The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-06-26
The POst-Office and Railway
Under the Emperor Nich0-
las.

In GcgoPs Rer'sor the postmaster
in q small provincial town is repre-
sented as hsbitualIy reading the let
IeTs before he sends them out for
delivery; not in tue way ofespionage,
but amply for bis own amuseme nt,
and that be may communicate chair
contents TO bis irieuds.
/ made the acquaintance during
my stay 10 Russia Of a Moscow post
master VINO not cnly used to ad, or
at least look at, the Englisn i,lus-
trated journals before dispatching
them to the subscrioeEs, but Was al
wsye willing TO lend copy to those
who Obliged him in return. The
subscribers received their papers
rather late; but that was their affair,
and it would have been perfectly
useless 20 complain. TIE postman
in those distant and facetiOug days
expected grasuity for delivering a
| later. The theory on the subject
was, from his point OF view. that be
might have had some trouble IN fud-
iBg the right man; from that OF the
righE man, that il small present
we're not given 10 the postman, be
would. perhaps, not bring the next
letter at all. At the principal ST.
Petersburg postofioe letters at the
poSte Te3tGnte Were presented 10 IN
qulrers III 8 heap, registered and IN
registered alike, f9r them to choose
from as will. a foreigner taking
another foreigners registered letter
would probably have been expected
!: to hand a dcEceuT to the official in
charge. A Moscow postmsD pressed
me TO accept letter which was ad-
dressed to foreigner apparently not
10 be found, and which he thought /,
being also foreigner. might as veil
. have ga any one else.
The laws in this country ore very
severa. and the regulations very tire
some," eaid a Russian to me, 10
reference to different vexations pTac-
ties of which We had been speaking;
"but they are easily evaded, and
there is no country IN this world
where s. rich man, If be will only keep
clear OF politics, can so Complet ly do
as he !ikes.''
Ga the St. Petersburg Moscow
5 Railway, travellers, rich and poor,
? liked travelling without p&ying their
e fare. Government officers. ciuil or
military, wearing uniforms, refusen
tospsy on She plea that they were 81
! gagged on state service, or that, in +
/ general way, they were privileged
I peIsOns. Others gave lhs CoudnGtoI
1 a Youble or two tor informal permis
) sion 10 travel without "a ticket. Other,
- again avoided regular payment 70!
jouFneyinS along the whole line by
taking q ticket at ths last station but
one, and giving it up at the terminus
3 Under these ClFcumsfanCes the rail
q way naturally did not pay. But tina
: concerned the state; and meanwhile
IS the conductors OF the srains mad,
!, large profits. They ware, indeed
II accused, In q phrase borrowed iron
u GogoPs celebrated comedy. OF ''s,sal.
~ ing too much for their place." an IN
= paT6onable sin-a sin against thr
. epiTit-Amongst Russian ofiCials
i. Occasionally . government inspecto
was sent along the lipe to sea wh,
travelled With and without ticket
and whether the conductors WeE
dong their duty. The result va
le now ana thea q reprimsnd or q dis
q missal. Bu! the es.abliehed eystan
~ was recommended the next day. an
q j: vas not until the 81. Petersburg
- Moscow Railway passed into N
~ hands Of company that 1t was man
aged in accordance With the sinpi
principles observed in other countries
H Sutherland Edwards 10 Harper
e KagGeiHe.