Sunday morning looked bright and beautiful. At least, it did when looking out the window. The sun was shining and the sky was a beautiful blue. The thermometer registered 28 degrees at 10:00AM.
Happy Birthday wishes to our son, Chris Chapman, on February 21st. Happy Belated Birthday to Mike Stowell.
We still have plenty of Blue Jays, small birds and squirrels at the feeder. The Hawk shows up every few days to check things out. The little birds still do not mind his presence but the other ones head for cover.
Our granddaughter, Sidney Chapman, called and chatted with us last Saturday. She has another big track meet coming up this next weekend. This is her last semester at Franklin Pierce University and graduation is in May.
Our granddog, Chloe, spent last Friday night with us. Sadly, it was for the last time. Tim and Michele picked her up Saturday afternoon and she passed away at home that evening. She had 16 wonderful years with many, many people who loved her.
Gilead Historical Society
Sharon Leighton stopped by last Saturday to drop off a book that her husband, Alfred Leighton, wanted to donate to the GHS. Alfred worked for the railroad for about forty years. The book is called Standard Practice Circulars. It will become part of the display in the station this summer. Many thanks to Alfred for the book and to Sharon for dropping it off and staying to visit for a while.
Historical Note: Photos from the Collection of Millie McLain. Currently in the GHS Archives.
Elmer “Bo” Bean, Sr. was a local character from Gilead’s past. He and his wife, Bessie, ran a small store on Route 2 in Gilead. The US Post Office was located in the back of the store. One of Bo’s jobs was to hang up the mail bag for the train to pick up as it went through and to get the mail it left off.
A little background on the process is as follows:
“A railway mail catcher pouch was hung on a trackside “mail crane” to be snagged by a passing train without stopping, a method known as “mail on the fly.” The specialized, durable canvas bag was attached to the crane, and a clerk on the train used a metal catcher arm to retrieve it while simultaneously throwing off incoming mail.
The Process: The mail pouch, often tied in the middle to form an hourglass shape, was hung by top and bottom metal rings on the station crane.
The Pickup: As the train passed at high speed, a postal clerk inside the Railway Post Office (RPO) car would extend a steel catcher arm to snatch the pouch.
Safety & Design: The bags had to be tough to withstand the force and were limited to roughly 50 pounds. If the crane was not properly positioned or the bag hung incorrectly, the pickup could fail, sometimes resulting in the mail being destroyed by the train wheels.
Purpose: This system allowed fast, non-stop mail service to smaller towns that the train did not stop at, keeping the mail moving efficiently.
This method was phased out as train speeds increased, diesel locomotives allowed for easier stopping, and highway transport improved.”
The building is no longer there but it was located across from the entrance to Bridge Street. I remember spending time at the store as a child and picking up our mail from the box and buying the occasional popsicle or comic book.
Got any news? Email chapmal@hotmail.com