New-York tribune., 1873-04-11
pnSr.oEEICEs ON WHEELS.

THE GOVERNMENTS SIDE OF InE CONTROVERSY.
The Senate Committee on the Postal Service
reassembled. yesterday morning AT the Fifth Avenue
Hotel ali the members being present The order Of the
day the presentation OF the of the PostOmce
Department; but before il was taken up. Mr. Hnckley
rog the Philadelphia, Wnin gton and Baltimore RAh
road. corrected statement which he was reported to
have made Wednesday. He said that bis road would
not refuse TO curry che United states mails bnt II the
demands for increased remuneration were not granted
they would insist upon the right 10 carry them IN sucb
they might choOseas freight In freight ears
instead OF I'm postal cars He further gave ms reason
for preerrng with eight wheels to long ear
with twelve wheels. Considerations Of economy and
safety induced him prefer from 25 to 30 feet long
though other considerations led 10 the adoption Of B Of
so et for passenger service. He raised further
objection 10 postal that the extra car ire
auently Of detention Of the train, unless
extra engine put He had frequently. during the
past Winter. put extra engines especially for the
postal caEs The Government paid for the is cenI
me; express they would receive 60 cents
mile.
y. Davis, Assistant superintendent OF the Railwg
Postal Mail Service, then presented the views of the
Post-Once Department. He said The statements thai
have been made here reference 10 the difference BE-
tween the rates paid by the PostOfce Department and
by express companies cannot Ibe answered They
require careful examination and analysis. The state
menrs that improvements have been made by railroad
companies I'm ,posal facilities. under encouragement
from the Department that Congress would be urged e
increase the remuneration, give evidence that u ws
believed that the remuneration ought 90 be increased
Mr.. DAVIS read from Postmaster General RandaPs ~
port OF 1867 showing that a readustment OF compena
ton paid railroads had been made, for the purpose
equalization and not Of increase He also read from NJ
Creswes report OF 1859 in relation further readit
ments the compensation being reduced some routes
and Increased others Each annual report since ios
time showed an established rule by which ratt
OF pay are regulated. These reports eontrade
the statements Of Mr. Harris OF the COnnectcn
River Railroad that the Department has no system
payment. but simply proceeds from year 10 year ~ ue
IL may with each road. Mr.. Davis read
list Of large number OF roads, with the amounts pso
each for s postal service in 1867 and n 1874 showing
increase OF from ~ TO 50 per cent Instances ha
occurred which railroads have profered postal ears"
the Department before any application has been msa'
for their Introduction, and many things demonsiraN
fact that heretofore the compensation has been s
factory to the various railroads. Mr. Hnckley claims
that the railroads should have been consulted before n
new postal law prepared But the demands ma"
by the railroads. shown IN Mr.. Randalls report ma
IL evident thar any law in which they would have cos
CURED could not have passed the Houses OF e"S
gress. Those demands would have carried TIE eApeS'
of transporting the mails nom ssysl26oo to s2iiia
To Senator CasserlyIhe chiefadyantage OF the pos,
promptness m the distribution OF The mails Ii' z
distributed now very considerably while IN trans"
abolition OF the system would throw so great ~~ a,
mail matter the larger post-0ices that there
not be accommodations for the force required
tribute II. The s,stem OF post-offces on wheei"
only urlzes the time nken in transporting tne -
hut saves the Department the expense OF ProNiu -.
necessary additional accommodation for perior"iot
work Of distribution MIR. Davis said that he Pie
that the details of the service should be Lard Ve4V
Committee by Mr. Bangs. who vas better aequ'
with the subject. ,,n
In answer to quesron asked ny NJ hsIrs
Connecticut River Railroad. Mr. Dayis sald ma Mat
ere ase OF compensation had Oeen mae oy NJ. they
ment except when roads had apIed nhVss,,.aed
failed presumed thatthey VII Innr Rail
This had been the case with the Ccneetcu' sisntJ
road Mr. Harris replied that le nad bee1 .had With
visited postal agents who sealeo 10 % snsuts
authority They hau been mes SSaut ln 10 ~
for increased accommodations ana Iha ~ is,s y.ap
tam for the ruad creased cohpensatlon vi 'rs Mr.
the rnad had fallen into stae of despair, anu s.ed
Cieswell became Po>tmastegoenerai th.h 49, nohbg
expect thing. FOR thel uylerslood ns, ns
in the matter, ana tho piicy OF rue pei"'
everything. ,. .,.,. aha Great ~
Mr. Hiuckey asked Mr.. )ayis To explain tno - mrs
clepancV existing betwetl The cOnlpehshtn l,tter.
paid large aud to sinai roads III ianot 81. hy men
Ths led 10 "a long eNnmtnion o. MI n, ,s ~ his Geo
hers OF the Committee lie satd the eiiVi
pany had consisted IN oy iiug the p"Sl'I
askcd Too wthou ursl insisilnk ,,rs,sd tBel
nf nm, iarm. ii tht- cunrso had hcen p"ssN uosLs
would n.yn .a,ao,i Wat they asked. NOV e"'