, 1875-08-03
THE LIGHTNING MAIL.TRA{N.

THE LIGHTNING MAILTRAlN.
From New York Ia ChEcng0 in TWEEN.
ty-four ss"nr%-An Allegation lAnt II
VIII Cost sl.o0U.ooO n Ecar.
AtH }orA i>nn.
WAsH,s'ros. jrlr 2s.-lho announcement
That tin scheme OF a fast train OF postal cars
hotween New York an1 Chicago, which has long
leen pct measure with Geosgo s. bangs, has
AeeH adopted by rottnas. or. .nGneraI Jewot md
All arrangement contaminated with the 1lndson
It'v"r, New York Central, and Michigan Southern
and Lako hhoso ltatiroada foi auch train, 10
leaso Now York and Chicago once day. and
mako ttir trip In twenty-Hlx aid 1untlLiy TWEEN.
ty'iour hours. drawing tour ,.pot,t cals each 20
fcet lour, IA tho subj ret bt inch comment
among Poht. 0ltce ollic,hls anl u.nets familiar
with tastal Affairs.
Mr.. Jay GondB Tribune Of TIC II, ;na., euya
" tlls tromondolisly RAPID sorvlc4: .lt will air
trhe all but tho initiated u learn thut It wll not
tot ono ccnt additional cxrtfAse." Il,in AlAt.-
tncnt OF thu Tribune, made ovidrutty with
authority, Iprlees eyen tho Initiated for a
prominent uliicer in the lont-O department
told me yesterday that Mr.. Bangs thought n,.rl,
q fast train wOnld Involve at oxnn,lnn Of about
q million do!iAis year. and Uond bo y orttl II.
Tho dcmaul tlcso railroad companies made LOT
extra pay for a Continuance Of the ps,taI.cat
faesIittsn no. Afforded, II comftlird wltl, wonld
lt,ci eahu Tho annual cost Of cnrr;.ng tho mAl,s
Immensely; and everv QUO must re.rct ctnber sLst
these lhfIronl kings threatened that ulav would
hot continue to carry lhs mails III poAta1.ca,s
nnlcs5 Eone provision Wa hlado ior INCREASED
rates Of pay over tloss allowed by lilo act Ut
March j, 1879.
From the annual reports Of thu Postmaster
GeHoral 1t will 10 Beeu what the cost ot t1ans-
porting tho tua1ls IN. On pago 81 OF the report
Tor 1Suy this item il :1l.G1l, 748 On pago II Of
tue report for 1871, sl3. 4pi..1 aud Oh page 60
Of Tue report for l17i &ls.7u7,4 1856. Tho actual
payments made nnasr this head for tile fiscal
year GUIDED June ~. 18Th, N.re els, ,ssl, ,3lJ.OI
hnu 10 meet large unsettled balances quo fur r.
adj justeu pay tn railroads. for la74, tnlur the uet
OF March g. 1914, Tho following; rlausn wuA ILL.,
serted Oh page II IN tho Gonera, deficiency Lli,,
approved March ., 1915:
To GnnbIe the 10 adjust and r,y
tln compensation Tor t'a transportation Of uAla vi
rAllFtIail faatfA. according to The rryisnna Ut An
D!icr Department for tbs yeur ending JnIc ~ 1b7l"
approve March j. 1918, he Is hereby authorized anI
empowered ~ HISS tor tim purpose nlny Ls
Nece+Aary Of tho expended baallrr Of the Amounts
appropriated fur del !e!lrteA III tue revenues Of the
porsal scrsitc for the hrc4l year cuiug juno 10 ls5
The unexpended bnlanco Of this appropriation
thus matte available "as 9l.7jG 772.ii. ab a,lwn
OF page o! t!o tnstnlast -GGuetaIB ropur, for
1874. 81 tint tho actu9 cost uT Transporting tle
lrails for 1874 cannot lie arrived at at )rrHcnt
from published ropoTtH. but 1t VIII nnaunn, 10
about W, Ouo.uUO, ur neaf'y double wLat the cost
1t IL now claimed sha. tic fast usil.traiu of
four portal cars, mnklnR one round trip day
over tho Hudson liver, New York Central a,l
Michigan Southern and Lake Snoro Railroads,
will carry dai|y thu ty-tiye tnus which will room
lie Increased to u,ty-so tous rer dav. While it
In sa!d that tbs 1:rio aud Hudson lti.ar ioa4ls
took nut OF nnd brought inlo New York total
weight Ut tltty-0no tots dnilr III 1873. on eight
postal cnrn Oil eight trains. besides reyrtal local
traisis. III" PROPOSED arrangement viii put nearly
nl the through mail from both roads OH one mall
train, doing away, Of collrso. With tho expensive
postal car hcrvIco on the Eric. fur wl.lch tho
Government now paya e3at, 595 per anuun; 3; but
thtH amount cannot ali 10 saved III locai service
Will bav0 to be doro along tho limo Of tuat rua,l
at least twice q day, HI At present, Mn,l cars
VIII tlayo to le rln as now between Now YORK
and 3nna!o, via Troy, al the flying trim cau do
but little local service, and tho ppnplo will not
10 satisfied with ono NAL trom New York daily.
Ibis locAI EnIyica must 10 raid for without
doubt.
Now. consider what tho cost Of tho faat train
to buffalo uiono will be under tho prorellt law,
Tho Distance FROM Now York to buffalo Ii 445
round trip undos tho law OF March .. 1919, e5u
per mflo of ronl for each car por year, or 900
milo. For say IS lonso mai 4 day, Sl.Ul2.b}
mile OF road soar, to who6 add pay for cars.
aud wa have 6, 90 fer each milo nf road
year. Or lis tlmcs Si.2l2.50. whlcI, amounts to
*da3.20o por hnnuul fnr this singia ulaiI train
between Now York and buffalo aIuns, whlo the
pay for CARRYING the whole mail in 1873 ~as:
Erc-Sew York to Dunktrk,. .$l72.5
ntlgan lETrf-Scw York to Troy ........,., .lD1
Now York Cantr4i-Alban5 to buffalo. II, 40
Cost Of tic prop. .ed iii mail.tra,u mnilnx
Que round trip 10 buffalo only y.......... sij,20D
Increase over That Of whole service tn 1919 M
der old f1ac, $50
The deiun1d which these roads hare made for
licllcE rateR Of pay lau is allow Cd by tho D, es-
nut law wi! undoubtedly 10 again urged upon |
CongEeBa. md tue subject is worthy Of careful |
The fast nlail.tsain between |
Now York and Chicago would he good thing
il people eau afford tho luxury, Hh,le tho OK
penses Of mail transportation arc beng ennr-
nonBly Increased ycar by year bS the zealous
ollictRlR who haye tho Postmaster Generals COLI
1.'eAco, and virtually run hH Department fer |
him. But tho public should know What II ~ like
y to coat.