Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-08
NEW ORLEANS p0srogrICE.
A Inefrcisns Postmaster and Lazy Clsrts-
Surprising Ieveiopnent .r aepublicsn
CGiee.Iiol ling.

OmttshhoIitEH.
lby eiewfaph 10 the D,suatch.I
WASHINGTON, ID. C., August THE
special commission which has been investi-
eating the condition and management OF
the New Orleans post-offire submitted it,
report to the Postmaster CieneraI to-day.
The commissioners, Messrs. Burt, Dice.
and hbels, say IN their report that they
found the facilities OF the Office ample, but
the force employed inefficient. through
lack OF proror training. ORGANIZATION or
discipline, they say, does no, exist In the
Office, nor does any system II promotion.
based upon individual merit: spd they
add that they found everything arranged
apparently more for the persnal oconveui--
ence OF the clerks than for the necessities OF
ths business. They say that the postmaster
possesses but little or no knowledge OF the
actual work OF the office, and that he makes
little or no EFFORT to inform himself Of the
necessities OF tho service. rarely visiting
The working floor and seldom consulting
WIN MS subordinates. Also, tina. while
100 much ought not TO be expected OF the
assistant postmaster, in view OF his com
paratlyely recent appointment, vel that
they feel CONTAINED to say that his seloc-
lion for the place was unwise because OF
his Inferior Judgment. lack OF discretion,
and inability TO maintain discipline. They
say further that they found the mailing divi-
sion without organization or discipline, the
mail matter, especially newspapers, being
tadly hIdled and delayed that they
found that no account had been kept OF
1ai-sscks, which latter. in many cases,
were being unlawfuIly used by persons
other than the employees, they THE commits
sioners) having found one hundred and
forty OF them in iunk-shops. and others
used as cotton packages. or made into ham,
mocks. They express the opinion that the
want OF energy on the part OF the chief OF
This division is In part owing to the failure
OF his superiors to support him.
They say also that the office OF collection
clerk, with salary OF 5000, has been held
for some time past by George W. Merchant,
the son OF the postmaster, who has render
ed very little service. his work having been
done by the cashier; aud they add TINT this
Office il entirely unnecessary, and should
he abolished.
They report having found an employe
carried on the rolls ~ "pOrter detailed as
detective" who has rendered no service
himself, but who had hired an old cOIored
man at IS per month to do little sweeping.
that being the service which called for the
employment OF porter. and they recon-
mend that this office, As well rs that OF chief
porter. be abolished They also recommend
that the title OF the official now known As
secretary and AUDITOR be changed to
"official secretary" and the salary OF the
Office be reduced from $500 TO S1,200 per
snnum. They recommend increases In
the salaries CT certain clerks aggre-
gazing sl,l00 per annum, and reduc-
lions aggregaling s2,ij0. They also
report having made inquiries relative
10 deprcdaiiOns on mails at this Office and
the failure OF the postmaster to report
them, and say with respect to this branch Of
their investigation that it was fond that
Just lefore their visit fifteen letters adj
drossCd TO VI. a. Dauphin hid been alb
stracttd from the mails in the Office: that
circumstances pointed almost cOnclusiyely
TO tie son Of the postmaster 80 the person
who stole them /; that when the facts were
reported 20 the postmaster he obtained pos.
session OF and burned certain fragments Of
missing letters, thereby destroying impor-
tant evidence against the guilty person, but
that he Afterwards promised 10 exclude his
son permanently from the office