The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-30
THE PuSTAL CAR SERVICE.

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The PuSTAL CAR SERVICE.
THE OLD AND TIE NEW sYsTEMs-THE POSTAL
cARs-cATcHING THE MAILs-oRIdIN AND Ex-
TENT OF THE RAILWAY POSTAL SERVICE.
| Although still regarded as an experiment by
the Postof6ce Department, the new railway
postal car system has become an important
feature in the mail service of many Of the lead
ing routes Of the United States. During the
comparatively short time it has been in opera
ton, however, its advantages over the old
system of route agencies have been fully estab-
lished.
The object of the postal cars now running on
many Of the railway lines is to simplify the
work Of the distributing postoffces, and avert
The delay in the transmission Of letters that
we're unavoidable under the old system. How
these results are accomplished can best be
shown by tracing the course of a@etter before
and since the introduction Of railway postal
cars.
THE OLD SYSTEM.
I Under tho old system, when letter was
posted, for instance, 1T any Of the small towns
of Missouri on the line Of q railroad communi-
eating with st. Louis, addressed to town in
Massachusetts, near Boston, it was sent by the
local postmaster with the miscellaneous East
ern mail and forwarded to st. Louis, the near
eat distributing Office. There it lay over night,
during which time it was rebagged with matter
Tor the next distributing Office, which. was
probably Chicago. At this place the loss OF
several hours at least Was necessary, d.
ring which time the Eastern mail was again
oyerhauled. The letter was then bagged
with matter forwarded to the New York
distributing Office, where several hours more
were lost in getting it ready for the DIS
tributipg Office at Boston. At this last named
city it was finally sent to its final destination.
The delays mentioned ut the several principal
offices between it's starting place and fiual des-
tlnation we're unavoidable. Itworld have been
impossible for any OF the West ern cities to
make up baga for every town and village OF the
Eastern States; and as there IVES no way OF
finally classifying the Igtter until it reached
the distributing Office nearest to it's destina-
ton, the frequent resorting OF the mlscelane-
ous Eastern mail, OF which it formed part,
WAS lndispensably necessary. In consequence
CT these detentions, at least two days were lost
iu the transmission Of the letter from Missouri
to Massachusetts. 1t was 20 avoid these de-
laws and relieve the distributing offices OF the
work OF handling 30 much miscellaneous mat
ter, that postal cars were originally establish
ed.
THE NEW SYSTEM
Supp osing the letter to be posted under the
present arrangements OF the Postofice Depart
ment the history OF it's course is very different.
The local postmaster makes up bag contain
ing the Eastern mail, and places it VIII bro it will
be caught by the mail train passing over the
road in that direction. AS soon as it is taken
into the car it is opened q I'd its contents sort
ed. Letters for way stations are bagged 80 os
to be thrown off at the proper places, and the
others are classified according to the general
direction of their route. The letter we are
tracing would be placed in pouch addressed
to the mail agent on the postal car OF the road
connecting with Che one on which it first start
ed. Instead OF being detained at st. Louis for
distribution, 1t is Immediately transferred
from one train to the other and started on its
way to Chicago. While on the road to that
city the mail is sorted, and letters for tho East
ern States are made up and addressed to the
Buffalo. It is Immediately transferred to
his car. and on the way to New York bagged
for the Boston distribution, where 1t is forward
ed to its ultimate destination. BY this means
the letter from Missouri to Massachusetts
passes all the distributing Offices without
stopping, as formerly. Connections between
the trains are never missed by the agents, ex-
cept in case OF accident; and instead Of losing
two days on the road, the letter is trans mitted
by the fastest express trains as rapidly rs it
could be carried by special messenger. The
connections are made very Close on the prinCi-
pal roads between the West and East, and
scarcely an hour is lost by avoidlble ':ays.
This bricT comparison between tile ..c.uIl
workings of the two systems will serve 10 snow
the advantages derived by he pubic from the
introduction OF postal crs. he saving OF
time on long trausits, however, is only part
of the benefits derived from tho new system.
The reception and delivery OF local mails be-
tween towns end villages along The road, ac-
complished without Stacking the speed of the
train, is an invaluable accommodation, afford
ing more rapid and frequent communication
between the various small postofices than
could otherwise be enjoyed.
TIE POSTAL CARS.
The outside Of postal car is similar in ap-
pearance to an ordinary baggage car, while the
inside resembles miniature distributing post
office. At one end are placed the compart-
mens for letters, each bearing the name Of
local or distribution Office. In sortlng the
mails tho letters are boxed according to their
addresses, tied up and bagged, in order to
save the unnecessary labor OF handling each
separately second or third time. In front of
these boxes are convenient tables for the use
Of those engaged in the work OF sorting, which
is performed rapidly and accurately by the ex-
perienced men employed in this branch OF the
service. At the other end of tho Car are the
boxes for newspapers. which are made up in
separate sacks. Many thousand Of these arc
daily forwarded to subscribers by the postal
cars, and their asserting forms on important
part OF the clerks labors. On the long routes,
such as the Erie Road, between New York and
Buffalo the work performed on the cars is very
great, and occupies tho clerks from early morn
ing until late at night.
CATCHING THE MAIL BAGS.
One OF The most interesting features Of the
Postal Car system is the Catching Service
by wuich the mails are taken up pat the stations
along the route without checking the speed Of
the trains. The bag is hung OIL frame erect
tho agent. On the side of the car is on iron
arm, which is operated by means OF handle
acting as lever. AS the train approaches tho
station bag is dropped from the CIR window,
the arm ia thrown out and the suspended pouch
side Of the car in the joint Of the v formed by
the extended iron rod. It is then Immediately
opened and sorted, and tho mail for the next
station is made up and placed ready to be
thrown out. This process is repeated many
times along tho route, and the constant recep-
ton and delivery Of mail, adds greatly to the
ed or knocked down BY the arm attached to tho
car, but never when they are properly suspend
ed. The force with which they are jerked up
by the express trains soon destroys the bags
employed in this .eryice; but, as they are mex
pensive canvas sacks, 1t is matter OF slight
consequence. considering the many advantages