The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-26

Report Of tho COMMITTEES ON Mall Service
Moro Compensation to be SOlicited-BOsus
Claims for Patent Infringements-Measu
for Protection, &c.
The National Railroad Convention met yesterday FORE
noon in the 81. Nicholas H Sturgeon presiding The
attendance was as large as on the preceding day.
The committee appoinled them all service. Post
Office cars and Sunday trains presented their report
This report sets forth that they have sought for nforma
ton on the subjects committed to them by addressing
circulars containing series Of questions to l42 railroad
companies and TINT they have received answers more
or less fa from sixty four OF the companies addressed
From Information thus obtained it clearly appears that
there Is great want Of similarity In the relations exist
ing between the several railroad companies and the
Post Once Department both as regards amount
and Kind OF service performed and compensation
paid As regards amount and kind OF service performed
como companies perform small Of service Of
inexpensive kind They carry uDon trains rupp ing
at hours suited 70 their passengers small Of
mails occupying bat portion OF baggage cars and
they carry very few agents employees Of the Posi- Office
Department free OF charge Other companies are re-
qned TO furnish for mail service solely expensive cars
fitted up to the order Of the Post Office Department
with desks racks and other furniture, and carrying
heavy mails with Eve or six clerks, on each trip They
required trains to transport mails at hours
entirely ineligible In view of the convenience OF pas.
sengcrs and in addition to the clerks and who &C
company the mails they required 70 keep upon
their free lists forty fifty special agents Of the Post
Office Department As regards compensation while
per mile for transporting the mails in the least
expensive way, other companies arc paid less than ten
cents per mile for transporting the mails in the most
pensve way. These facts convinced your committee
thai efforts should BE- made TO procure entire revision
Of the rates OF payment for mail service, and that In
tabshing now rates attention should BE- paid, not only
10 the tonnage OF mail matter transported hut also 60
the car service performed, the number OF clerks and
transported and the hours at which the service
is called for They beg to recommend that tbis Copven.
tiuD appoint committee, tho members OF which shall
meet ~ Washington early In December next for the
pnat rfuuan
and through Congress- tho necessary division Of
paid for mail service As regards Sunday trairs your
committee arc Of opinion that few If any, unneces
sarlly rum and that will be found impossible to entirely
dispense with them.
commee:--John Holmes, director of the Pennsylvania
Railroad; L. Je.et President of the Pittsburg. Column
bus and Cncnnat Railroad; s slevin, Vice President
New York and Erie Railroad; G. Funchcll President Of
Boston ana Worcester Railroad; w. B. Ogden President
Of Chicago and Western Railroad; R. r. Bridges Prosi.
dent WILMINGTON and Weldon On C) Railroad; Chas. I.
Pollard Montgomery and Yves. Point Railroad
The committee were authorized 10 solicit from the
slider necessary TO deiay tho expenses incurred in carry
ing ont the recommendations contained in the report
and also TO enable them to memoralizs Congress.
resolution was adopted that the executive committee
be requested 10 mature for testing ubrcatng
oils for railroad and for advising the several railroad
companies OF the results of such experiments
TIE COMPANIES Az ocIATisG FOR PROTECTION
The Committee on Machinery and Patents presented
patents referred to thon, they only to be judged
Of by experts. The also alluded the necessity
OF taking action in reference TO the validity Of patents
recommending the employment of All expert, whose
duty would be- to examine patents and furnish nforma-
ton TO the companies. In conclusion It recon-
mended that tho country be divided into three dopart-
ments, which would include all the companies, as fol-
lows.-FTs the New England states; second, the Mid
die States and third, the Western and Southern States
that they might In concert protect cach other
bogus claims OF every sort for damages against them
This report created discussion, from which IL
appeared that bogus patents sometimes sold 70 rail-
road companies and that the OF patents which
they infringe subsequently them for damages The
following resolution was then offered and adopted
Resolved That tho which reported upo, pat
ents and patent laws be requested 10 adopt such
and that this convention proceed
tees Of three the different sections 10 effect the object
The following committees were then nonlinatcd:-
Nesc ENGLAND Stated L. Harris, @. G. Twitcheli
xidis sta,-s-H W. chi,,endep, E. H. Williams, II.
Weste,r; ssotss-T. B. Blackstone, F. W. woodward, j.
b. Mouon.
So,ehes ssotes--wm. NJ. wordey,s. Tate, G. r Beau
regard
Mr.. Massey called the attention Of the Convention TO
the necessity OF changing the duties Of those having
charge Of the ssety Of persons travelling trains He
referred 10 the accidents arising from getting and or
trains in motion He thought that the whole time Of
the conductor should be devoted TO the safety of the
train, and that plain system Of signals should be es
tabshcd sirnify!ng tho time At which tue train would
start in plain and unmstakabls manner.
Some matters Of minor importance engaged the atten-
lion OF the Convention for considerable time and
finally the meeting adjourned until the second wedncs-
day In May, 1857