The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-14
THE POST OFFICE.

DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCAL MAIL COLLECTION
AND DELIvERY-How TILE WORK is ACCOM-
PIIsHED.
As matter Of interest to the public present to-
day description OF the method adopted and means
used by the Postmaster OF this city to increase the
mail facilities for both The local and general postal de-
livorics
Recognizing the importance to citizens Of an Ell
cent system of delivery Of local mail the Post.
master early gave his special attention to the improve
az this branch Of the service His first step
TO greater rapidly and frequency OF transpora-
ton and to this end he avaled himself OF the Elevated
Railway for the despatch Of mails between the General
Post ONCE and the upper portion OF the city on the
west SIDE sending them by that conveyance times
every day, connecting at Twelfth with station
and at Thirty fourth street with station f. and since
the extension of road with station G. The effect
OF this arrangement has been sensbly felt by the resi-
dents of the upper DISTRICTS only tho west but
the side. A wagon service has been recently
established, making twelve round trips per day. be-
the Flfeth street station Of the elevated road
station Eighth avenue and Fifty-hfth street, and
station corner Third and Sixtieth street, by
which the letters and papers deposited at those
stations are sent out interchanged rapidly they
can be collected, assorted and placed in tho mail
pouches Previous to Postmaster James assuming
charge Of the Post once the city mail between
the main Office and the stations, and also between the
stations, was performed entirely by wagons, whose
movements were liable be retarded by the accidents
TO all city travel and such delay caused
responding arrangement Of tho schedule Of mail
arrivals aud departures and failure to connect at the
proper hours with the carriers deliveries and col
lectons, the inevitable result the local delivery
service was disaster and confusion.
As remedy for this state OF things Mr. James put in
practice plan by which the entire wagon service with
the exception Of early morning and late evening
trip 10 the upper stations is confined to circuit en-.
bracing the General Post once and stations A, b.
and d, between which mails exchanged every hour
whilo the service TO- from and between stations T. H.
x and L, all OF which located on Third avenue is
performed by messengers travelling on the Third
Avenue Railroad, continually delivering mails al and
receiving them from these stations The letters tho
lower part Of the city thus conveyed TO station D.
from whence they despatched TO the General Post
once or to station A, c. according to the destna
tion by wagon. Under this system delays transpor
taton are almost unknown the messengers arriving at
each station promptly time for the assortment OF
their malls for delivery by the carriers and 70 receive
the letters which have accumulated there for despatch
10 other parts OF the city, as well as TO points beyond
"RAPTD Transit
In the city postal service being thus secured tho next
point which the Postmaster gave his attention was
the means Of providing more prompt and frequent
delivery and collection Of mail matter 10 enect any
marked Improvement this direction with the limited
service in New York 1870 obviously impractcable;
so when Mr. James visited Washington and personally
urged the necessity Of increase, the Postmaster
General consented 10 appoint sky iour additional car