The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-03
Postal Service Suggestions.


Postal Service Suggestions.
| Washington, 1.-The Postmaster Gen
eral has sent 10 Congress the report o
the committee appointed to prepare o. D.
improved plan for carrying mails on rail-
road routes. The COMMITTEES composet
of General Richard A. E mer. fcont
assistant Postmaster General; w. b
Thompso General Superintendent o
Railway Mail Service, and Isssc Q
Slater, superintendent Of the railway ad
ljustment committee. finds each decade
has witnessed the doubling OF the service
and if the present rates OF increase are
maintained, the year 1 900 Gill see ser.
vice by mail OF at least 200, OoC
miles. with an annual cost Of $685.
100000. When the system of weighing
mails was frat established in 1867, most
astonishing Inconsistencies were discov-
cries in the matter Of compensation. At
that time the mails were generally car
ried in baggage cars. 1t vas found that
| fifteen lines were receiving 5000 per mile.
The daily service ranged from an aver
age OF more than 1000 pounds on one
| line to less than 400 on another; that is,
one received the tssme pay fer carrying
q less amount. On roads receiving $3.50
per mile the service ranged from 1000
pounds to less than 300; while on roads
where $50 rate was paid, the greatest
AVERAGE daily service was 6.4S8 pounds
and the least IL pounds. The act of 1873
brought a degree of order out Of this
confusion, in that it prescribed an even
rate of pay for transporting like daily
average weight Of mails, but on the vital
points OF frequency, speed and room, in
which to distribute the mails, it was but
little in advance of the previous law,
The committee assume that the depart
ment cannot enter into the matter of
making discrimin atoms in pay as be
tween roads having large and those hsv
ing small amounts Of traffic, between
those which We costly and those which
were not. in construction and msinten-
ance, those east or west Of a given mer
idsn, or Forth or south Of q given paral-
lei. ALI these bines were suggested in
correspondent from railroad managers
Some reasons were advanced by railroad
companies for discrimination. Ore
claims the right to r Ugh rates, because the
business of his road is light and high
rates for carrying mails would supply
the deficiency; another that The business
of bis road was heavy and car space was
remunerstive; one read in part of the
country where fuel wss scarce, one
in mountainous region where
and the operating expense great,
Ole road pleads a scarcity of Wa or, one
s,ys the road crosses many ct cams. re-
curing many bridges; the number aud
rsdiu. Of curves and even the dir. elton |
Of the wind are cited as worthy the at
tsntion OF the committee in the prepare
tioA Of any new scheme OF payments. In |
fixing the basis OF compensation tn c1m- |
mittee say weight is no longer the chief |
factor in delermini z the requirements |
Of tie service, space being the foremost, |
while weight becomes q modifying ele.
meat o ~, IS il helps to determine Whist |
space will be required. From a careful |
siudy Of the whole field, the com mitles |
reach the conclusion that the yield per
passenger Car cannot be very far from |
26e. per mile run, a msiority OF roads |
yielding less. They conclude, therefore,
hit at tie rate Of five mills per ,inesr
loot per mile or 25c. per mile for fly
|, OF car ut the ordinary ,peed OF twenty
miles per hour, they will be getting 8
-a'e corresponding closely TO the returns
from all passenger traffic com binei.
While recognizing the grea. Importance
)f speed as an ell, n ant OF value 10 the
public the committee 6nd livery diff e1lt
L establish q wiae scheme Of adjustment
which comprehends speed es factor.
Higher rates Of speed are made Dol for
he postal service but il obedience to The
demands Of the travelling puolic. The
ON mittee therefore did not attempt TO
loosely estimate the value of speed bu!
cit that any just rate of compensation
nut include speei as spaG ia factor.
)n the subject of special trains the com.
nit;ee submits letter from the British
ostoffice. explaining one method Of in
reasing the value OF postal service which
o some Of its phases might be applicable .
o railway service in the United States,
The postm ster general of Great Britain
J empowered to call upon any rail-
DAD company to cary the mails by q 4,
rain run at such b, urs ae he msy
irect and at speed not exceeding the
peed of the company's frst.c'sss passen ;
er trains. the stNppirg places and du- i!
alton Of the stoppagea being also under
is control. HIgD rates Of payment for
mia service are Inevitable. TIE mails
ow going out Of the great cities, say the
are of such volume sni
weight that it might be desirable to ar s
ange similar service upon our lines c
etween e: eat centres where postal facil- c
lies should be Of the highest order. TIE I
Weight is at this time so great as to make I
cum bersome element in the compo i
ltion Of passenger trains, and yet hardly c
efficient 20 warrant the payment for ]
rains run exclusively for it's transport
ion. The day lie not far distant when {
UGH trains will be fully just fed Sid l
ctually necessary. The committee {
link the universal objection Ct railroad i
to delivering mails at post /
fhces is wei grounded. The system is G
relic of the coaching methods and an t
Justice to roads as we'll as against the :
erfsction OF mail service