The Weekly Gazette

Dedication of Post Office Saturday

Appropriate Exercises Being Planned For Cornerstone Laying on Saturday Afternoon.

An appropriate program of exercises has been arranged for the cornerstone laying ceremony for the new Glastonbury Post Office Saturday afternoon, October 10th. The program will open at 2 o'clock with an invocation by Rev. Vincent McDonough.

The program follows:

Advance Colors, the singing of two verses of "America" in unison. Greetings from Glastonbury by First Selectman Lewis W. Stevenson, of the Town of Glastonbury. Rev. John Ramaker, pastor of the South Glastonbury Congregational Church will speak on Glastonbury's Appreciation. Harry W. Potter, Glastonbury Postmaster will introduce the Hon. William L. Slattery, Comptroller of Accounts of the United States Post Office. Mr. Slattery, will be one of the principal speakers. William E. Brown construction engineer, will place the box of documents in the cornerstone. The box of documents comprise photographs of the present Post Office, photographs of the Old Welles House, photographs of the new Post Office as is being constructed at present, newspaper clippings accounts: Post office, Welles house and Welles family history and on the flood; Tercentenary Booklet and maps showing the flood area. letters of the Chamber of Commerce and Post Office Department in regard to obtaining the Post Office, Annual Town Report, 1935-1936, 1933-1934, and Zoning Regulations and Building Code.

Congressman Herman P. Kopplemann will give an address at the ceremony and will perform the laying of the cornerstone. "The Star Spangled Banner" will be sung in unison and the benediction will be by the Rev. Russell McGown, pastor of the First Congregational Church. The committee of the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce on The Laying of the Cornerstone of the New Post Office Building in Glastonbury comprise Martin L. Roser, chairman; John A. Carini, Frank J. Martinyak, Elmer S. Thompson, Richard S. Williams, Edward T. Collins. Lewis O. Kinne, Harry W. Potter, Lee Jay Whittles, Henry F. Fuller, Louis W. Howe, Robert O. Rider and B. Floyd Turner. The honorary committee comprises: William E. Gates, Herman Roser, Lewis W. Ripley. Samuel H Williams. Charles E. Goodrich and Oliver R. Morgan. The committee expresses its appreciation to all who have assisted in this celebration. The chamber has invited the American Legion to participate in the stone-laying ceremony and Edward Collins is acting as liaison officer between the two organizations.

The Chamber of Commerce first proposed the idea of the new Glastonbury Post Office when the late Conrad H. Roser was president. After the death of Mr. Roser the work was carried on under the direction of George H. Pratt, former chamber president and Martin L. Roser, the president now. Dr. Lee J. Whittles heads the committee in collecting the historical documents for this ceremony and John A. Carini heads the committee of arrangements for the laying of the cornerstone.

William E. Gates, Republican Postmaster who several years ago ended 50 years of service in the Post Office and who is 79 years old, from memory recounted the entire history of the Post Office. The Post Office originally was in a building known as the Taylor house and the first Postmaster is believed to be Benjamin Taylor, Mr. Gates said. Later the office was in the Covell block. It burned about 1896. The office next was in the Town Records Building. When the new Odd Fellows Building was built it was moved into that building. About fifteen years ago it was moved to its present place on Main street. According to Mr. Gates the second Postmaster was Edward Andrews, then Francis Covell and in 1885 Frederick Curtis became postmaster. Mr. Gates was appointed a member of the office staff in 1885. The office was then a fourth class office but became a third class office in 1889. Mr. Gates served as postmaster under President McKinley. In 1892 Clinton Talcott was appointed postmaster and served four years. Mr. Gates then served two commissions under President Theodore Roosevelt. Harry W. Potter, the present postmaster then served two commissions under President Wilson. Mr. Gates then served under President Harding, Coolidge and Hoover. Harry W. Potter began the present commission under President Roosevelt.