St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-08
NEW ORLEANS POSIOFFICE.
A Mismanaged Public Institution
Letters Stolen by the Postmas-
ter's Son.
Heads of Departments Inefficient, Because
Not Sustained by Their Superiors.

WASHINGTON, Aug. THE special commits
sion, which has been investigating the condition
and management of the New Orleans postohice,
submitted its report to the postmaster general
to-day. The commissioners say they found the
facilities of the Office ample, but the force en-
ployed inefficient through lack Of proper train
ing, and organization discipline does not exist
in the Office, nor does any system of promotion
based upon individual merit, and
they add they found everything
arranged apparently more for personal
convenience of the clerks than for the necessl-
ties of business. They say the postmaster
possesses but limited knowledge of TIE actual
work of the Office, and makes little or no efforts
to inform himself OF the necessities of the ser
vice, rarely visiting the working floor and sell
dom consulting with his suborGinates. Also,
that while too much ought not to be expected
of the assistant postmaster, in view Of his COM
paratively recent appointment, yet they feel con-
strained to say his selection for The place was
unwise, because of his ''inferior judgment, lack
of discretion and inability to maintain disci-
pine. They say further they found the mail
ing division without organization or discipline
the mail mater, especially newspapers, being
badly handled and delayed. That no account
had been kept OF mail sacks, which in
many cases ewere unlawfully used
by persons other than employees, that
commissioners having found 14O of them in
junk shops, and others used as cotton packages
or made into hammocks. They express the
opinion that the want of energy the part Of
the chief of this division is in part owing to the
failure of this superiors to support him. They
say also that the office collection clerk, with a
salary of 5000, has been held for some time past
by George W. Merchant, son Of the postmaster,
who has rendered very little service, his work
having been done by the cashier and they add
this Office is entirely unnecessary. and should be
abolished They report having found an en-
ploye carried on the rolls as porter detailed as
detective who rendered no service himself, but
who had hired an old colored man at IS per
month to do little sweeping, that being the SER
ice which called for the employment Of por-
ter, and they recommended that
his office. well as that Of chief
porter be abolished. They also recommend that
the title of the official now known as secretary
and auditor be changed to officials secretary and
the salary of the Office 10 be reduced from
8, 500 to 81 200 per They recommend
increases in the salaries Of certain clerks aggre
eating 81 100 per annurn, and reductions aggre-
eating g, $50. They also report having made
injuries relative to the depredatons on mails at
this Office and the failure OF the postmaster to
report them, and say with respect To this branch
Of their Investigation it was found just before
their visit that fifteen letters addressed to VI. A.
Dauphfn had been distracted from the mails in
the Office and that the Circumstances pointed al
most conclusiyely to the son OF the postmaster
as the one who stole them. That when the
facts were reported 10 the postmaster he OBJ
tanned possession Of and burned certain frag-
ments Of the missing letters, thereby destroying
important evidence against the guilty persona but
he afterwards proni. ed to exclude his son per-
manently from the office.