Submitted by Christine Gorman
The Islander, July 27, 1852: New Post Offices
Council Office, 15th July, 1852.
His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor in Council has been pleased to establish post offices at the undermentioned places and to appoint the following Persons Postmasters: -
Rustico - Mr. John Fairclough.
Head of St. Peter's Bay -Mr John Sutherland.
The Islander, September 10, 1842: New Post Office
Desable, Lot 29 - Colin Holm.
Daily Examiner, July 28, 1880: New Post Office
To be established-- a post office at Mill Cove; William McGrath, post master.
Daily Examiner, October 15, 1891: New Post Office
NEW POST OFFICE New Harmony Settlement, Lot 45, post master, Mr. James McPhee.
Daily Examiner, October 21, 1890: A Change of Name
It is disagreeable to be meeting disappointments in mail communications, the wrong address put on letters, there being more than one post office having nearly the same name, thus making it difficult for people at a distance to address the letters to the proper post office. A large meeting was held in the vestry of St. Teresa's Church on the 18th inst., to consider the best way to apply a remedy to inconveniences of this kind. Mr. Dennis McQuaid was appointed chairman and the undersigned secretary.
The pastor, Rev. M. J. McMillan, spoke of the difficulties which he himself experienced from having letters that demanded an immediate answer going miles away and coming back to him in the course of two or three weeks. The best remedy he could point out was to change the name of our present post office, formerly known as "Cardigan Road P. O." and let it be known in future as St. Teresa's P. O. For it is near St. Teresa's Church and the name can easily be distinguished from any other post office on the Island. There are a number of places in King's County called Cardigan Road, and then there is Cardigan, and letters addressed to Cardigan go to Cardigan Bridge P. O. Some speak of this parish as the parish of Baldwin's Road and the church of Baldwin's Road or the church of Cardigan which is not correct, for this church is not on Baldwin's Road nor at Cardigan, but our letters often go there. This parish and church should be called by its proper name and locality, which is St. Teresa's..
John Kenny, Terrence Cairns, Dennis McQuaid and other members present expressed themselves to the same effect, and were satisfied with the name our Post Office was to have in the future. We do not find fault with any of the officials in the Post Office in Charlottetown, nor with those in other post offices. They send the mail matter to where they are directed.
A resolution was therefore read to the meeting, that the name of the Post Office formerly known as Cardigan Road Post Office be changed, and in future known as St. Teresa's Post Office, and that Mr. Brecken, Post Office Inspector, in Charlottetown be notified and respectfully requested to approve of the change.
Also resolved that the name of the school district formerly known as Glencoe or Cardigan Road School be changed, and in future known as St. Teresa's School District, and that Mr. J. A. Nicholson, Superintendent of Education, be notified and respectfully requested to approve of the change. [The post office change was made in 1891; the school district change in 1894.]
These resolutions being put by the pastor, seconded by John Henry, supported by Dennis McQuaid, Andrew Bradley, J. McCarthy, J. H. Bradley, P. Goodwin, Francis McAree and others were unanimously agreed to by the whole Meeting.
JAMES F. KENNY, Secretary
St. Teresa's King's County, October 18, 1891.Daily Examiner Jan 2, 1894: New Post offices
"St. Anthony's Post Office" at Bloomfield, Postmaster: Mr Frank Gallant.
At the junction of the Smith and Western roads. "Woodville, Prince County" Postmaster: Mr Edward McGrath.
Island Farmer, July 22, 1897: New Post Offices
The following post offices were opened in this province, July 1. Brudenell, Lot 52, King's County, Mr. John Hancock, postmaster.
Kinlock, Lot 57, Queen's County, Mr. D. A. Nicholson, postmaster.
Daily Examiner, November 1, 1905: The New Souris Post Office and Custom House Building
Laying of the Cornerstone
This fine edifice is to be constructed of Island red sand stone, obtained from the quarry of Mr. Bernard Creamer, about two miles from town. The new building is to be situate nearly opposite the popular Bay View Hotel, and is to have a frontage on Main Street of twenty-eight feet, from which it will run back forty-four feet. It will contain four floors, - a basement, ten feet deep, a first floor (for the Post Office) fourteen feet post, a second floor ( (for the Custom House) eleven feet post, and a third floor (for the keeper of the building) nine feet post. With shingled Mansard roof and flat deck, designed by architects at Ottawa, it will be a handsome as well as a substantial building; and under the careful supervision of Mr. Bernard Creamer, contractor, and Mr Duffy, foreman of masonry, there can be no doubt that the work will be well done.
The ceremony of laying the cornerstone began at 2:30 o'clock, p.m. There was in attendance a considerable number of citizens, including the children of the public schools, the committee men whose names are recorded below: Rev. Dr. Walker, of Rollo Bay, Rev. F. C. Simpson of Souris, Messrs John McLean, James McQuaid, James Cullen, Marshal Pacquet, Alexander Clarke, Mrs. Muttart, Mrs. J. S. Sterns, Mrs. B. C. Cox, and other ladies and gentlemen. Mr. J. G. Sterns presided.
The Souris Band under the skilled and capable leadership of Mr. Shaw, headed the procession which marched to the scene and played a number of patriotic airs, "Rule Britannia", "Red, White, and Blue", etc., during the course of the ceremony.
The corner stone was then laid by Mr. Archibald Currie, President of the Liberal Association of King's County. With him Mrs. Muttart, wife of Dr. Muttart, formerly the highly respected and capable representative of King's County, stepped forward and placed in the cavity of the stone a sealed leaden casket decorated with red, white and blue ribbon by which it was neatly enclosed. The casket contains a parchment upon which is inscribed the names of:
Edward the Seventh, King of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India.
Earl Grey, Governor General of Canada.
The Right Hon. Sir Wilfred Laurier, G.C.M.G., P. C., Premier of Canada.
Hon. R. L. Borden, K. C., D. C. L., Leader of His Majesty's Opposition.
James J. Hughes, M. P., of Souris, Merchant, Representative of King's County in the Federal Parliament of Canada.
Hon. Daniel A. McKinnon, K. C., Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island.
Hon. Arthur Peters, K. C., Premier of Prince Edward Island.
John A. Mathieson, K. C., Leader of the Provincial Opposition.
Austin L. Fraser, of Souris, Barrister, and John Kickham, of Souris West, Blacksmith, Representatives of the First District of King's County.
Stanislaus Blanchard, Judge of the County Court of King's County.
Daniel F. McDonald, High Sheriff of King's County.
Souris - Population about 1500, A .D. 1905.
Clergymen: Rev. R. B. McDonald, Parish Priest of St. Mary's Parish. Souris; Rev. F. C. Simpson, Presbyterian Minister; Rev. Mr. Squires, Wesleyan Minister.
Postmaster: Marshal Pacquet; Custom House Officer: George B. McEachern; Light House Keeper: John D. Lavie; American Consul, Caleb B. Carlton.
Doctors: E. B. Muttart, M.D.C.M; P. A. McInytre, M.D.C.M., ex-Governor; Angus McLean, M.D.C.M; A. A. McDonald, M.D.C.M; F. S. McDonald, V. S., and G. H. Marven, D. D. S.
Merchants: J. G. Sterns, of the firm Sterns & Co.; John McLean, of the firm Matthew & McLean; Chas. H. S. Sterns, of the firm of Sterns Bros.; Thomas Kickham; C. C. Carlton, Archibald Currie, Allan L. McDonald and J. J. Hughes.
Jeweller: L. E. Shaw.
Old residents: George T. Knight and William S. Knight, sons of the late John Knight, Thomas Keays, Angus M. McDonald, Michael McCormack, J. P, James McQuaid, Richard St. John, James Moynagh and William Fitzpatrick.
Contractor of this building: Bernard Creamer; Foreman for the construction of mason work of this building, Edward J. Duffy.
Committee in charge of laying corner stone: J. G. Sterns, Chairman, H. H. Acorn, secretary, J. J. Hughes, A. L Fraser, F. S. McDonald, A. Currie, J. A. White, E. J. Duffy, Thomas Kickham, Charles D. McKinnon, George R. McEachern and James A. McCormack.
This box was deposited by Mrs. E. B. Muttart and the corner stone laid by Archibald Currie, on the thirty-first day of October. A. D. 1905.
There were also placed in the casket copies of the newspapers now published in this Province, together with a copy of the Souris News, which was published about fifteen years ago by the late Mr. F. McLean, son of the late Mr. James McLean.
- Daily Examiner, October 17, 1907:
Houses to be numbered (page one) for mail delivery.....
- Daily Examiner, October 28, 1907:
Numbering is going well and is expected to be completed soon; carriers will begin mid-November. There will be five carriers in five districts.
The letter carriers for Charlottetown are Bertram Davidson, Peter Doyle, John A Griffith, Edmund Toombs and J. Garnhum.. Each carrier is supplied with a letter distributing bag. "Without doubt the carriage of letters and papers to the doors of each citizen will be regarded as a great boon which ought long ago to have been afforded Charlottetown."
Daily Examiner, Nov. 8, 1907:
"Almost without exception citizens whose houses should have been numbered 13 have objected to having their houses labelled with this number and have absolutely refused to allow the number to be put up and another number has had to be substituted. Twenty-three is supposed to another hoo-do number, but the same objection does not seem to prevail in regard to it."
Daily Examiner, Nov. 27, 1907:
"Owing to the introduction of free street delivery, the rate on drop letters has been increased from one cent to two cents."
Daily Examiner, July 12, 1912: Mail Delivery Expansion
The advantages of the Rural Mail Delivery are spreading rapidly throughout this province; and Mr. Whear, our active Post Office Inspector with his staff, is kept busy organizing and opening new mail delivery routes.
It will be remembered that the Postmaster General took power last winter to establish a Rural Mail Delivery Branch of the Post Office Department. This power was promptly exercised. The new office has been opened, with Mr Bolduc, who was formerly inspector of the Ottawa Division, at its head.
So the work of extending Rural Mail Delivery is going on not only in P. E. Island, but all over Canada, wherever conditions admit of it.
The terms upon which Rural Mail is extended to any district of the country are these:
1. The route must be circuitous -that is to say the mail carrier must be able to go one way and come back another way. The Department, it is stated, will not even consider a proposition to go down one side road and come back by the same road.
2. The trip of mail carrier must in each case be completed in daylight.
3. An application for Rural Mail Delivery, to be accepted, must be signed by fifty per cent of the house holders to be accommodated.Upon these conditions the following routes of Rural Mail Delivery have recently been opened:
- Milton Station, Oyster Bed Bridge and Wheatley River.
- Charlottetown and Royalty, via Brackley Point and Union Roads.
- Kensington, Kelvin Grove, and Mill Valley.
- Charlottetown, Dunstaffnage and Frenchfort.
- Morell Station, Bangor and Ruskin.
- Charlottetown, Johnston's River and part of Glenfinnan.Then the opening of the following routes of Rural Mail Delivery has been authorized:
- Kelly's Cross and Maplewood, Lot 29.
-Northam, Port Hill and Dobie's Corner.
-Mount Albion, Lake Verd and Village Green.The following routes are under consideration:
- Morell Station, Sinnott's Road and Byrne's Road.
- Mount Ryan, through Glenfinnan.
- Central Bedeque and Middleton.
- Kinkora, Middleton and Newton.
- Freetown and South Freetown.
- Montague and Aitken's Ferry.
- Wiltshire, Loyalist and Darlington.
- Coleman, O'Leary Station and Western Road.
- Tignish and Little Tignish.
- Alberton, Bloomfield and Elmsdale.
- Wellington Station, Ellis River and McDougalls.In addition to these there are under consideration applications for extensions of several existing routes.
It will thus be seen that the new Postmaster General and his officers are "doing something" for the farmers of this country; and that the farmers of P. E. Island are participating in the extension of postal facilities which were undreamed of but a few years ago.
Daily Examiner: March 26, 1913 - New Post offices
McCannell's Wharf, Lot 36, postmaster John McPheely.
Iris, Lot 62; postmaster Roderick McBeath.