along the river from the packets to stages. Only through mails were after that delivered by boats, which supplied Winona. Red Wing, Prescott and Hastings, between St. Paul and Winona. At this time, under date of November 15, 1860, is published the first list of advertised letters. Thirty-five pieces are included in the list, more than are advertised weekly now. In those days also we find that occasional instruction of the public in postal matters was necessary. Under date of De- cember 21, 1860, the press contained the following statement: Post Office Information. "The last semi-official organ of the General Post Office De- partment, known as 'Holbrook's Monthly Mail Bag.' contains the following post office information for the people: