I Was A Paper Boy In Alderson

Barry Worrell - May 5, 2013

I delivered the Hinton Daily News about 1951-52 and it was my first job. I recall one of the boys in High School had his own car and they said he bought it by delivering newspapers. I always wanted a car and this seemed to  be a possible way of getting one. Of course the guy in high school was delivering the Beckley paper and had customers all over the town. He probably had been at it for a while. I only had 20 some customers and only on the Monroe side. As I write this, it just dawned on me I only had the Monroe side. There must have been some one else delivering on the Greenbrier side.

I soon realized that I was only making a few dollars and change each pay time and my soon to be "fortune" became my bicycle fund. I had also become benevolent by giving a free subscription to Jack and Maxine Scaggs, who had just gotten married and moved in an apartment over where Sam Bennett had his Laundromat. They had always been very kind to me and I decided to help them out by giving a free subscription.

Sometime before, or after this time in my life, there was another fellow we used to hang around with, who lived in one of the houses on the other side of the railroad track, approximately across from the Russell house. He also delivered the Beckley paper and talked me into substituting for him. We agreed that I would meet him at some ridiculous time in the early morning and he would show me his route. I remember that I rode on the handlebars of his bicycle through his route. He had a lot more customers than I would have with the Daily News, so I told him to get someone else.

Delivering newspapers can be interesting, especially the people you get to know, and the one you don't want to know because they keep putting you off in paying. If you delivered newspapers, you probably have some interesting stories also. Please take the poll above and share a story or two in the comment box.

For some related history about Alderson's newspapers, click here.