The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-03-09


although simple is effective. 1t has lately
we understand, been adopted by the Brit
ish Government in India. We are now ap-
preaching little village which, before the
ceived one mail a day, and that on the
slow way, mail train. Now, however, it is
favored with as many mails as Syracuse,
Rochester or Utica; for although the ex-
press trains do not stop there, the Head
Clerk of the postal car makes up a pouch
for that place, which is thrown off while
the cars are under motion: and the singu-
lar continuance of which we have spoken,
almost simultaneously catches mailbag
in return, which is taken aboard, and the
contents are emptied and properly distrib-
uted first in the pigeon-holes and ultimate
ly into mail-bags. The advantage of the
postal car system to these small places
along the line of the route from Buffalo to
New York, and on other routes, is meal
culable; it is in fact, proportionate to that
enjoyed by cities.
THE POSTAL CLERKS.
The work of postal clerks during the
time of their employment on the cars is
incessant From the time their car starts
at one end of the route until they reach the
other terminus, they are constantly EN-
ployed in handling letters and newspapers,
and receiving mail-bags, whose contents
must be classified by them, except those
Of Through pouches), and put off at the
right place on the route, or started on a
route which will take them to the desig-
mated place. 1t is said, indeed, that the
head clerk of postal car on the route
from Buffalo to New York, handles ten
thousand letters daily. We have no doubt
that the statement is true; for there is a
constant influx of letters and other mail
matter, from small villages and cities.
along the line, nearly all of which must
pass through the hands of the clerks on
the car. Moreover, the New York Central
and Hudson River route is the main line
for twelve different States.
ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM.
The mail matter which now goes into
postal car, and is there "made up y for
different places, formerly went to Distrib-
uting Post-offices, where it lay over from
twelve to twenty hours. 1t is not difficult
for the most obtuse observer to perceive
the immense advantages that have been
conferred upon the public by the Post-office
Department in the adoption of this system.
At the present time, railway postal lines
run in connection with one another so that
they receive and give off mails, all along
the route from New York to San Francisco
while from the main lines short postal
routes branch off to afford invaluable mail
facilities in all parts of the Union.
Another valuable feature of the Railway
Mail service is the system Of registered
packages, by which valuables are sent from
one place to another through the medium
of the Head Clerks on postal cars, many Of
whom respectively receive daily, on an
average, one hundred and twenty packages,
every one of which is so guarded and
checked by receipts, given and taken by
the clerk, as to enable the proper officials
to trace lost or stolen package into the
hands of the esponsible party. This
branch of the service has become very pop
ular with business men who now avail
themselves of its advantages very largely.
RETENTION OF EFFICIENT CLERKS IN THE
SERVICE.
From what we have seen Of the Railway
Mail system, we have been impressed with
the importance of the retention of faithful
and efficient clerks in the service. The bus
mess of postal car cannot be thoroughly
learned in years; but when once learned
the efficient clerk becomes valuable adj
iunct to the service, whereas, one who is
inexperienced is sure to create confusion
and vexatious complications. Some Of the
postal clerks now employed have been in
the service several years; and we do not
exaggerate when we say that it would be
exceedingly difficult to find competent men
to fill their places. The policy of the pres
ent administration has been and still con-
tinues to be not to make changes in the
clerical force of the Railway Mail service,
except for inefficiency and dishonesty. The
wisdom of this policy is perfectly apparent
ORIGIN OF THE SYSTEM.
We now notice the origin of the Railway
Post-office system. In 1860, the Postmas-
ter-General, Joseph Holt, effected an ar
rangement with railway companies to run
a mail train from New York to Boston, ola
Hartford and Springfield, by which the
Southern Mails, arriving in New York.
which were of great magnitude, should be
Immediately forwarded east instead of re-
naming in that city until the following
day, as the practice had been. This was
really the germ Of the Railway Postal sys-
tenn. The next year like facilities were
secured between New York and Washing
ton. By referring to the United States
Mail, we find that Hon. Schuyler Colfax,
in 1862, introduced a bill into the House of
Representatives,, to secure the speedy tran
sportation of mails. The principal provi-
sions of Mr. Colfax's bill were "That all
companies, corporations or persons having
or employing locomotives or cars for the
transportation of merchandise or passen-
gers for hire, are required, upon
demand by the Post Office Department, to
receive and transport the mails of the
United States and postal agents in charge
thereof x and to deliver such mails
according to their destination along the
line of such road or route" Although the
bill was not passed, yet two years subse-
ouently the Post-otfice Department adopted
a plan for putting "post-otfice cars on
the principal railroad, in which mails could
be made up by route agents for offices at
the termini and along the lines of the