The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-04
RADICAL CHANGES IN DELIVERIES.
City Railroads Made Available for Rapid
Mail Transportation.
THE FORCE OF CARRIERS EMPLOYED.
Concentration Of Money Collections Un.
der Ono Head.
FOREIGN MAIL DISTRIBUTION.

IL Is now exactly three months since Colonel
Thomas L. James, our present Postmaster, assumed
charge Of his position and In this short quarter OF
year hts praises are sounded by everybody who has
any connection whatever with his department. In
the present instance IL cannot be said that "anew
broom sweeps WE'LL" for Mr.. James Is by no means
q stranger to executive AFFAIRS, the record he has
brought from the Custom House, as Deputy Col
lector Of the Third division and Storekeeper OF
the Port being ample proof of his great admins
trative abilities In regulating onices and bringing
order out OF chaos. The gross irreguarity Of the
mails has been source Of infinite annoyance to
the public In general and the business community
In particular. In fact 1t had become matter Of
reproach to refer even to postal AFFAIRS so great
had been the abuses practced. In many instances
a great many things had been ascrlbed to the
Post once which were undeserved. yet the bulk
Of the allegations were merited.
THE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS
which have marked Mr.. James advent however,
have been like q well spring In an oasis and form
the topic Of conversation everywhere. In order to
ascertain the present status OF aairs in our Post
once and inform the readers OF the HERALD upon
the actual state Of affairs existing there repre-
sentative Of this journal was detailed to ascertain
from Mr. James the full particulars of his admins
tration Proceeding to the Post once the reporter
found Mr. James busily engaged at his desk, and
after cordial greeting proceeded to interview
him, with the following result
REroRTER-Mr. Postmaster, as everybody Ia
speaking SO well Of your ONCE where heretofore
only anathemas were heaped, and to ascertain
from you 0fficiay the extent Of the Improvement
wrought since your taking possession Of this de-
partment have been detailed to obtain an Official
statement In order to acquaint the readers OF the
HERALD with the facts.
CITY - O OF a. firnoc hopn 70
member OF the Press, especially those OF the
HERALD. Ever since my assumption Of this Office,
the newspapers have been uniformly kind to me,
which thoroughly appreciate and am only too
happy to give you any information in my power.
REPoRTER-Y0u have made great many inno-
vations on old established rules by making radi-
cal changes In the delivery system.
POsTNAsrER-Ever since I took charge here
have FIRST studied the wants Of the department,
and when became acquainted Herewith have
endeavored to supply the deficiencies and correct
existing evils.
RRPORTER-Will you please enumerate some of
the evils thus discovered
PosrMAsTER--I found that although superin.
tendents had charge OF the several divisions,
the men under them did not possess the discipline
requisite to regulate so large and unwiedIy
force. BY making this statement do not want to
be understood to animadv ert upon my predecessor,
General Jones, who Is the very embodiment or q
gentleman; but he was so badly hampered by poll
ticians that it was next to impossible to enforce
the precision Of action which is necessary in this
office to carry on the business successfully. Be-
sides that, think that General Jones having been
SO shamefully betrayed by men in whom he had
placed such implicit faith. 1t has robbed him of the
usual energy OF which ne Is possessed For in
stance, the very first day I came here found
piles OF
FILLED MAIL BAGS SLOWED AWAY IN A CORNER
On inquiring what they contained was informed
that they were filed with newspapers ana city
letters left over. / at once ordered every pouch
opened, the matter, which in some cases was
week DID, distributed, and ordered that hencelorth
and hereafter not single paper or letter should be
left night in the office, subecting the offender
to no less penalty than a summary dismissal.
The order caused some growing, but has since
been religiously executed.
REPoRTER-This, then, accounts in some measure
for deliveries OF letters and papers OF back dates
Of which there was so much talkG
posT IaA but | can proudly say that
You must, however, understand that we We have
many cases OF fancted wrongs reported here.
People who imagine that they have mailed a letter
or caused "trusty" person to mail the same Tor
them, and the epistle Is not delivered upon
time, come here and, instead OF ascertain
In every instance we make lul investigation
OF the AFFAIR, and IN nnety-nine cases out OF each
themselves. and not with us. only few days ago
gentleman called and stateJ that he had de-
posted letter in an uptown amppost box, ad.
dressed 10 party downtown, which, alter a
lapse Of two days, had not been delivered He
solemny averrcd that the address was correct
and the letter, which contained money, was
properly stamped and directed. Mr.. Hallett our
searcher alter hard labor, found that this letter
York, and while holding the epstle in INV hand the
sender even stuck to his protestaton until his
own handwriting convinced him otherwise, when
I'M ,la lira
this occur, but only mention them to show how
much nndeserved calumny We have to suffer,
ances, hut people will soon ind OK That the e' a1t
does Not rest With you, and they will learn to be
more careful win you please explain something
OF your
RAPID DELIVERY SYSTEM
posTa tn order 10 supply the various sta
c have IS ds Sew g F the
yaled Railroad, as well as the Third and Seventh
avenue railroads sns By the former we supply sta
station d, at the Bible House, has as many more.
stations end G receive the mails, by the last
line 10 Fifty-ninth street carries the pouches to
FhrT The a atSs s,.t which supplies station
Third avenue cars. The collections are made from
iampposts about every hour In tie day. except In
the eusy Part 4. Of the city in the Of s
when the heavy South and west malls are de-
local matter and endeavor to deliver letters In
about two hours time from mailing.
REPORTRR-Is
THE FORCE OF CARRIERS
under your charge adequate 10 the carrying out OF
Jour decisive pocy9
PosTMAsTER--No, 1t Ia not, although Postmaster
General Creswe has very kindly granted me an
addition of "a carriers. The entire complement
now attached to this ONCE IL 377, besides 70 SUD-
stltutes, who are put on duty in case one OF
the regular men Is sick or absent from duty. In
order TO come up to the system IN vogue IN the
English capital 1t requires at least double the force
OF men now employed in this branch.
REPoRTER-What is the
STATUS OF TIE MENf
P0sTMAsTER-On an average they are very good
class have made very few changes since came
mere; but the new appoin.ees, selec.ed oy tne
Civil Service COMMISSIONED which my Generai
superintendent, Mr. Harry G. Pearson Is Cnalr.
man-are OF a superior order, as we selected
only the most competent. In every instance the
superintcpdents Of stations to whom the new men
were sent express themselves well pleased with
those who were thus assigned ON assuming duty