The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-01


PARsIhoNY.-The business of orr Post Oface in
creases with the growth of our population and
while the people naturally look for at least a
proportionate facility in the arrangements as
to delivery Of letters, they are but sadly disap
pointed. 1t appears that, notwithstanding the
vast amount of labor recounted in the report of
the Postmaster General himself, that function
airy has thought fit to dismiss number of
clerks from the New York Post Office and re-
duce the salaries of those that were retained.
A few days since we observed an unusually
large assemblage of persons at the Post Office,
and on inquiry ascertained that twas what was
termed an advertising day" for German let
ters, and that the list, containing over sixteen
hundred letters-nearly four times the usual
amount-should have been out on Tuesday, but
in consequence of want of sufficient force was
deferred until Wednesday. This caused sad
confusion in Fridays list of letters, as it
brought the two lists so close, and but two per-
sons to attend to their delivery and check
them off the books as they were given out. 1t
occurred to us that under such an appearance
of things the time was i'll chosen for q reduction
Of clerks in an establishment of such populous
and great commercial city, and how mean the
policy that dictated the curtalment of the
miserable stipend of those who were retained.
We understand that the clerks attend from
half-past five o'clock in the morning until four
in the afternoon; two evenings in the week they
are on duty until half-past six o'clock, and some
Of them until nine or ten at night. They are
miserably paid for this labor, their salaries
ranging from 5000 to perhaps $1,000 or
$1,000, whilst the amount Of value passing
through their hands is almost incalculable.
When rents are so enormous and provisions
Of every description SO high that our humblest
mechanic has demanded So per day, and has
had universal acquiescence in the business of
his expectations, is it. reasonable to expect
clerks educated for intellectual Offices, requir-
| ing the aptness and amenities of gentlemen.
and performing the duties of very responsible
and trustworthy poition-is it reasonable we
/ ask that they should labor twelve or fifteen
hours day for about as many dollars week
| When the present Postmaster Of New York,
| (Mr. Fowler) came into Office, and saw the null
tiplicity of business transatlantic increase of
all descriptions of mail matter, especially the
| transmission of pamphlets and bound volumes,
and the immensely augmented amount of Euro.
| pean and California letters-he very wisely
| called in additional aid. But the parsimony of
| higher functionary has now ordered reduc-
ton Of the assistants, and curtailment of the
salary of those who are retained; so that
man Of family, endeavoring to rear
! his children to become respectable and
worthy members of society, who had here
tofore eight or nine hundred dollars a-year,
| finds himself in 1854 compelled to pay one hun
drcd dollars a-year more rent than he did in '52,
and provisions increased nearly one-third per
cent, whilst Mr.. Postmaster-General Campbell
issues his edict to reduce his salary $50
thus making the stipend Of the poor clerk to-
day virtually $500 or $3.50 less than it was
twelve months ago. Why did Mr.. Campbell, if
actuated by desire to increase the revenue.
not strike at higher game? We find by his own
report that the expenditure of The whole Post
Office Department during the last year amount
ed to nearly eight millions of dollars, Of which
the "high officials received about two millions,
whilst the working men were paid only about
half million. The Post Office revenue, we are
aware, falls short Of the expenditure by more,
than two millions Of dollars; but it is not by such
miserable cheeseparing of salaries and grind
ing of subordinates that it is TO be rectied nor
does the country hook to the Post Office as an
establishment of revenue it is public accom-
mediation, whose benefits to mankind, by the
transmission Of news, and the interchange of
sentiments between remote friends, far out
oh idnrn fipn 70
ment whose resources of legitimate taxation
are ample.
The amount of labor and the immense re-
sponsibility on the clerks of the Post Office of
N ew York may be Judged of by the fact, that
in one quarter not less than seven million let
ters have passed through the hands of the en-
ployes. There are from seventy to eighty thou
sand letters day to arrange, mark and dis
tribute, upon the punctual and speedy delivery
of which SO much depends; and yet the estab-
lishment is crippled in all its resources In the
last year there has been an increase of one mil
lion letters over the former year, and still
further increase must be annually expected
with the growth of our city.
The public therefore, are entitled to postal
accommodation, and the Post Office of New
York must have suAfciency of clerks, with a
commensurate compensation. Ii there were an
adequate number of employees, the foreign
mails need not be closed SO early, the deliver
les would be more rapid, and we would not see
long rows Of strangers standing in the passages
and waiting with virtuous patience for their
turn at the same window which delivers and
receives letters. We expect that the merchants
of New York will have to memorabilia the gov
eminent on the subject if Mr.. Campbell does
not countermand the order that has been lately
put into force.
"CoMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BE-
FoRE.r-In the latter part of the year 1886,