Show Elisha J. J Duke Veteran nail Mail Carrier t The Wasatch Wave Wae of the pay papa l I the following Just tribute to Elisha J. J J Duke the tho genial mall carrier between Park City and Heber I Among the fine fine- inspiring traditions I in Wasatch county is the thrilling slogan slogan gan The mall mail must go through It It I may have been born during the exciting I days of or the thc pony express when fearless i imen men risked their Byes each day and night Wherever or or however it was born no liner finer chapter in the annals I of U. U U S mall man history can be found than that recorded In the almost lifelong ser ser- service service vice of our fellow townsman Elisha Ells J. J J Duke known and respected throughout tho the state I as Lishe Over fifty years ago a n. boy in his teens the lines across the back of a freight team and made his first trip from Heber to Park City James A. A Gar Gar- Garfield field was president then There wasn't even a telephone connecting Wasatch county which then extended eastward to the tho Colorado line with the outside world What were then called roads would bo now termed cow trails But from that day that same youth now six seventy years ears young has almost dally daily traveled this route Thirty-seven Thirty years ago President McKinley designated him official man mall carrier between Heber and Park City Of Ot course that brought better equipment consisting of a string of horses better adapted to speed and be behind be- be behind behind hind them Lishe mounted the then famous white top mountain road wagon leaving dally daily on the hour with Its load of mall and passengers bound for Park City With the coming of the railroad progress seemed to dictate that tho man mall be brought in by the more mo mo- modern dern method of rail rall delivery But when it became apparent that mall out of Salt Lake City required a couple of days to reach here it began to look as If 1 the old method was best after all Many old timers will recall the expressions of sympathy that went out to Lishe as they watched his caravan of teams pull up and mud covered to discharge their stacked up cargo of man mall malland mailand and post that had accumulated because of the tho always Inevitable snow slide in Provo canyon which except for his faithful adherence to duty would have cut this valley of ours from communication tion for tor weeks at a time The irony of the situation can be better understood when it is known that for this routed re-routed mail mall and post p st he got little additional pay Perhaps the thc most gruelling experience experience ence In his long career came in February 1917 when five lve teams and fifteen men over a period of three days battled to t hold aloft that banner the banner the mall must go through Many Mimy a a. winter night new was added to tov the family ramp Tamp to wait and see if 1 Lishe Duke had got In with the mall I Ripley might well observe that this 1 dependable servant of at Uncle Sam and the people of his capacity as mail mall carrier has has has' traveled each season more miles than is necessary to encircle the globe he got the tho mall man through if 1 he had to do it iton iton on snow hoes shoes or transfer from sleigh to wagon wag n he heh hai S pounded po ded down o to their last rattle fourteen model T Fords to say nothing of diverse makes of other cars which have gone to the scrap heap under this relentless grilling he has never had an accident never had a va va- vacation vacation cation and today at six seventy you set I your clock with the time of his depar depar- departure departure ture turo or arrival Maybe the fine mail mall service we enjoy today permitting a let let- letter fen ter to be bo written mailed answered and returned from Salt Lake City in less than 24 Hours can be chalked up in part to the credit of Lishe Duke who will bo gratefully remembered by the people of this county as the man who saw that the mall mail must go through I |