New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-04
TROUBLE IN A POST OFFICE.
MAIL DELIVERY DELAYED IN YoNKERs.

TILE SICKNESS OF THE POSTMASTER AND hio """
ASSUMPTION OF AUTHORITY CAUSE THE DEPUTY
AND CLERKS TO RESIGN.
The people of Yonkers are embarrassed in the re-
ceipt of their mails because of the disoreanizatiom
Of the Post Office Trouble between the fosinaStser
and his chief deputy which has been proving Ian
some time, eliminated last week IN the suuueeih
resignation of the deputy and the withdrawal M.n
him Of all the working force, OF the once inot
Since then the office has been III "o -
perienced hands with woeiut IesgIs "
its business The Postmaster is William MacIlrile,
who was appointed little more than year ago ~
President Garfield. lie is an active kepuoo ,a ' of
proprietor of silk mandatory. ana man Vi
some means but without knowledge OF the inid
ces of post-oflice work. Like two OF ms preueccs
sors lone a Democracy, he relied for the praciiIcai
direction of the work upon A. e. Mott, VINO mas
been in the office for seventeen years, anu WY, -
was learned by TRIBUNE reporter yeseiuaS' on-
joys NICE popularity ID hnR iS office more than
six months before he taken Ill, ana since then
he has not been able to give 1t any care. oi
Ire is blessed with wife of tremendous energy an9
business tact and she since his illness, mas calIcu
on the silk business for him. and, IL wouiu seti ps s
still found time to look INTO tne aIaIs Vi ue Uos
Office. About six weeks ago Mrs: Mace m t
sworn in as clerk, and Immediately ono
began a reform in some of the business methous Vi
the Office She was not satisfied with the manage
ment of the Money Order and Stamp Department,
which, she claims, run without due pusines business
caution, all the clerks having access 70 the cnsn
drawer and SAFE and there pelg no d hac depnty
postmaster, was agent Tor one or two transatiahuc
steamship companies, carried on insurance
and was secretary of Masonic t oiis"i
The work which these duties entalled
upon him he did in the Post ounce, anu anu
besides sold drafts upon the European ouces oi eo
steamship companies. This last feature OF nus prl-
vae enterprises Mrs. Macfariane thinks was lncon-
patible with his duty as the practical heau ol a
post Office In which international money oIaGdib
were sold The outcome of the controversy, winch
began soon after Mrs. Maciarane TOOK manu- III
the administration OF affairs was the Drafting Vi e
set of rules for the government h oa
rules changed the method OF conducting tne
sale of stamps and the issuance of money orders,
placing all the duties which involved The receipt OF
money the hands of clerk who was aIso 10 o ne
the book keeper of the office. Then MI. GOodeelI;
one OF the efficient clerks OF the office was dismissed
with weeks pay, and son OF the fostlnastei,
who had been employed i'll New-lork III DfOkers
Office was put III his place. The rules also sUa.eu
that private business would not be allowed III the
Under this rule, in connection with
the new administration, Mr. Mott grew
dissatisfied. lie went to his trlen0s ana d Iolu
them he could not continue III the ~ once
but for weeks they urged him TO reman The OBJ
noxious rules were submitted for judgment 10
mutual friend, one of MIR. Macfarlanes bondsmen,
and me said he could not ind anything objection
able In them Last Thursday Mr.. Mott did not 20
to the office, but sent word that he was SICK. Inc
next day he resigned. On Saturday MIR. Downey,
who had charge of the general delivery and mailing
and young man named Hill, the junior clerk,
who cared Tor the call-boxes, also qulG
work Thus the Office was deprived
of its whole force OF trained employees aud Mrs
Macfarlane and her son were left III quandary, for
neither knew how to keep the machinery going ana
preyent a troublesome accumulation OF the mall
On sunday Mrs Macfarlane came 70 this city to
seek assistance and advice from Mr. Pearson. she
did not see HIM until yesterday morning, when ne,
after hearing her story, sent one OF his men TO
Yonkers for the time being. She also saw Superin-
tendent jackson, and took lesson from nun III
mail distribution, and with the heip mus galhed
and the assistance OF brother of the Postmaster.
she Yesterday began hopefully the work oi dlsen-
taneng the enarl into which the post-oice affairs
had become involved.
day found the people, as far ne could learn by
dIIgenI inquiry among them, strongly prepossessed
II favor OF NJ Motti anj or oiber nsa, vi
nent business men said that MIR. Mott had, by years
of faithful labor established an enylable reputation
and that the result OF his resignation had beel TO
throw the Office into hopeless conf usion. IL
was said that "a result like that IRON winch their
business is suffering had been feared at the time
OF the appointment OF Mf. Maclaflanc IN case llS
wife should ever interfere with The affairs OF the
Post Office and that not only the kepu bhcan Com
mittee but of his own bondsmen had exactcd
from MIR Macfarlane as cOndltiOn OF thelr putting
forth efforts III his behalf, promise tDat Ills vile
should not NEEDLE in any way with the oflce The
wish was generally expressed that Slr. Mott were
Postmaster IN name as he mas long Dcen III TACT,
and NJ was considered hardly doubtful that
outcome of the Disagreement would be the appear
ance, with a strong backing, OF Mr. Mott as can
didate for the place. On tine other hand, Mr.. Mac
far,ane's friends assert that the changes which he
or more correctly speaking. his wio-Mislied TO
make were all III the line OF business principles. and
that MIR. Mott has forfeited some of tue
esteem in which he has been held by his action in
leaving the office and influencing his assistants
the delivery of mail to hundreds who
had no part in the controversy. They
also say that the Office has, thus far, not yielded
Mr. Maciarane anything, as he Is allowed only
~ 600 Tor clerk hire all of which went TO Mr. Mott
and MIR Downing leaving the Postmaster to pay
the other two clerks and reiurnish the Office out OF
his salary. lie has remodeiled the Office and the
of Ia contemplated
the line OF the improvements which he began soon
after lie went into office.