The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-12-11

further payments. l would suggest that the
time has come when q resolute effort should
be made to determine how far the Postofico
Department can properly 80 on in its efforts
to accommodate the public without trespsss-
ing unwarrantsbiy upon the sphere Of private
enterprise. There must be q limit to govern
mental interference, and. happily, it better
cults the genius OF the American people I'd
help themselves than TO depend on the state.
l deem 1t suitable to say here that j
propose 20 guard with stric. vigilance the ex-
penditures OF the department. sanctioning no
outlay which can be avoided without detri-
mont to the service. and 30 TO conduct its
affairs generally that the interests Of the pub
lie shall be paramount TO teose Of any indus
tr,a. corporation or party.
THE POSrAL-CAI sYsrt SUPERINTENDENT
BANGS REPORT.
George s. Bangs, Superintendent OF the
Railway Postal Service. in his report, states
that at the close Of the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1873, there were i'll operation SO
lines Of railway postofice cars, extending
over II, $50 miles Of railroad. on which was
performed 81, 925 miles Of service daily, and
Il, 1i7.625 miles of service annually. by 752
railway postofiice clerks. There clerks are
classified rs follows: 2s3 head clerks, 379
clerks, and 30 assistant clerks. BY the esta6-
li-hment Of new lines of railroad. the
postal facilities have been great
iy increased. During the threat
eneJ refusal OF the railroads to carry
the mails. al cfIer Of the Baltimore and Ohio
"as accepted by the department. This gave
a daily service bet cen Cincinnati, Ohio, and
Chicago, ILL.,, $40 miles. This completes q
through line between Washington and Chi
cago, and forms q connection between the
roads cen.erins at Cincinnati. Indianapolis
and Chicago.
Tue propriety of establishing a fast and ex-
elusive mail-train between New York and Chi
caso has been discussed for some time, and
there appears to be u growing necessity
for the same, this train to be under
the control Of the department so far as it
is necessary for the purposes designed, and
to run the distance i'll about t~wenty-fsur
hours. Ii il conceded by railroad officials
that this can be done. The Importance Of q
limo like this cann1t be overestimated. It
would reduce the actual time of tho mail be-
tween the Eas: and West from Twelve to
twenty-foUr hours, as it would necessarily be
established upon one or more of the trunk
lines having an extended system Of ccnnec-
tons. It's benefits would be in no wise con-
fined, but extended TO all parts Of he country
alike.
With reference to the complaints Of some
railroads that the compensation is inadequate,
Mr.. Bangs recommends legislation placing
the compensation to railroads cn another
basis. that of weight alone.
Mr.. Bangs reviews the subject OF the cost
Of the railway postal service. about which er-
roneous opinions obtain. He says: The
additional compensation given to the rail-
roads for furnishing AID transporting railway
postofiice cars il, Us nearly Is csn be esti-
mated. 5000, Que annually. The compensation
of clerks performing this service Is Sl.05S 200
annually the cost Of the superintendency
for salary and per diem ID :34, 40: q total
cost Of :l.692. 620.