The Tiny Post Office Outperforming Cities
While the nation mobilizes for the Great War, the remote community of Paterson sets a local sales record for War Savings stamps that eclipses larger towns.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Not only does the Paterson post office hold the record for War Savings stamp sales in this county, but it is doubtful if there is another office in the country of like size that can touch its record. According to the Oregonian, the post office at Hood River is making a good record in stamp sales, having reported sales amounting to $1,000 at the close of business January 5. Figured on a ratio of the number of patrons, Paterson to duplicate Hood River’s record would have to show total sales of about six bits. The little river post office, however, is slightly over this figure. At the close of business January 7, Postmaster Fisher had sold a total of $2,760 in stamps and says he could have sold $100 worth more had he been able to get the stamps.
“The little river post office, however, is slightly over this figure.”
During World War I, local post offices served as the primary nexus for civic mobilization and war financing. Today, the rural post office remains a critical, often endangered, infrastructure point, though its role has shifted from war-bond sales to essential last-mile delivery.
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