New-York tribune., 1874-07-30

GRowN-ITs WITHDRAWAL ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
THE RIGHTS CLAIMED By THE RAILROAD COM
PANIEs.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSE.l
WASHINGTON July 29-There is considerable con-
fusion in the public mind over what is known as the
postal car question" which consists In recurring
railway companies in addition to carrying mail
matter, to build equip, and run cars TO serve as
post-offces, filled with clerks TO make up and assort
mails instead Of doing the work in the large cities
as formerly and by this saving several hours
in the delivery of mails in each city, and securing
close connections all over the country with other
railroads. The magnitude to which this has grown
can be learned from the testimony OF Mr.. Bangs,
Superintendent of the Postal Railway Service before
the Senate Committee, who said the effect of tho
trunk lines suspending the running o. postal cars
would be to force the Government, IN the City OF
New-York to hire three four large warehouses to
do mail distribution that they now do upon railway
trains Mr. Davis, Assistant Superintendent of tho
Railway Mail Service of the Post-Ofice Department,
testies that the effect of such discontnuance would
be to throw into the principal post-otiices such
mass of matter that they would have no accommo-
datons for it. With the limited accommodations
they have, they could not work a force sufficient TO
distribute in good time. 1t would involve very
noying delays.
The last annual report of the Postmaster-ieneral
shows the extent to which this system OF railway
post-Offices has been put into operation. The num-
Der of railway pOst-oce lines in operation on the
3Oth of June, 1873. SO, extending over 1855
miles of railroad and steamboat routes an increase
of two lines and 749 miles over the preceding year.
The number of clerks employed was ,52. at an
nual cost Of $9il 600 increase of lO3 clerks and
Sll9,4O0. Upon l2,3l2 miles service performed
daily, upon 2.j33 miles twice daily, upon Il miles
four times daily equivalent IN all to l7i82 miles
each way daily Counting all the lines both ways,
the aggregate service is 3935 miles daily. The total
cost of Transporting the mails railroads is 7257..
1866 cost of the post-oce service about StJO,OC0
Since this report was made readjustmcut ofpay has
been made which increases the aggregate pad about
ST. 100000, but except in few instances, does not
reach the trouble. What the railroad companies
now complain Of is that Mr.. Bangs, Mr. DAVIS, and
the late Postmaster-General opposed paying the
railroad companies beyond the present rates for this
service. and resisted the passage by Congress OF
bill to provide that where a company WAS not salts
fed with the pay allowed by the Department, they
could have the right to appeal TO jury or board
of arbitration, who should decide what would be
fair compensation and il is because. The PostOice
Department will not agree To this mode OF settle
ment that Mr. Hinckley proposes to withdraw these
cars on August and have the question tested in the
courts whether parties furnishing travelling post
offices have the same rights as those who furnish
stationary buildings. Should Mr.. Hiuckley mako
his word good, the question viii be at once taken
into court for adjudication, pending Which 1t III
probable the cars will be restored
There is o loud call among business people hero
for better mail facilities to Philadelphia and New
York. train from Philadelphia reaches here daily
at p. M, yet no mail or papers come till p. m.
ANew-York train arrives at p. m, but no mail till
6 .. m. No mail goes north from a. m. till pm;
yet train goes at $50 a. m. which gets to Phia-
delphia and New-York before the train leaving
at a. IN. The railway companies say that, while
the Department continues to pay everybody but
them the customary prices for their labor they wild
not extend the facilities now furnished at loss.