Carriers look back on years of service

Saturday, February 23, 2008
Lynn A. Wade/Herald-Tribune-- Three of Nevada's news paper carriers are long-term contractors and have been delivering the Nevada Daily Mail and Sunday Herald-Tribune for a combined 20 years of service. From left to right are Mike Hallam, Julie Ogden and Violet Adams. Other carriers include Shane Hallam, Nevada Daily Mail, and Fort Scott Tribune carriers Joshua Budd, Raymond Dizmang, Paul Herrington, Rebekah Reichard, Daniel Lyons, Jacqueline Sellers, James Sellers, Joie Moore, Robert Allmond and Travis Duncan.

"I keep thinking about my customers. I'm going to miss them so much," said the Nevada Daily Mail's 10-year veteran newspaper carrier.

A chapter in newspaper history is coming to a close in Nevada and Fort Scott, as the Fort Scott Tribune, Nevada Daily Mail and Weekend Herald-Tribune make the switch to delivery via the U.S. Postal Service on March 1.

Facing the change, carriers all had a common theme -- the customers have enriched their lives in many ways, and they'll miss the daily interaction. They'll miss the children who wait for the chance to try to catch the newspapers thrown by carriers. They'll miss the visits with customers who greet them along their routes. They'll miss the voices of concern when the newspaper's late. Julie Ogden, an 8-year veteran carrier, said, "When we're late they watch for us. They call. It's not to complain. It's because they worry about us."

And carriers take care of customers, making sure everything's as it should be, especially for elderly patrons who live alone. "I have one lady that I take it inside to her every day. It's hard for her to get out," said Adams. "These people mean a lot to me," she added, noting that some customers are people she'd worked with in the past, and being their newspaper carrier has given her the opportunity to stay in touch.

The Daily Mail's carrier with the longest service, Adams says it's the customers who have motivated her to continue over the years.

Adams first became a carrier 10 years ago, in October 1997, to "make a little extra Christmas money. I came for Christmas and stayed 10 years," she said.

Gathered in the mailroom at the Nevada Mail, three of the Nevada Daily Mail's long-term carriers exchanged stories about their experiences over the years.

Each had many stories about the generosity of their customers, about challenges of the weather and about the day-to-day challenges of being a newspaper carrier.

"Sometimes people try to catch them. They don't realize how hard we throw them. So, for the kids, I try to just toss them lightly, or throw it to where it hits the ground in front of them," said carrier Mike Hallam.

"I got a really nice note once, about how neither sleet, nor snow...or anything else kept us from delivering the paper," Ogden said.

Many customers tip the carriers, a practice that's greatly appreciated, especially during the holidays. Customers also surprise carriers from time to time with other things.

"Once, I mentioned that I liked pecan pie. Then (the customer) came out with a pecan pie for me. It was really special." Adams said.

Sometimes, carriers reciprocate these good deeds with gestures of their own. "I brought a cake for (a customer) on her 90th birthday. She cried," Adams said.

"There've been a lot of good times on my route," Ogden, who delivers about 500 newspapers daily, said. Other carriers agreed.

"This is going to be a big change for everyone," Adams said.

Over the years, many changes in delivery service have taken place. At first carriers delivered on foot; later, most deliveries were performed by the "paper boys" via bicycle.

The Nevada Daily Mail still has one youth carrier, Shane Hallam, who delivers newspapers on the Square in Nevada, but youth carriers have been replaced with drivers for the most part -- more and more so, over the years.

In October 2005, Bob Neil, a former carrier who delivered the Nevada Daily Mail many years ago on his bicycle stopped by to reminisce about those by-gone days.

"It was a Montgomery Ward Silver King, all kinds of chrome. It was beautiful."

His eyes were shining with the memory of the bicycle he used to deliver the newspaper. It's clear he remembers the bicycle as if the Christmas morning he first received it were yesterday.

Neill delivered the paper for $1.25 a week. Claude Earp was publisher at the time, and each week, the carriers would line up for their pay.

"Mrs. Earp would have a stack of silver dollars and a stack of quarters. We'd each get one silver dollar and one quarter. It wasn't bad," Neill said.

To earn that money, he rode the bicycle on a regular route. One of his customers was a Catholic-run orphanage, and at first, Neill admits, he kept the nuns at "arm's length."

He'd fold the papers so they'd be more easily tossed. "We had a way of doing it, then," he said. Demonstrating, he folded a copy of the Daily Mail into a roll, as is still customary today, then into thirds so that it formed a sort of triangular form. That, he said, made it easier to toss the papers.

He'd pass the orphanage quickly; because he'd heard that if the sisters caught you, you'd be stuck in the orphanage, he said, grinning at the notion.

One day, one of the sisters was outside, waiting. She waved him over. In an effort to be courteous, he approached her and she asked him if he'd like some hot chocolate. He said yes, so the woman proposed that if he'd bring the papers to the front door and knock, there'd be hot chocolate.

"There was, and it was good. I guess I got over my fear of the sisters," he said. Eventually, delivery shifted to mostly vehicle delivery, to accommodate growth and to save time.

"Once again, the delivery method is changing. Times are changing and we have to change with them. We're sad to see them go. The carriers are dedicated and very much appreciated for their years of service," said publisher Julie Righter.

Contractors rather than employees of the newspaper, carriers have been facing ever-increasing gasoline prices and other cost increases as well.

Carriers will receive two week's severance pay and will be given the opportunity to apply for other positions with the Nevada Daily Mail or Fort Scott Tribune.

Delivery will cease at the end of this week. Customers who wish to show appreciation for carriers with tips or messages may do so in person between now and Friday, or by sending tips, letters or cards to the newspaper offices. In Nevada, send carrier appreciations to Circulation, Nevada Daily Mail, PO Box 240, Nevada, MO 64772. In Fort Scott, send carrier appreciations to Circulation, Fort Scott Tribune, 12 E. Wall, Fort Scott, Kan. 66701.

The Fort Scott Tribune carriers are Joshua Budd, Raymond Dizmang, Paul Herrington, Rebekah Reichard, Daniel Lyons, Jacqueline Sellers, James Sellers, Joie Moore, Robert Allmond and Travis Duncan.

The Nevada Daily Mail carriers are Violet Adams, Julie Ogden, Mike Hallam and Shane Hallam.