Last updated December 19, 2019
Bob, Joe,Bill and Russ had the same paper route over a span of years. Bob had the route first, then after a few years, shared it with Joe. When Bob quit the route Joe shared it with Bill. This was a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette route that stretched from 2500 East Street to North Ave and included Howard Street and Madison Avenue as well as East Street. One boy took a side of East Street and its companion street, Howard Street or Madison Avenue. The Post-Gazette was a 6 day a week morning paper. We had to be out of the house by 6:30 so that we could get the papers delivered and not be late for school at 8:00. There were about 60 customers on the route, and we were paid 1 cent per paper. Saturdays we went collecting the 30 cents per subscriber, plus 2 cents if they had “the insurance”. I’m not sure what kind of insurance it was, probably life insurance. We often got small tips. Bob was able to save enough to buy a bicycle.