The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-23
NEW YORK POSTAL SERVICE.

What Has Been Done md In Rafnr
Done i'm the New York Post OMEGA
Plea For the Overworked Post once
CleIks.
In view OF the early completion OF the new Post
ONCE, which Mr.. Supervising Architect Mullett
promises to have ready for occupancy early this
fall the business Of administering the United
States mail service is carried on at the old ONCE
quietly and without ostentaton. IL is now Jour-
teen months since Mr.. Thomas L. James entered
upon the Postmastership OF this CITY. The nrst
request made by him Of Postmaster General Cress.
well was an increase In the force OF carriers Mr..
James gave such lucid reasons TO back his appeal
that General Cresswell authorized him to appoint
sfxty-fve additional men, which he did, after sub.
jecttng the applicants to rigid civil service ex-
animation.
Mr. James next availed himself OF every method
offered for rapid transit In transporting mails to
and from the various stations by utilizing the New
York Elevated Railway and the city railroads.
Twelve deliveries are thus made daily ana as
many collections had from the lamppost boxes.
The only complaint offered by the Postmaster is
shat his carrier and station force Is inadequate to
accommodate the rapidly increasing demands OF
the city to keep up with the immense influx OF mail
matter which mas TO pass through the New YORK
Recognizing this fact Mr.. James instructed Mr..
James Gayler, his General superintendent OF City
Delivery TO make a thorough investigation into
tlIc ulucTtut anu TepOTJ Oh TIE COuOItlOu
or the service and suggest such reforms his
judgment and experience dictated. In q long and
elaborate report Mr.. Gayer sets forth that there
Is urgent necessity for the employment OF addi-
tiona clerks at most OF the stations OF this Office
Tue system established by you tthe Postmaster) OF
hourly transportation OF mails by messengers on
street cars on the upper circuit and by the Ele-
waited Railway, has resulted in marked improve
ment IN the delivery service by greatly facilitating
the interchange Of local correspondence between
the stations and their communication with the
general office. But this increase in the efficiency
oil the service has involved u corresponding in
crease IN the duties and responsibilities oil the
CLERKS at the stations whose business 1t Is to see
that the carriers are promptly and properly sup
piled with their mail matter for delivery the col
lectlOns assorted, the mails for other stations
the general office and railway post Office cars
made up and despatched ana the public
supplied with postage stamps and money
orders, and furnished with the facilities for the
registration OF letters At each departure of q
mail wagon or messenger from station, mails for
the other stations and Or the general office are re-
CURED to be made up separately, labelled and
pOuched, ready Ior despatch, while the work OF
asserting the arriving mails, the rate OF stamps
the registration OF letters and the issue OF money
orders must continue without Interruption,
"When the clerical force is insufficient the as
s0rtment and making up OF these mails is neces.
Sarily performed IN haste, which Is likely OF
course, to lead to occasional errors such as the
missending OF pouch or the incorrect labelling of
package OF letters, and although wnen such mis-
takes have occurred, the delinquent clerk has been
subjected to penalty, they cannot be entirely
avoided under the present system. The delays
which they cause are made the subject OF compaint
by the public, to whom the excuse that they are
OccaslOned by lack OF sufficient clerical force can
hardly be deemed satisfactory" Mr.. Gayler calls
the Postmaster's attention to the following tables
showing the hours OF service required from the
clerks at the ten principal stations and the num-
Der OF mails and pouches made up and despatched
from four OF them:-