The New York herald., 1869-05-08
THE POST OFFICE.

The Work of DecnpitatiOn Not Yet Begun
Postmaster jones Not in a Hurry-Number
Of Omce.Seekcrs-The Present Employees
Hard Work and Poor Pay.
Postmaster Jones, the new appointee to the New
York Post ONCE, states that there have been dis
missas Of employees In the Post ONCE thus far. He
announces as his Intention to thoroughly familiar
ze himself with the routine Of mis- department and
the capacity Of his subordinates before making any
removals appointments There are d present
about five hundred applicants for places within his
gift, and this number will undoubtedly be largely
increased before the OF next week by the
sion OF many disappointed applicants for offices
In the Custom House. These seekers after the un-
attanabe, who have pursued the tgnis dtu,ts OF an
easy place and large salary up the steps OF the
Custom House ana through its corridors to the inner
sanctum of Mr.. Grinnell, only to be shown the cold
shoulder by that gentleman, are now beginning
to send in their "pasteboard" to Postmaster
Jones. and a lew may already be seen hover.
ing about the Post ONCE with doubt aud
anxiety depicted on their expressive countenances.
The first applicants for places IN the Post ONCE, too
lowly mnded to hy at such high game as appoint
ments under Mr.. Grinne. where the duties are COM
paratively light and the pay heavy, VIII not improba-
bly, receive carrier consideration from the Post
master than their rivals, the disappointed asprants
for Custom House honors When the grand rush OF
these victims of misplaced confidence in the Collec-
tor comes as IL Is sure to do pretty shortly roll or
their distinguished names and those OF the earlierap
pllcants will probably be made out, and from this list
the appoiltees Will be selected II there are 10 be
any, Meanwhile the Postmaster Is the recipient OF
shower Of polite attentions. Congratulations and
earnest inquiries alter his health pour IN upon him.
and he lnds himself the a-absorbing object OF in
erest to hundreds OF persons whom he never saw or
heard OF before and OF whose existence, perhaps he
Is only made aware by the recommendation OF union
republican organizations: The General says he Is
used sort OF tning however, and does not con-
slder himself distinguished by courtesies which are
the forerunners Of requests for something which
he either can or cannot bestow.
There are three four nAmca which have received
the regular Endorsement OF the Union republican as
sociatlons ol this city which wiz probably ngure IN
the German Republican Union, under the recon-.
mendation OF DR.. Schuetz, It's secretary. Several
ward republican associations have recommended
men, and many private indiviiuas, In ana out OF
the CITY, have put forward their own and their friends
claims. Retcence In regard to his intentions seems To
be the marked characteristic ol the postmaster
this trait he may have caught from his distinguished
leader General Grant. None Of the names o, appl-
cants nave yet transpred, although OF course many
have been sent In. Perhaps, when the list is MADE
out the public may be Afforded view OF the muster
roll. There have been few designations In the Post
ONCE but Is impossible to ascertain the names OF
those who have resigned or those who have been
appointed In their stead
roses the work Is very severe aud the average salary
paid to clerks IL only about 5000 year. this small
| to needy ofice-seekers, who are only too glad TO
take what they can get great many nevertne,
less, labor under the dcuson that there Is little TO
| do and much to receive there.
The clerks number about 450 and the carriers 3os
The carriers are paid at the rate OF 5000 the
| their salary Is raised to $1,000 year. AZ seven
A. M. the carriers report for duty and the
| day clerks at about naf past nve A. NJ. The night
clerks go on duty at halfpast SIX z. NJ ana WORK oil
night without intermission. The force Of carriers
insufficient, and they are consequently very haru
worked. Some OF them take out from 1000 to 500
letters day. The fourteen clerks in the foreign
| department are frequently worked from twelve 10
/ fourteen hours day. About 1o,000000 letters
i year pass through this department. The Post
once Is DIVIDED into eleven departments viz.:-Ine
| city department the carriers department the
foreign letters department, the distribution OF lct.
ters department. the newspaper department, the
night department, the money order department, the
cashiers department. the registered letters depart
ment the Transcript department, In which one clerk
has to do all the work, and the box department y
The employees In all these departments are said 10
earn their pay. The Post ONCE is q tremendous
piece OF machinery, which Is constantly going and
notion The busiest time Is from hall past i've A. NJ
/ TO Twelve NJ, and from then TO two A. M.
Since 1865 the number OF carriers has been doupeu
but stu an immense amount Of work devolves upon
| them.
The intlmation OF the Postmaster that "probably
BY this dav week he Will be able TO give all the nlor.
nation that Is deslred II II has any significance at
all means that the "ins" and the "outs" Will then
learn their fate. In the meantime the axe s rapidly
falling In the Custom House, ana hungry ONCE seek.
ers turn chagrined from the Collectors portals 20
hasten away and JOIN the noble army OF place hunt-
ers, which Is already beginning to lay siege 10 tne
mates, should they not be supplied with bertns OF
what the effect OF the gail aud wormwo0d or sec
| ond rejection IL Is painful to conjecture. May
grateful country reward them according TO tneir
deserts, otherwise they may be driven to the DIRE
necessity OF earning their living some other way
| than by serving Uncle Sam.
/
During the late freshet the graveyard at ST. Johns.