Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-02-27
About Mail Matters.

EDITOR HERALD-Sm: Is il not abou,
time for something to be done, and ef
fectiveiy, too, in regard to the mail ser
vice, or rather the non service between
Los Angeles and San FranciscoY 1t il
now ten days since anything was re-
ceivcd from San Francisco, and seven
since anything was dispatched to that
city. and then only letters or registered
matter, taken up by Mr.. Tracy, spec
ial agent in another department. This
city has been cut off from all communi-
cation since the 10th, and that means
also all of California south Of Santa Bar
bara, both coast and inland, Somebody
is certainly at fault, else an effort would
have been made to remedy the failure.
II it comes from negligence or from in
competence it is no excuse; in either
case the duty of the public is plain. It
does seem as though an energetic man,
with some conception Of the situation,
would have done something toward re-
lieving half Of a great State and two ad-
joining Territories of a blockade, such
as is now clogging business, II but an
hour day were devoted to it. A Su.
perintendent of mail service is paid a
liberal salary, whose duty, among other
things, is to look out for Just such a
state of affairs as we now have before us,
and 1t would be interesting to know
what he is doing. Since the railway
service has been SO thoroughly demoral-
lied, three steamships have arrived at
San Pedro from San Francisco, and not a
pound Of mail by either; on Wednesday
the fourth will arrive, and the writer is
assured that it will bring no mail,
and is further assured that no one
in authority in the mail service at San
Francisco has been near the steamship
office to ascertain il the mails could be
transported southwark. There is no
prospect now that the road will be open
for two weeks to come, and in the mean
time business everywhere is allowed to
take care OF itself so far as United States
officials are concerned. This looks very
much like trifing with all private as
well as public affairs, and is certainly an
outrage on the entire district affected,
and justifies the public in demanding,
by petition or otherwise, a change in the
management; and if needs be. by tele.
graph to the Postmaster General. The
railway is open and in operation to the
eastward via Mojave, as well as by the
Central Pacific, and if 1t is not possible
to get the mails here by steamer, it will
take but four days extra at the farthest
to bring them by rail via Albuquerque.
This time, long as it is, is certainly far
better than no mail at all or even the
pretence Of affording one, bui would
leave San Diego and Santa Barbara out
of the calculation. There is no question
but that the steamship company would
gladly transport the mails if an arrange
ment was made for it, and there is nc
excuse for the neglect. No mail goes
out of the Los Angeles Postoffice to the
north, and several tons have accumulat
ed here. Every train from the East
brings great additions to the mass and
there are no orders to turn it back and
send by the Atlantic h Pacific. 1t seems
about time tor community that is be-
ing injured every hour by such officia
Ignorance or negligence to move in
way TO be heard and felt There are
but four agents in the railway service
between this city and Deming, the break
leaving but that number ON this side,
and they are about worn out with the
labor, that requires, as formerly, eight,
and no relief for that which is forwarded
by steamer. CITIZEN.
l. ns Angeles Feb. 25 1884