The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-27


MENT.-The death Of the late Major Hobbie,
the only officer, perhaps, who thoroughly UNDER
stood the postal system, makes us fear that the
irregularities Of tits establishment, from which
the public has already suffered so much, will
now be increased rather than diminished.
Like most other departments under the con-
troll Of any m mber Of the present Cabinet that
of the Post Office continues to call for severe
animadversion. We hear complaints daily of
letters mailed which have never reached their
destination-of letters which have never been
received, or which have been kept from parties
for days, weeks, and even months, by some gross
negligence. 1t is scarcely necessary to observe
that, for the satisfactory working of so impor-
tant an establishment as the Post Office, it is
indispensable that it should be conducted with
the greatest despatch, regularity, and precision,
and that in all its branches one uniform, unva-
rying system should be pursued. In other
civilized countries such a desideratum has been
considered of paramount necessity-the plan
has been proved feasible-perfection has been
attained-and letters are conveyed with the
greatest pc ssible despatch and security. In most
other countries some one is responsible-a heavy
fine, for instance, is inflicted on the employee
to whom neglect in the delivery of let
ter is traced. In England we believe this
fine is 500. Wilful neglect is there considered
q misdemeanor, and punishable by fine and i'm
plisonment The interests Of the public, in
countries which cannot boast Of such CONNER
cial prosperity as ours, are jcalously guarded
in this important particular; nor are people
obliged passively to submit to the carelessness
of those who are well paid for their services.
The management of our Post Office falls very
lar short of all this We have spoken ofits defects
until we are heartily sick of the theme. 1t is
well known that traveller from New York to
any other city on this continent, starting with
the mail, invariably outstrips it, Why should
this be the case? Are not the facilities for the
conveyance Of one equal to the facilities for the
conveyance of the other? Can any sound
reason be offered why mail bag should not be
able to travel as fast aman in the same railroad
car or steamboat The department seems alto
gether to lack organization and method. We
are told that letters for different places are
en- route they have to be detained, so
many times, according to the distance,
in order that they may be sorted, divid-
ed, and subdivided, causing great loss of
time and unnecessary increase of labor and
trouble. Nor is this all : Even after letters
have arrived at their destination innumcrable
delays occur in their delivery. This is notori-
Gus, as every correspondent has learnt ere now
to his cost. So in mailing letters. People are
dragged from several miles up town to the
general Post Office, not caring to place any re-
lance on the minor establishments scattered 50
meagerly over the city for, if there ore
chances against q letter reaching its destina-
ton when deposited in the former, what result
can be expected when they are trusted to the
self-appointed postmasters in charge of the lat
ter? 1t is truly as great an object now to de-
fraud the revenue and despatch our correspond
ence by private channels for the sake of gaining
time as it was in days gone by, when oppres-
sive rates were imposed upon us. Time is
money in these days of railroads and tele-
graphs, and often far more valuable. The pub
lie has submitted long enough to these inconve-
niences, arising solely from the neglect, the in
efficiency, or the Encouragement of those who
are employed to do it's work. Its forbearance
has been remarkable. Complaint after CON-
plant has been made but they have either been
neglected or evaded by some shallow excuse
The press has been appealed to, and has taken
up the cause but in vain. The fact is, that it
is not in q case here or case there, but in the
whole establishment, and in on its branches,
that reform is needed. A moss thoroughly or
ganized system must be carried out before we
can expect any material improvement. Then,
but not till then, may we hope to see order,
precision, and responsibility introduced into a
department which has hitherto been SO deficient
in those essential requisites to its good govern
ment.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CrTY.-What changes
faster and more for the better than the appear
ance of our city from year to year? If, half
century ago, any author cssld have pierced the
future with prophetic eye, and written the
true history of the rise and growth of this me-
tropolis, such writings would undoubtedly have
been set down as the results of disordered
brain or the exaggerations of fancy. Is it un-
reasonable that those who are not from person
al observation acquainted with the early condi-
ton Of New York, should think their credulity
severely taxed when expected to believe that
the City Hall and ST. Paul's Church were at one
time out Of town? We should think not when
we consider how far the city now stretches it.
self beyond them.
Less than two years ago that section of the
city west of Broadway and between Chambers
and Dey streets was mainly occupied by pri-
vate dwellings and boarding houses, and ten
ants there little dreamed that the demands of
commerce and the progress Of trade would so
soon drive them to seek new homes Yet SO it
is; and, as if by the intervention of some
superhuman power, the old tenements
have fallen and blocks of stone and ora