8 July 2018 Currents
> continued from page 7 they were boat-builders, Seminoles, coconut violin fiddle players, coontie farmers or pioneer women making soap from alligator fat.” Courtesy of AuthenticFlorida. com.“ The first contract was " awarded " to Lantana settler( and later Dade County school superintendent) E. R. Bradley who shared the duties with his son, Louie. The route began on Monday morning in Palm City where Bradley picked up the mail. From there he sailed down Lake Worth and was deposited on a sandy ridge near the present-day Boynton Inlet. It was here that the mortal mail carrier transformed himself into the " Barefoot Mailman ". Shirt off, shoes off, sometimes trousers off( who ' s going to know?) and all stuffed into his haversack along with a canvas mail sack. The lightweight canvas mail sack was a major concession by the Postal Service. All other mail carriers in America were required to use the standard one made of cowhide.
The Barefoot Mailman walked five miles across Boynton Beach and rested his first night at the
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