Sunday, June 08, 2014

Ocracoke to Hatteras, 1875

Yesterday I published information from "Congressional Series of United States Public Documents, Volume 1693," "Offers for Carrying the Mails." Here is one more record:

Route No. 13127
From Ocracoke to Hatteras, 20 miles and back, once a week

Bidders’ names:
Wallace S. Austin.................Sum per annum: $275.00
Perry Coleman Howard……Sum per annum: $258.00
William H. Fulcher...............Sum per annum: $235.00  Accepted March 8, 1875.

Contract made with William H. Fulcher, dated March 8, 1875, at $235 per annum.

Leave Ocracoke Friday at 8 a.m.; arrive at Hatteras next day by 10 a.m.
Leave Hatteras Saturday at 10.30 a.m.; arrive at Ocracoke next day by 4 p.m.
Bond required with bid $200.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the curious story of Vera/Charlie Williams. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news052114.htm.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:24 AM

    Independent contractors are the unseen workforce of the federal government. Until Al Gore brought the $ 800 toilet seat to the David Letterman show. Then the public's eye was opened to Defense contractors and their awards of the bids. Was it a toilet seat or a 600-dollar coffee pot? Much like concession stands at National park sites the vendor has to bid to get the job-- lowest bid . Now the over the road carriers/ truck drivers --the ones that bring the mail to smaller P.O.s during the wee hours of the morning are the unseen much forgotten cogs in the wheel of delivery.

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  2. Anonymous9:34 AM

    How can it be? Ocracoke to Hatteras by boat took 14 hours. Hatteras to Ocracoke took 17.5 hours. Could prevailing winds make that much difference?

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    Replies
    1. I think it had more to do with schedules.

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