The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-11

improvement still visible though to the outside
public this is not apparent. We could do great
deal more II We had some guarantee of permanency
in the tenure of Office of employees. 1t is only
natural that when men are called upon to apply
themselves closely to study outside of their regular
hours OF duty on the that they should claim
that they could accomplish if they felt their
positions permanent during good behavior"
"Does political influence affect the service?"
IL affects it as it does all other branches Of the
partment. ana more especially The railway routes.
is vastly different from what 1T IL in most OF the
public Offices, where there is little really severe
labor and no demand for study or active exercise OF
BRAIN"
service is serious and exacting as in private
business concern
'.Are there sinecures in the Post Officer
'.There may be some. but they are very few. and
there are certainly none on the railway routes"
WORK OF THE POSTAL. CLERKS.
show many hours day do the clerks work on an
average
..They vary exceedingly. and range from seven
and eight to fourteen and fifteen hours a day. On
the heavier routes the have some time OH duty
for rest. but this is no more than railway
marked diS here LOT that railway employees
ON trains do not commence their work
till just before the train starts, often have but lit
tie to do while the train and generally their
duties in few minutes after they reach their des-
port at the post Office of departure receive and
ter on their books the packages to be con-
veyed by them and take charge OF all the mail and
accompany 1t 10 the train. This duty on heavy
routes often commences three four hours before
the departure OF the train. Then the train the
men compelled to keep their feet during the
whole trip arranging and piling tons Of mail matter.
. work involving laborious manual exerton, and
when this Is DONE begins the task of asserting let
tiers and papers for the different stations on the
route. ut which vigorous use OF their Intelligence
is required Frequently in the summer they are
from the hard work Of hauling into
the and piling up the heavy bags of
mail matter. At all times they carry their ives in
their hands. in of accident they have
little less chance OF escape than the baggage
On arrival at the terminal point of their jour-
ney the clerks must accompany their mail to the post
office aud deliver aud receive receipts for their
registered matter thus extending their time Of duty
ut both ends beyond the actual running time of the
trains.
.'Is the work Of the clerks much harder than in
Eyes; because the and tear Of standing on
the feet constantly with the muscular effort
sary to brace the body upright on q racketing sur
face tells the men after time. In large post
Office. such as New York. clerk has or two
States assigned to him for distribution. but the rail-
way mail clerk requires to have general knowledge
OF the whole country and to understand the distr-
button of from six to twelve States
Are the railway mail clerks reasonably compen-
satedy'
"Those Of the lower grades and those just COM
menciEg the service receive, perhaps, sufficient
compensation. but the experts do that is those
who have taken years OF study 20 bring themselves
to condition of efficiency, and which is only at
tanned ut all by those who have natural capacity
and aptitude for the work. Salaries the heavy
vary from 5000 to $1,000 per annum. but this
must not be considered as net income account of
the expenses when absent from home duty, abb
sence and expense depending the Importance of
the route. Where it heavy one the longer is the
absence required OF the employs and the less oppor
tunity he has to take advantage of any circum-
stance which might inure 10 his pecuniary advan-
tage The he has the interest of the service
heart the greater the sacrifice he is called upon to
make for its benefit"
what Congressional legislation Is needed to aid
the railway mail service?
at would be very desirable to have 2 uniformity
of title tor all the employees. Now they cassed
on an upward grade as mail route messengers route
agents and railway post office clerks. whereas they
all perform the same sort of duties, only differing
in the amount of work discharged One the
results OF these distinctions is that the appropria
it happens. it does frequently. that
agents needed and less mail messengers the fund
for the latter cannot be used for the former the
title uniform for all and the appropriation
made a whole for the entire service, the general
superintendent could grade his men according to
merit within bounds which might be fixed by Con-
gress. This would afford the means of rewarding
meritorious records by promoting employees from
grade to another without being hampered, at
which practically obsolete as tar the actual
working OF the service Is concerned. In making
promotions no Partially can be shown, as they
made on the basis of merit and skill only"
''Is q clerk allowed pension for injury in the
service?"
'.He is not. The nearest approach to it is for the
department to allow his pay to continue for short
time. while he is LAID up from injuries received
while on duty"
eff killed outright does his family get anything?"
'No, am sorry to say"
From the foregoing 1t will be that the Super
intendent takes lively interest in the welfare OF tho
men under him.