Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-07-10


States was instituted in 1859 BY Postmaster
General CresswelI. Previous 70 that time
there were distributing Offices in the larger
cities Of the States where the mail was as
sorted. made up, and analIy put in locked
pouches not to be opened until another Office
Of this kind was reached. All of the larger
States had two or more distributing Offices.
To illustrate the workings Of the old system.
1t took from twenty TO twenty three DAYS for
letters, and thirty-fve day. for papers to 20
from Boston TO San Francisco The time now
is six and one half days for all mail matter.
The time 10 Chicago has been shortened from
forty-one TO thirty-one bours, and from New
York TO Washington the time has been re-
duced from twelve TO six hours From Au-
gusta TO Washington the time has been re-
duced from thirty-six to twenty-five hours.
From Augusta 10 New York, from twenty
four to fourteen hours; from Augusta to
Boston, fran nine and one.half to SIX and
one-half hours. In fact, a letter now Toes
not lay in any Office an hour from the time il
is mailed until it is ready tor delivery, be the
distance to Boston, or around the globe.
There are nine divisions of the railway
mail service, which includes every mail route
and post office in the United States. Each
division has a superintendent with an office
for headquarters where lis business il con.
Quoted. There is alsO general .uperinten-
dent IN Washington, who, in turn receives hi.
instructions from the Postmaster General.
Ihpmaa ,f
has been SUPERINTENDENT of the first division.
which includes New England. His office has
been located in the post Office building in
Boston Among the NAM improvements
which this service has brought is the addi-
tional safety secured in sending registered
matter. 1t Is not now sent in ordinary mail
bags as formerly, bnt under special cover in
the care of the bead clerk Of each train He
brings the last load Of mail matter from the
post office to the train assumes charge of the
registered matter at the office, and gives a
receipt for it At the end Of his trip he car
ries all the packages in his care to the post
office, and obtains receipt for them He
also makes an entry of every package
received by him while on the train,
observing and recording the condition of
the seals An account of every registered
letter is thus kept from the time it is regis.
ed until-the delivery to the person to whom it
is addressed Owing to the extraordinary
care taken of this class of letters. while il
requires few more hours for then, to be
delivered than ordinary letters, it produces
almost absolute safety in their transmission
To each car is assigned head clerk and
one or more assistants, as the business Of the
service requires. To illustrate its working
over the United States, mail matter leaving
Augusta Is taken by a postal clerk and as
sorted into packages tor the various cities in
this country. the foreign mail being placed
in separate package Each package of
letters contains q slip of paper on which is
stamped the name of the clerk who tied it up.
and the date The packages for the various
cities of the postal routes in the United
States, are thrown into pouches which are
properly labelled, so that when the train ar
rives at Boston, instead of the mail being
obliged as formerly to go into the Boston
post office and there be distributed.
it takes ts various destinations
to the several trans, and goes on its
way without delay. letter directed to San
Francisco mailed at Augusta is placed by the
clerk of the postal car in the package with
all the other letters which he finds on his
train from the various points in Maine, New
Hampshire. and Massachusetts, east of Bos-
ton. in pouch, which pouch is locked and
tagged to San Francisco. so when it reaches
Boston it is put on another train. and is not
handled until il reaches the office in San
Francisco. The little slips of paper
which are put upon each package are
arranged so that if package is
sent wrong, or any error occurs, the mistake
can be readily traced to the proper person.
Each pouch is labelled with a tag by the
head clerk at the various post offices. The
tag is a block of wood, four inches long, and
one inch square. Upon one side is burned
the name of the route showing uron what
railroad the bag must go in order that it may
may be distributed as quickly as possible
after being received in the postal car.
The mail is now taken and thrown of at
many stations where the trains do not stop.
The pouches are caught, being suspended on
an iron arm ten feet from the ground. An
iron arm extends from the car and catches the
suspended bag without injuring any of its
contents, and holds it until released by the
clerk. The bags at stations where the train
does not stop are thrown out by the clerk
and taken up by the local agent who stands
ready to receive them. A perfect account is
kept by each division superintendent with
every person in the employ of the postal SER
vice, showing just how many errors he
makes, and of what they consist. Each
month he is furnished with list of his mis-
takes, and also has to pass special examina-
tons showing his proficiency in the special
work which is assigned to him.
Mr. Cheney has been one of the most
efficient and popular superintendent in the
service. He has recently been appointed
pension agent for New Hampshire and Yer
mont. and has resigned the SUPPLEMENTARY
for New England of the Mail Service.
1t is understood that Mr.. William II. Big
Glow of this city was at once rendered the
appointment by the Postmaster General, and
has decided to accept the same. Mr. Bigelow
has long been in the service as route agent,
postal clerk, and for many years Post Once
Inspector. He is a nan of high character
and marked ability, most efficient and
pains.taking officer. No man in the service
more thoroughly comprehends and under
stands its wants than Mr.. Bigelow. he has
wonderful capacity to deal with men, pos
sessipg great common sense, sound Judgment
and a strong desire to render impartial justice.
He made no application for this position nor
did any of his friends in his behalf. but General
Gresham who had entertained for him very
high opinion. based entirely upon his record
as an officer, rendered the appointment ana
urged him to accept it. Mr.. Bigelow's friends
have A right to feel proud of this tribute to
his character, and to his efficiency as an ON
Ger. We learn that he will shortly assume
his duties. and will be required by tue law 10