River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-06-02
POSTMASTER GENERAL JAMES.
He VIII UDearth All of the iSecrets
of The star Raute service.


A Times Washington special: The
great political sensations of the day
may overshadow but they do not dis
turb the investigation in progress under
the direction ofthe Postmaster General.
The work of examining the records
and papers and accommodating evidence
against the members Of the ring is 60
ing on slowly but surely. 1t is intend
ed that the investigation shall be a
thorough one, and for this reason it
cannot be completed in few days.
There is vast field to be covered in
some divisions of the investigation
which are just begun. The table of
ninety-three star routes published some
time ago, by authority of the depart
ment, was only a sample of the work
of the rings. 1t is true it contains some
of the most striking examples of ras-
cality which can be found in the service
but it is also true that there are hun
dreds of routes outside of that list
which the rings have manipulated and
that field which demands investigation
stretches away on all sides of that list.
The fields are wide and the examina-
ton of them takes time So much has
been said of the rotteness of the star
service and some who are unac-
quainted with the controlling circum-
stances should become impatient and
call for the Immediate administration
of justice. The ordinary business of the
department is sufficient TO keep en-
ployes at work. The ordinary business
has not been stopped and IL must be at
cd tn hut h,n,N ~ ii lnI nd
mates. The investigation has caused
hardly any perceptible decrease OF
the departments working force.
There has not been sufficient time, as
yet, since the change in the admins
tration to put in motion all the ma
| chinery for the accumulation OF evil
dence, nevertheless, goodly amount
has come in and abundance of it will
| follow. In the meantime foundations
for exhaustive investigations are being
laid with great care. AS for reductions
| in the cost of the service already made,
| the routes upon which action has been
taken have been those reported by the
commissioner in the south and those
which come under the eyes of the of
ficers from day to day, in the regular
/ ~
less service has been begun, but except
in the steamboat routes, and one or two
other cases, its results have not yet APP
| peared. A correspondent gives his
| tory of several Star route contracts, OF
which the following are the most prom
inent Route No. SO 91S, from Nonu-
ment to River Bend Colorado, held by
| Dorsey. The combination shows some
very sugges tive facts. The distance is
599 miles, the service twice a week,
the time 33 hours. There were 20
bidders, the highest 5000 ar d the low
est, III. Watts, of Santa Fe, 1888. The
contract was awarded to Watts. The
latter sublet the route 10 N. p. Will
liams, of Denver. for $1,000 ii was
soon announced that Watts had failed
and the route was reiet to A. II. Brown
by Brady, for $1,000. In 80 days after
the route had come into the possession
Of Brown orders were issued by Brady
which raised the pap from $1,000 to
81 200. Trips were increased to seven
per week. and the time reduced from
SO to II hours. Brown has receiv ed or
this route $23 900, and for the same
time under the original contract, Watts
would have received $1,000. There is
sworn testimony to the effect that Watts
Miner, Peck, and Dorsey were partners
Watts seems to have been unfortunate
and to have gone out of the combina
ton. Route No. 38, 112 from Rawlin:
to White River, Colorado, was let tc
John w. Dorsey, for $500. 1t afterwards
passed into the hands of ex-senator
Dorsey. The service was once week
the distance $50 miles, the time los
horus. The service was fiually increas
ed to seven trips per week, and the
pay to -30,9S1.