The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-30
FAST MAIL TRAINS.

THEIR ABOLITION PROBABLE AS THE EFFECT or
CONGRESSIONAL. EcoNoNY-A THREATENED
PUBLIC CALAMITY.
bill now before Congress- under the title OF stCom-
pensaton Railway Companies WILL II passed it,
present form, the abandonment OF the present
popular system OF fast railway mail service. The orig.
nal bill drawn under the supervision Of Postmaster
General Jewell for the purpose Of grading the amount
of compensation TO be paid TO railway companies fos
the transportation Of mails throughout the country,
to provide for the continuance Of the fast mail
trains at fair rate Of pay The original bill provided
that the compensation to railway companies carry
ing mail matter should be regulated by sliding scale
on tho basis OF six, seven, eight and nine mills pes
neal foot of for each mle according to the
or speed required For instance on all railways,
taking the length Of the mail car say nifty feet trains
running at twenty-five miles per hour would be paid
six mills per nea foot Of car making thirty cents for
each every ple run irrespective OF the amount
OF mail matter carried. The same cars running At
thirty miles per hour would receive mills or
hrtyrve miles per hour, the compensation would bs
eight mills, or forty cents per mile Al forty milos,
for each car 1t VOL known that increased speed in
wolves an extra consumption Of fuel and consequent
increased cost
tee on Expenses Of the Post Office Department with
the eight and nino mills clauses stricken out thus
completely defeating the actual intonton OF the bill
drawn by the Postmaster General and threatening the
existence OF the fast mail service.
NAIL ROUTES.
The lines OF fast mails present from New York
to Pttsburg, Pa thence TO st. Louis Mo-, connecting
with branch roads north and south OF that line and
at St. Louis with the distributing points at the South
ana Southwest Also from New YORK, vita the Nov
York Central Railway. Albany Buffalo. Erie and Clcve
ali trains leaving there for the great West The
average speed Of the fast mail trains IS erty one and
fraction miles per hour from New York to Buffalo;
thence little slower These trans are purely
ment trains carrying freight except mails and
passengers except tho natl agents The trains
made up Of engine and four cars two of which are
used for distribution route and two for the storage
OF through mails Tho statistics OF the weighers
department show that the fast mail trains carry about
fourths Of the mails between New York, Chicago and
St Louis The train the New York Central Rail
road connects Albany with the fast mail train from
New England receiving from II an average Of five tons
OF mail matter each day. This arrangement allows Of
LATE CLOSING MAILS THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND,
say at hafpast nine r N. OF me previous Day thus
correspondence As the fast mail trains run at high
rate Of speed all other trains are compelled 70 keep
OF the way. The Pacific express over the New York
Central Lake Shore railways, leaves New York at
eight r. NJ daily, carrying mails as lar AZ Erie. The
fast mall leaving New York at quarter after four A
NJ the following day, overtakes the Pacific Express in
the station at Cleveland Ohio at eight O'Clock the Same
evening and passes it, arriving u Chicago at half-past
York in time to connect with all trains leaving Chi
cago between seven and half.past nine A. NJ for all
" ns m
ADvANQE OF TI1 OLD TIME
and regular passenger trains. The average OF mail
matter the fast trains westward is twenty-five tona
per day.
requirements Of the service closely observed BY the
railway officials One day about three months ago the
Pacific express left gainesville for Cleveland min
ute late having nine minutes Roadway. The conduc-
tor thought that he could mako up the minute and
be ten minutes ahead OF the fast mail train
qured On the stretch fue In his engine burst, and
this delay caused the fast mail to be twenty minutes
behind schedule time at Cleveland. The conductor Of
the Pac hc had been In the employ OF the
pany eighteen years When he reached the depot al
Cleveland clerk handed him letter containing hia
discharge.
If the hill Is allowed to pass its present form tho
Just after the evening papers there are issued They
reach there now twenty minutes past eleven A. N.
AN EQUITABLE MKAsURK
The grading Of compensation by mills according to
the speed IN the original BILL intended to allow
adequate pay to those roads required TO cars at
running but one or two trains per day, carrying not
over 800 pounds Of mail matter on each traIn where
low speed IL inconsistent with the scrvlce In con-
versaton yesterday tho Secretary Of the New York
Central Railroad Company said that II the bill passed
Congress with the eight and nine mill clauses stricken
out that company would immediately
TAKE FAST NAIL TRAINS,
because Il could not trains ut the speed required
without absolute loss II would be better carry the
mails on the regular passenger trains which would not
be compelled stop sings for the fast mail
to pass and the company could control the time Of all
trains II the original bill. without amendments, 10
passed. the railway companies throughout the States
will compete tho fast mail SERVICE and thus render
great benefits 10 the mercantile community.
Postmaster James said yesterday that II the bill
passes in its present form II will demoralize the
mail service and its effect would be public calamity