New-York tribune., 1874-03-28
o.,., ,re delivered on tho same day at tto same

1
| That the CITY service is capable OF Improvement
| those intrrsted with its management wili be the
| last To deny There should be daily collection
from the street boxes and hotels not at TAD p m IA
suggested by Progress" but at p IN. There should
| he a delivery by carriers commencing at p. m. on
| each week day. and one at a. IN. every Sunday. 70
| include dwelling houses only There should be no
| time lost here in the assortment OF mails. whlch
ought to be assorted in transit by city clerks Oh all
arriving pOstal-car trains. so rs to be ready ior ue
livery as soon as practicable after reaching the city,
There should until rapid steam transit or pnei-
matte tubes furnish something better BIO more fre-
osent wagon transportation Of mails between the
sub-offces and the main Office. All these improve
ments and more arc desirable, and could be intro
duced were t not for tho obstacle which stands IN
the way of many other enterprises OF great pith
and moment" viz Lack of the necessary funds since
July 1873 there have been 333 lettcr-cariers en-
ployed in this city, and for years previous to that
date there were but 3l8. There should be not less
than 600; but tho amount appropriated by Congress
for the payment of lettercarriers Is TOO small 10
allow of the employment here OF the number OF men
necessary for the proper performance OF tho delivery
service. The same s true III regard to the clerIca
force which especially at the sub Offices is entirely
too small Both clerks and carriers are now worked
TO the full extent of their capacity; and while the
age on our local mail matter only, exceed by over $780,
900 quarter the amount expended for the carriers
salaries and increase annually 30 per cent and
while the whole annual receipts of the office exceed
it, expenditures by more than Sl,5O0OOO New-fork
is not allowed sufficient number OF p0stal EN-
ployes to meet the just demands of its citizens.
The London local delivery is often referred to as
an example of what such service should be. 1t is
not unfair to presume that much OF It's efficiency Is
due 10 the fact that the annual increase IN the NUM-
her of Ietter-carriers there is about 30O-whe 3S2
comprises the entire force employed here It's TO bo
hoped that some of the savings recently effected III
contracts for service unremuneratiye mail routes
in the far West may be devoted to supplying the
commercial metropolis with such an increase iu ITS
po,ta facilities ~ will be in some degree commensu-
rate with its increasing wants. But after ALL mat
tiers are not quite bad Is Progress seems to I'M
agine The poSt-OiiCe l5 open at all hours OF every
day and night. At the night window and box DEPART
ment callers can obtain their letters at any time,
and stamps are kept for sale at the former until mid
NIGHT When there is total disregard OF sunday as
day Of rest by the courts the banks. the stock Tx
change, the Custom house and the public generally,
il will he time enough to exact seven days service
pcr week from the employees of the Po5t-Ohce. AT
tbe present time letters aud postage stamps can be
ATTAINED at the Post Once and at the stations during
t2-o hour, in the morning of every Sunday; and the
small number Of callers during that time. and tho
ob,ence of any request for further Sunday facilities
woud indicate that those now furnished are salts
factory to the public. SO long rs the custom OF suo
uendng business for purposes OF rest rehgiouS SER
vice. and recreation, during one day OF each week.
is generally observed. it is difficult to see why the
sale of postage stamps. any more than that OK
| any other article of daily consumption, should be
| carried ON during the whole of that day which by
the great majority of people - considered a8 sl
cred and which by statute il dies NON.
All the advantages 70 be derived from the location
of a sub-ofte at the Grand Central Depot could be
better aud more cheapy secured by the employment
of additional clerks to assoTt in transit the mails
arriving on all the posalca- trains. jnst as that
service il now performed on the night trains from
Washington and Boston. So far tho city service
proper is concerned-tbat s the transportation aud
delivery of mail originating and deliverable within
the citv-a sub-oilice at the Grand Central Depot
would be of no benefit whatever. 1t is situated at
an inconvenicnt distance from tho street railway
lines Oh which the city mails are transported, and
from the thorOughfares of traffic. on which. as
experience has shown. the sub-oce5 require to be
located in order to TO the public the maximum
of postal facilities Ii would be mistake to suppose
that the officers of the PostOtice here are opposed
to progress" in its operations The Improvements
which have been made of late, and the promptness
with which the Elevated Railway was used for the
transportation OF city mails a. soon az II was
success prove this think. They are also always
ready and glad To listen to practical suggestions
from auy source and ii the higher powers who SIT
in the National Legislature Will cothe them WIN
the necessary authority and provide them with such
n share OF the postal revenues a. VIII he required
for the purpose and better postal facilities VIII
be enioyed by New Workers than the friends OF the
| most advanced and rapid Progress have yet
demanded. Respectfully, 1. l.; JAMES,
| Ntlc- York, March ~, 1874. Postmaster
| THE MISSIONARIES IND The fRIBCNBS