Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/367

 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 303 The Mantorville Mails leave Tuesdays, Thursdays, aud Satur- days, at 8 :00 a. m. Cannon River Mails leave Wednesdays and Saturdays at 6 :00 a. m. The Wananiingo Mail leaves on Saturday, at 8 :00 a. m. It is very desirable that all letters for the country and way mails up and down be deposited in the office the evening previous. Office hours from 7 :30 a. m. until 7 :30 p. m. Red Wing, Nov. 16, 1863. E. P. Lowater, Dept. P. M. In 1864 E. P. Lowater, who had served as deputy under Mr. Sorin, succeeded him as postmaster. During his administration, on November 1, 1864, the postal money order system of the post- office department was established and Red Wing designated as one of the 139 offices in the country authorized to transact the business. The first day one order was issued to Amanda Cole, of Rice Lake, Wis., for $14.00. remitted to L. A. Godey, Philadelphia, Pa. The first order was paid on November 17, 1864. It was issued at Chattanooga, Tenn., being purchased by J. C. Hawes, then serving in the army, payable to his wife, Lydia B. Hawes, and was for the sum of $30.00, the maximum amount of orders at that time. The first year 295 orders were issued, the second 411 and the third 606. During the first ten years 13,100 orders were issued. The first year 104 orders were paid. When the money order business was established the sum of $300.00 was transferred from the general fund with which to do business. With that as the basis was established the business which today amounts to more than $300,000.00 annually. Mr. Lowater served as postmaster until October, 1866. He conducted the post-office in a general store which he owned, which was at the corner of Main and Bush streets, where the St. James Hotel now stands. Prior to his time the office had been located on Main street in the block between Bush and Plum, a portion of the time on the north side and the remainder of the time on the south side of the street. A mail schedule, published in July, 1866, again shows some important changes. It reads: Mantorville, — Arrive Mondav, Wednesday and Friday. Depart Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Faribault.— Arrive Wednesday, Saturday. Depart Tuesday and Friday. Northfield— Arrive Tuesday. Friday. Deparl Wednesday and Saturday.