The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-28
THE FAST MAIL WEST.
Some Facts Stated by Newspapers Which Are
Neither Jealous Nor Sore-Headed.
Milwaukee Sentinel.

some facts stated by Newspapers Which are
Neither Jealous Nor Sore-Headed.
Milwaukee Sentinel.
The superintendent of mails in the Chicago
postoice says he can transfer the mails in thirty
minutes. Therefore, the Chicago morning pa
pers have deliberately misrepresented when they
have declared that it takes nearly three hours to
make the transfer
Business men should consider what the saving
of the wasted two hours at Chicago will do for
them.
1t will effect the delivery of Eastern and Chi
cago and Milwaukee letters at different points in
the West and Northwest two hours earlier, so
that at most places answers can be written in
time to catch prompt return mail.
1t will insure connections at all the functions
spoken sof, and on at least two important roads
will advance the delivery of letters by day,
practically
1t will affect the delivery OF letters at st. Paul
and Minneapolis during business hours so that
answers may be sent by the evening return mall
1t doesn't cost anything to make the fast-mail
train vastly more serviceable than 1t IS.
Solely in order to accommodate the Chicago
morning papers important connections are
missed and an unnecessary delay experienced.
If the Chicago papers are valuable enough to
the country to justify the running of fast train
at government expense for their delivery, the
fact should be plainly stated.
But the Chicago morning papers do not claim
that fast train should be run for their benefit.
On the contrary, they declare that the Postof6ce
Department did not have them in mind when
making the arrangements, but only the letter
service.
Then, since it is shown that the transfer of
mail can be made in thirty minutes, there is no
excuse for the delay.
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL UNDER A SfIsAPPRE-
HENSION.
Minneapolis Tribune.
The Washington correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune has interviewed the Postmaster general
concerning the fast-mail service from Chicago
to the Northwest, and he represents that official
as saying that the only complaints which have
been made as to the recent arrangement have
emanated from newspapers whose business is
affected by it. Mr.. Gresham says '1t is nat
ural that some newspapers whose business is af-
fected should find fault, but the service is for
the good of the greatest number"
If the Postmaster general is correctly reported,
he is proceeding in the matter under mis-
taken impression which should be speedily re-
moved Minneapolis is the terminal and chief
point on the new fast-mail route, and
there are certainly no newspapers here which
have complained of the service affecting their
business or circulation. The Tribune, at least,
has repeatedly said that its own desire in the
matter is that the fast mail train shall reach
Minneapolis at o'clock P. NJ: that it does not
care at what hour it leaves Chicago and that if
both the Chicago newspapers and the Northwest
ern business public can be accommodated, it Will
be satisfied. But it has been equally prompt and
emphatic in its insistence upon the duty of the
Postoffice Department to serve the public first
and private interests-even though they be in
huential newspaper Observation-Disclosures
The Postmaster general allows three hours or
more for the transfer at Chicago of a
mail which for two years was transferred
in one hour, and there is no other reason ap-
parent than that the time schedule of the fast
mail train has been arranged in the interest of
the Chicago journals which are so vigorously de-
Tending it. The mail coming that train
reaches Minneapolis after the close of business,
and except in the case of the newspapers which
it Includes might as well be delivered at an
early hour the following morning. The Tribune
has only the same personal interest in the matter
which the various commercial and mercantile
establishments of Minneapolis have, and it only
voices the desire of these business institutions
when it asks that the fast mail train shall arrive
here two hours earlier than has been arranged
fora thing demonstrated to be entirely prac-
tieable and possible