|
In a day when the Post Office actually was part of the government and took protection of the mails seriously, they issued guns to railway mail clerks, postmasters and sometimes even RFD carriers.
I remember watching the postmaster in my little home town strapping on a revolver to go across the road to the train station to take the mail bag to the train and bring back the one(s) that were dropped off. He had a little handcart, sort of like a child's wagon. If for some reason he could not be there when the mail was dropped off (literally), the railroad station agent (my father) was responsible for the mail until it could be delivered to a postal employee. So either the Pennsy or the Post Office Department had custody of the mail at all times. (But dad was not issued a revolver; I guess he was not trusted enough.)
So what kind of revolver did the postmaster have? Heck, I don't know. I was all of seven years old and knew even less about guns than I do now.
Jim
|