The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-08-13
The Lightning Mail Train.

regarding the new fast mall-trall 10 De
run between New York and Chicago:
The most important event in the history
of the railway postal service ocCurred to-
day July 29). The negotiations for the
express mail train from New York to the
Mississippi Valley were completed, and
were approved by the POstmastrr-General
This is the tulfillment of the dream of the
founders of the railway postal service.
Two years ago negotiations were attempted
to obtain ii fast train for this purpose for
the New York Central. For various reas-
Ons they failed. Since that time George 5.
Bangs. OF Chicago, Superintendent of the
Railway Postal Service, has had the sub
ject under constant consideration. Post
maSter-General Jewell, as soon As he
entered the Department, was quick to per-
ceive the importance of the scheme, and
entered fully into it. He himself person.
ally visited the railroad authorities and
directed Mr.. Bangs to conduct the details
of the negotiations. These negotiations
were to-day successfully terminated.
The train starts from New York, Octo-
Der l, at 4 o'clock a. M, and will reach
Chicago in 26 hours. 1t will be composed
of four ears, which are now being rapidly
constructed. The first car will be 80 feet
in length. 1t will contain 1000 pigeon
holes for the distribution of the letter mail,
and boxes sufficient for the distribution of
100 separations of newspaper mail. In
this car will be a safe cOmpart-
ment for registered valuable mat
ter, and an office for the chief
clerk in charge of the train. The entire
letter distribution for the line will be in
this car.
The second car will be 60 feet long. It
will be managed for the distribution OF
through newspaper mail and for storage.
1t is estimated that between New York
and Chicago 20 OnS of mail will be sorted
and distributed in this ear.
The third car will be 80 feet long, and
will be devoted TO undiStributed mails.
The fourth car will be is feet long, and
will be used when necessary for heavy
mails.
The train will be white. and will be
called The New York Central 81 Lake
Shore Railroad POSt-Officc." The tram
will arrive in Buffalo in eleven hours. at
Cleveland in fifteen, at Toledo in eighteen,
and AT Chicago in twenty-siX. 1t will
stop only for wood and water and at the
junction of railroads. 1t will neither car
ry passengers nor express, nor will il do
any business but carry the mails. 1t will
carry letters, newspapers, packages. and
newSdealers' packs. 1t will II with
every pOSt-Office line between New York
and Buffalo. AT Albany it will pick up
all the mail from New England. The
timetable will be so arranged that the
fast mail will connect with the latest New
England trains. Ii will leave the mail OF
the morning at most every town and ham
let in New York before shutdown. At
Buffalo il will Oyertake the train leaving
New York on the Erie Road the previous
evening, and will receive from it for the
West the mails of Northern Pennsylvania,
Southwest New York, and the tributary
country. At Cleveland it will connect
with trains which will deliver the mails to
the country fed from Columbus. Cmcinna-
Ii and Indianapolis early in the morning.
The mail will arrive in Louisville in time
t oconnect with all parts Of The South. Civ
ing the South the advantage OF all the
time gained north of the Ohio River. 1t
will arrive in indianapolis AZ Il. m, at
Lafayette and ~LOganspOrt at 1870, con-
Meeting there with trains for all parts OF
Indiana, and the adjoining portions Ofllli-
nOis. At Toledo it will drop the mails for
the Wabash country, for Southern In
diana, Illinois and Missouri. and also tor
Michigan and the North. The train will
arrive at Chicago in time for early Out-gO-
ing trains, will reach Milwaukee at noon,
and Dubuque, Clinton, Rock Island, Da-
venpOrt, keOkuk. Burlington, Quincy and
Hannibal before shutdown. The mail will
be at Omaha the morning of the second
day from New Iork, and in the afternoon
at Kansas City, st. Paul and Minneapolis,
and will make direct Pacific coast con
nectiOnS.
Returning, this train will leave Chicago
late in the evening after all the trains are
in. 1t will arrive at New York i'll the
evening. but the mails will be ready for
the first morning distribution before the
train arrives at any cities. Going either
way, experienced clerks, detailed from the
large offices, will board the train and make
the distribution Oftne mail for the carrier
routes in the several cities. thus saving al
, least two hours in every distribution,
This new departure in railway postal ser
vice will neceSsitate an entire reorganiza'
f ton in the schemes of distribution, and
:, the chief officer here will be exceedingly