The New York herald., 1873-04-09
THE POSTAL CAB DIFFICULTY.
Meeting Of the United States Senate
on Transportation at the Fifth Ave ,Smmttee
Evidence Of Representatives Aae hotei-
Companies-Loud Com OF haiiroad
Postal Law-Rep l,aaints as to the
-edies Proposed,

The United StP'
portation, apo .ess Senate Committee on Trans
Postal law yssted to take evidence rs to the
road CO Gts73 and the grievance Of the rail-
Aver >&ranes met yesterday at the Flith
iAe committee consisted OF Senator Window, OF
(Aknnesota. chairman; Senators Sherman, Conk-
hing, Casserly, Connover, Ames, Norwood IL. G.
Davis and Mitchell
Senators Ames and Norwood were not present
yesterday. Mr.. c. c. Jones, Assistant Sergeant'at-
Arms OF the Senate; Mr.. J. Newman Clerk, and
Mr.. J. M. Davis Assistant superintendent OF haii-
road Mail Service, were also present.
The inquiry eiicited a decided opposition I'd the
rates of the Postal Depsrmentfor postal cars, and
an almost unanimous desire 10 return to the old
system of carrying mail matter In baggage cars,
unless more liberal terms could be obtained.
Mr. Isaac Hinckley, President OF the Philadelphia,
WILMINGTON and Baltimore Railroad, the first wit
mess called in the course OF lengthy statement
said In 1864 the railroad companies between
Philadelphia, New York and Washington were in
duced TO put postal on their roads on verbal
tntimation from the Post ONCE Department that
they would be remunerated; from that day to this
they had been made to obtain any remunerations
the Railroad Convention in 1866 in its report said
that there was great variety of service performed
and in some cases very small mail matter was car
red, while other companies were obliged to carry
heavy mails and five or six clerks on
each trip; while some companies are paid
81 a ton per mile for carrying mail matter in the
least expensive way, other companies are
paid less than ten per cent for carrying mail
matter In the most expensive manner; Mr.. Hinck-
ley read number of extracts from reports and
resolutions OF this Convention, recommending cer
tain rates OF payment for mail matter;
269 railroad companies were paid one cent for car
srying mail matter nnety-One miles; ten of these
railroads carry over two hundred and twenty-four
pounds at one cent per mile; ten OF the
roads carry two pounds one mile for
one cent; the postal cars are now on eighteen
roads; not cent is paid to these companies for
furnishing these roads, while the fares of the
clerks alone who travelled these roads with
these cars would, If they had paid their fares, paid
forty per cent ofwhat the company had receivedior
mail service; in 1872 the railroad companies We're
allowed by Congress an increase OF fifty per cent
for carrying mail matter, but as no appropriation
had ever been passed they were not paid IL, and
The act was repealed in 1873; in consequence of
this the railroad companies notified the Post ONCE
Department. that as they could not obtain second
class rates they preferred to perform the service
In baggage cars; in 1850 railroad companies were
than they were paid new, when they carried on an
average thirteen tons per day; he suggested as
basis OF compensations for mail service that the
roads be paid by measurement and not by weight,
such as Is PAID by the public; this would require
but simple process of computation, and the Post
ONCE Department would not use any more
space than they would pay for; the rate should
not be less than thirteen mills per linea foot per
mile, which would be equal 10 thirty-nine and
hall cents per mile; one clerk to every ten feet of
postal car and one agent to every baggage car;
Post once agents should pay emigrant rates
In passenger cars or buy season tickets. Mr.. Huck
ley referred to an interview in the HERALD with the
Postmaster General, and said that he hoped that
the statement OF the Postmaster IN that Interview
a SANDER and that the Postmaster did not say
that he would take possession OF railroad lines by
United States troops He hoped that was not true.
Senator Casserly-What would be your opinion,
as a practical question, OF the government using
postal as tney do mail bagSf
Mr.. huckley-who is TO be responsible in case OF
an accidentp The government might send car to
me that would not he suitable.
Senator Cassery-But, conceding that they did
not do that, but sent good carr
Mr. Huckley, alter a number of inquiries and an
swers, ultimately said that as practical question
cient by government to cover the extra that it
would necessarily have to pay the railroad COM
In reply to the Chairman Mr.. Huckey said that
the expense per train was at the rate of 81 40 per
mile on his road.
the Pennsylvania Railroad, said he repre-
sented the railroads between Philadelphia
Sania % @ Central he had had so@e figures @ sebss based
upon returns as to the roads between Philadelphia
and New York, and said that on that road four trips
were made with postal cars per day four with
compartment per day; aud ten trips In baggage
eight feet in the clear and the compartment cars
ten ieet; in the baggage cars the mail
meal feet: they took in postal cars as passengers
isur or five clerks IN the compartment cars enc
clerk; that was equivalent to carrying 63s, $50 men
one mile day per year; for that the road
got 94 cents per mile; by the new
law as to postal service they would get 1l.13 cents
per mie; now for express matter they got s21s
cents per car per mie for first class freight, 60
cents per car per mile; second class freight, 55
cents per car per mile; for third class freight, A
cents, and for fourth class freight, 33 cents; the
average weight was ten tons per car
Mr. d. Bishop, President OF the New YORK, New
Haven and Hartford road. said that the Post ONCE
agent. Colonel Bangs, had stated that If the
withdrawing their postal the De-
Dartment would require three times as
times as many clerks as now necessary Tor the dis
tribution OF the MALL on his line the compensation
received including the allowance for the postal
car was leen cents per car per mile for lorty foot
Ear; the average expense OF passenger train is
about 81 AZ per mile average number OF cars on
passenger train was five, making the average cost
per car per mile CSC: during the last month the
average weight OF mail matter carried out
tons per day by his road; the postal
cars were run at a very high rate
time to New Haven was about two hours and ltty
minutes; he suggested that the government should
hay half fare Tor their empoyse; his road would
prefer TO carry the mails lor nothing on the old
plan rather than TO summit TO the present rates.
Mr.. Chaplin, OF the Boston and Albany road, said
that the receipts per mile Tor postal cars on their
road was at the rate OF ten cents per mile under the
new rate 1T weuld hardly be more than fourteen per
cent per mile; the American Express pays the road
about twentythree cents; the cost OF carrying the
employees OF the road was about hlty per cent Of All
the company received from the government;
the expenses of the road, exclusive OF IN.
terest, was seventythree per cent OF the
receipts; he had no suggestion beyond
that which he had made to the Post master Gen.
era, that II the road could go back to the old plan
OF carrying the mail matter IN the baggage cars
they would do IL Tor nothing; the cost OF postal
cars on his road was about $4,500 which was
about the same rate aspassenger cars.
Mr.. W. ID. Worcester, represents the New York
Central Railroad; he had been connected with this
road Tor twenty wears and during that time these
questions have been agitatcd, ana tnat pay is about
the same to-day as 1t was them the New York Gen.
tral Company has never desired TO make
this service source OF profit; Mr.. Wor-
cester detailed number of inconveniences
and annoy ances that al railroad companies tnat
did TINS service were subject to; the New York
Central carry 10000 pounds of mail matter q
day over the entire length, from New York to Buf-
lalo; tney ran TWO each