Miscellaneous: Will Eagles, 1937, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: January 14, 1937 Winn Parish Enterprise First Rural Mail Carrier In Winn Parish to Retire Will Eagles, Uncle Sam's Employee for 28 Years Regrets to Leave The Service After twenty-eight years in Uncle Sam's service, Winn Parish's first rural mail carrier, Mr. Will Eagles of Winnfield, will retire with a nice pension on the thirty-first of this month. Although in continual service all these years, Mr. Eagles would like to stay in service a few more years at least. He and Mrs. Eagles plan to travel extensively, as soon as his health will permit. Mr. Eagles has favored the Enterprise with a history of the first rural route in Winn Parish, which is printed below: "Early in 1909 the first rural route in Winn Parish was established, and a Civil Service examination was called by the P. O. Department. This was R. F. D. 1 out of Winnfield, La., and among the number taking this examination was the subject of this sketch, who happened to make the highest rating and got the appointment as rural carrier No. 1, and service began on the first day of April of that year. At that time there were but few automobiles in use, and no roads to speak of, and the only equipment that could be used to carry the mail was a horse drawn vehicle, and it required the better part of the day to cover even a short route, as this one which was only 22 and 9/10 miles. "I served this route for about 3 months and became dissatisfied with it as the pay was not very attractive, being less than half of what it is now, so I tendered my resignation and was succeeded by W. A. Stothert, who after serving for approximately two years was, for some reason, let out by the Department. A new examination was called and I again was among the applicants, but this time I fell a little below the highest average and my nephew, Clayton Eagles, was the appointee. He served for about one year and resigned to a clerkship in the post office, thus, leaving another vacancy in the route. I being the next highest eligible was reappointed carrier, and resumed service on the 15th day of June, 1912 and have been continuously in the service ever since. "I used horse and buggy for five years or rather until 1917. By that time Fords had become popular and so I purchased a "T" model which I used during the summer and fall season. Since 1922 I have used a car altogether, although at times I wished that I had old "Dobbin" back. "When service began on my route, there were only 27 mail boxes and all of them the old fashioned side door type calculated to try the patience of the carrier who quite often had to get out and scratch around in the grass for loose pennies which generally fell out when the letters were taken out of the box. "Well, there have been many changed in the rural mail delivery since I first entered the service. There war now nearly a hundred boxes, and two short extensions have been made, making the route 28 miles, and the road conditions greatly improved, though there is plenty of room for improvement, especially on the lateral roads. "When I began the service the parcel post law was not in effect, and the Sears Roebuck catalogue was about the largest parcel that went through the mails. Now we sometimes need a trailer to handle the parcels, especially during the Christmas season. Speaking of Christmas, this hasn't always been a legal holiday with rural carriers. I have spent several Christmas days on the route, trying to bring Santa to my patrons. Some of my patrons were thoughtful enough to leave me a slice of cake in the mail box reminding me it was Christmas Day. "The rural carrier has his trials the same as everybody else, and sometimes its mighty hard to render service with a smile, but taking everything into consideration, I have rather liked the work and were I not required to retire because of age, and were my health normal I should like to continue in the service for a few more years at least. "I have served under eight different Postmasters, all of whom I highly esteemed as my superiors and with whom I worked in perfect harmony. I have made mistakes as most everybody else has, but have been fortunate enough to escape Departmental criticism or reprimand. "On the 31st of this month I shall terminate my service to the P. O. Department. "With the very best wishes to my patrons and to my fellow employees of rural mail and to the Postmaster and clerks in the office I bid you all adieu. "Respectfully, W. Eagles"