The New York herald., 1876-12-19
Dashing Across the Country
at Lightning Speed.
HOW THE NAILS WERE PREPAR and CARRIED
A misunderstanding Between the Railroad
and Post Office Officials.
. THE DELIVERY IN WASHINGTON.

tLe at tho Post Once dreary the extreme
the weather concerned but the bright lights
and the busy motions OF the employees engaged IN
arranging for the departure OF the fast mail train gave
animation to the picture. Two hundred men were en-
ployed III asserting, weighing and marking the huge
plies Of newspapers and letters destined to go by the
early train south and westward.
Al last voice OF authority utters the welcome
words "An Right" and the ioers their
labor It is now 2:15 A. N. ana the lights grad
ualy growing DINNER. Up from the suoterranean
cellars OF the building the later workers. and,
following the example of those who went away nearly
hour before, they, too disappear mysleriousIy
as their predecessors.
In an hour tho fast mail takes It's departure,
and the 'sFruthiul James, OF the Post ONCE, through
his Jacksonian AIDE camp OF the railway mail SER
vice has issued his fiat that unless the HERALDs I'M
mcnsc edition for Philadelphia, Newark, Elizabeth,
New Brunswick, Trenton. Baltimore, Wilmington.
Washington, Richmond and other points further South
and Southwest s in the Post Office hour earlier than
usual 1t must remain untouched; tnat there Is some
trouble about getting the mail wagons she North
River after three O'Clock for fast that leaves
hour and thirty minutes later! Tho hint has been
needed. Ten minutes later the HERALD wagons empty
their contents into Postmaster lanes cellars
OF papers--in mmicry OF the pe.tng storm without
they lily heiter skecr through tho air reach their
marx with unerrins aim and Slide smoothly into the
SACKS beneath the boxes Then immense bundles OF
HRRALDs quickly weighed, the postage reckoncd
una The papers hurled into tho wagons that stand
without the dimy lighted entrance. On top OF all
the hight letter sacks, and the first stage of
the postal work Is done. Preparing 10 start at three
O'Clock the mail wagons meet at tue Cortlandt Street
Ferry other wagons belonging to the Express company
ladcncd with many thousands more OF HkRALDs Tor
distribution among the news agents along
Al 4 25 the luggard express wagons oump their last
oad into the car and away the train gldes on lis MIS-
sion OF CIVILIZATION.
IL is dark and dismal Tho snow patters on the
window panes OF Spaedcr'3 cab ana obscures his
lison, while ;hc garn: headlight points the way IN
Sne o The last tram Iour states Ever and
bnon they "sl0w up' or lily by station they stop
Mosortng 10 discharge and receive mails
Al Newark, Which was reached lcw minutes be-
hind time, about 5000 papers were discharged, and
ihr tram sped on faster than ever. Ncar Monmouth
Junction the glass OF the headlight OF the locomotive
was blown out leaving all in darkness aud doubt ln
this dilemma there alternative but
slowly on the box signals ana the conse
qucnce ha, Trenton reached 10 minutes late.
Here passengers were a@ Oh In empty coach that had
been attached Jersey City, ana again the train sped
AWAY Tor tho banks OF the Potomac. Arriving IN West
cipha II minutes late, the mail and newspaper
were attached To tho regular fast express over
tie Pnadelpun, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad,
ana the ,raln lett minutes late. Az Wilmington,
Delaware tho train IL minutes late, stops
papers. Havro dc Grace was reached minutes behind
time, Baltimore minutes late and washington at
l:U2-on time.
THE RESULT rRIP.
Considering all The disadvantages oil accdent-head
wind, slippery tracks and st0ppngcsthc first expert
mcnt to make last time Lctwcen New York aud WASH
ington was a decided SUCCESS, tho run OF 227 miles
beng made in eight hours aud twensy-seven minutes
Are newspaper uciivery IN Washington by this
arrangement is the same that mado when the
HERALD ran SPECIAL tram from New York TO West
rhnadciph'a 10 connect with the morning train Tor
Washington. Hut the mails were yesterday put ~
Washington nearly i've hours caier than ever
before. When tho schedules the lines
Lynchturg and other Southern cities chan gcd
10 make close connections with this train readers OF
the HERALD III all the leading Southern cities will
secure and their correspondence from Il to 20 hours
earlier than hereto&A,, according to the facilies
offered by the branch incs 10 make close connections
with man trunks pointing soutnward. Whether this
new system becomes permanent one depends entirely
upon the lheraiy oi the present Congress and the
sagacity OF The Post Onlcc Department If the
press companies can convey papers pron,ably there
seems to be reason why the government cannot do
SO IN connection with tho TRANSMISSION of tho letter
mails
WASTED HOUR
-hc fast mail train, about which SO much has been
and written OF late and which started its
i,ia trip yesterday morning, seems not SO
smoothly was anticipated II appears, for some
reason which ut the present writing Is unaccountabc
that very serious In regard TO The
time ut which the mails must DO delivered on
The Post ONCE authorities and the railroad
officials. While the arrangements for tho tram
were being made, II 10 shown conclusivey bv the
correspondence that tram "a which starts Ut twenty
hvc minutes past four O'Clock from this side Of the
river, was tho one selected and agreed upon. Nat
u,ay enough the Post Oico officials thought that by
puuipg thc naii on the tour O'Clock A. NJ. boat Tor
Jersey City they would have ample time to make the
connection. Tue General super intendcnt OF the Penn
syivania RAILROAD Company, however, notified the
Division Superintendent OF the Railway Mail Service
that the mails or that train must lot be received later
than hali-past three O'Clock, over an hour before
the schedule time for the starting OF tho
train TLat this tmc is clear loss Is evident.
as the tour o'clock boat from Now York arrives
All Jersey City in ample time Tor tho train As the
bulk OF the mail matter composed OF the morning
edition OF the daily papers TINS extra hour Is OF The
editions. and unless some speedy change is MADE VIII
tend 10 defeat the very object Tor which the train
put on Postmaster James has elegraphed to the Post
master General tho Iacts ol the case. The Immediate
result OF the action OF tho railway officials Will be to
throw tho carrying IRON .ho Post Ofce tho
express companies. and IT is just here, u IS claimed
that the little joker IS hidden.
TrE CORRESPONDENTS.
1he following teegrams selected of several that
passed between tho Post Office officials and the General
Superintendent OF the Pennsylvania Railroad, show
the situation ut glance
:, NKw YomE. Dec ID. 1875
T. w. JACKSON General Superintendent. jersey city:
postal will your limited mail leaving a. 10
and notifications issued accordingly
JnRsKy CITY. Dec. 49, 1876.
r. G. JACKSON. Superintendent &c =
The eary raornnr mail train Is have Boston con-
neetom and have arranged for II 10 arrive carrier
are have this tram made up promptly and
" o ssaS ss' cy
nscn was sdssed q the time at which Il Was necessary
than 70 A. ,snd as We have boat leaving New York
t. come oyer the o'clock boat. Please 80 direct
r. w. JACKSON.
NEw York, Dec. l6 1876.
w. JACKSON, General Superintendent, Jersey City:-
Sending mails over by the three NJ boa. will practically
Hnnul OF the principal benefits expected by the
srranreen as our understanding has decidedly been by
the hafpast four A. NJ train. could
last load earlier than the four o'clock hoat Publishers
notified to deliver their mail the New York Post Oice
ut hafpast three No other arrangement will and
give amy sind Of satisfaction II necessary. viii 20
once TO see you X. g. JACKSON.
NEWARK. Dec IL, 1870
II. g. JACKSON
have your message this p r.eues,ing meeting to-
morrow. regret that appointment ut south Amboy
viii prevent meeting Jersey City The
the change hours running tho postal
msdc from Phiiadephn with Mr. Vail General Super
intcndeni OF tho hallway Mail Washington and
mortified that te hour Of hnlpsst three A. NJ
given tc MIR Vail the hour ut which the mails should
Jersey City. Please therefore, that the nails
come the three W. boat. as was advised you yes
Y. w. JACKSON.
ARRIVAL OF THE FAST MAIL IN WASHINGTON
EFFECT IN THE EARLIER Distribution OF