Show mule postman loses contract in remote area PORTLAND ORE the lonely existence of the scattered families living in the remote fastness oi of siskiyou you national forest no longer will be relieved by periodic visits from the mule driving postman the mule pack postal route be tween the isolated towns of illahe illace and manal marial near grants pass has been terminated by the government because the carrier who has a monopoly on mules submitted too high a bid the action leaves only one route served the year around by mules although 12 others are served by mule and horse dining the stormy winter months residents of the remote mountain areas served by the mule routes do their shopping through the mail or der catalogues and depend u upon pon mule packs for everything cloth ing accordions rifles even food acco according to fred H twohy rail road mail district superintendent who has spent 10 years traveling the mountain regions to check on his mule postmen one winter not even a horse could get through the heavy snows twohy recalls the res dents were shut off from the world and there was quite a squawk obliging postmen resorted t to 0 sleds to reach the isolated areas twohy adds and the first thing the people ordered by parcel post was several cases ot of beer the manal marial route was typical of the involved carrier setup required ed to get mail to secluded areas mail went 34 miles up a river in a flat bottomed river boat from wedder bum then it was transferred to mule tor for an additional 16 mile trip it was kind md of expensive two hy admits costing about a per son to keep the route open the stamps don t begin to pay for it I 1 he adds I 1 have a hard time convincing them back in washington that these routes are worth the expense two hy by says |