1881, an article appeared in the Examiner to announce the opening of the post office on the : New Post Office The people of have had a convenience granted to them lately, that is the opening of a new Post Office at Mills, named Hayden Mills. As there was no office nearer to the mills on that road, than three miles, it will prove very convenient to those living near the office, and also to the public patronizing the mills. The mail carrier to carries the mail to the office twice a week on his way to office from head St. Peter 's, for which convenience the M.P 's for King's County deserve thanks. (10) With the train delivering the mail, new routes were used in attempts to coexist with the train schedule. In 1883, the Examiner reported such changes being made: and St. Margaret 's are to be served from in order to shorten the north side route from St. Peter 's Bay, which will not hereafter extend beyond Big Marsh, so that the courier on that route can now connect with the returning mail of the same day at Head St. Peters Bay ." (11) In the midst of all these changes in the Island's postal system, the main post office in Charlottetown burned, taking with it all of the Island's postal records to this point. RURAL MAIL DELIVERY "I hope for every success in this new venture." (12) The Hon. S. E. Reid relayed this message to Islanders with his introduction of free rural mail delivery in 1908. Although the service was free, Islanders did have to pay $3.00 to purchase the rural mailboxes. Reid said this was "the only expense outside of erecting the box at the road side, that the patrons will be asked to pay." (13) Thus, the system was implemented that residents in our area and throughout the Island are still benefiting from to this present day. Over the years, numerous residents have had the job of delivering the mail. Before the car came along, various methods were used including horse and wagon, or by foot even in the most difficult months. Father Wendell Maclntyre , formally of Selkirk , recalls that in the Selkirk area there were two routes, Route one and Route two, where Hughie Joseph MacDonald and Allan MacKinnon delivered mail over these 161