MAIL SERVICE 
     
    
   
   
    
     In early years a Packet carried mail across Northumberland 
     
     Strait. It would be met at several points along the shore and 
     
     the mail would be taken from it by dory. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A copy of a letter to the Editor of "The Register" by a 
     
     school teacher written on December 15, 1823 who was a subscriber 
     
     to this paper, tells about the group of early settlers that 
     
     gathered with him at Garth Village, a MacVane settlement, near 
     
     East Point when the Packet arrived with the Newspapers, to have 
     
     him read the information contained in them. The letter also 
     
    
   
   
    
     thanked him for news they had gained about their own colony. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Later, each district had a post office in some home where 
     
     the mail was delivered, then picked up individually. The first 
     
     delivery *from Souris to East Point was by John Kennedy, Lloyd's 
     
    
   
   
    
     grand—father *and the second was by Charles Young (Ross Young's 
     
     grand—father). 
     
    
   
   
    
     When the train service came into operation in 1912 the mail 
     
     was carried by it, and the Rural Route had its beginning in 1913. 
     
     The postmaster at East Baltic and at Elmira (all the remaining 
     
     offices were closed) met the train at the station each evening. 
     
     He received the mail bags, took them home, sorted the mail, kept 
     
     it in the office over—night and sent it out the next morning by 
     
     courier for delivery in mail boxes to the residents. 
     
    
   
   
    
     There were evenings when the train did not come east, and 
     
    
   
   
    
     the mail was delivered from Souris by a Longaphee, a Clinton, and 
     
     a Malone. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The train service began to gradually ease off to Elmira, 
     
     and the mail was delivered to Souris from Charlottetown by C.N. 
     
     truck. The first resident from our area to take the mail from 
     
     Souris, at this time, was Duncan MacInnis, Munn's Road about 1936. 
     
     Others from the area were Francis Mossey, Francis Gillis, 
     
     Columbus (Clum) Campbell, and Arthur Holland. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In the spring when the roads were muddy, as this was before 
     
    
   
   
    
     they were paved, Clum used his tractor, with a shelter built on 
     
     for carrying the mail. 
     
    
   
   
    
     *John Kennedy was grand—father of the Harland Kennedy family. 
     
    
   
   
    
     *Charles Young was grand—father of the Major Young family and the 
     
     Washington Young family.