The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-10-20
THE SPEEDY DELIVERY sysrEM.
Tie New Advancement Probably u
Eailura-.Not Il Paying venture
for The Messengers.

From the following Washington special
to the Chicago Times it may be inferred
that the new free delivery system bids
fair to become Il failure, as fur as the pres
ent arrangement is concerned, at least.
The reports from the post masters of the
second week of the special delivery sys>
TEN indicates very decidedly that before
the system becomes permanent important
changes will have to be made in il. In
small Offices it is not going to pay. ALL
ready good many of the messengers
have thrown up the job in disgust AT
Keok uk, Iowa, only one special delivery
letter was received IN week In most
of the offices the me ssengers have not
earned 50 a week. After the close of
business hours hardly any local special
delivery letters are mailed, and in very
many offices no mail is received later Ia an
s or 8 o'clock, and vet II room for the
messengers has to he kept lighted and
warmed until midnight II is believed
that il will be necessary to restrict the
spccial delivery service to free delivery
offices, and use the substitute carriers rs
messengers. Nearly all OF the smaller
offices have one or more substitute car
riers. These substitutes earn very little,
and they would be glad to supplement
their present earnings with the fees for
carrying special delivery letters The re-
striction of the special delivery service
to frcc>delivery Offices may br supplies
mcnted by an extension of the free de.
livery service. There is Il very general
demand for this service in the small
cities where it does not exist. In many
cities, even of considerable size, the
local postage does not pay for the car
riers, but poslollice department officials
of experience think that on large view.
taking into account the general increase
of service rs well as the local postage,
the frec-delvery service pays for itself.
Ii is thought that it may be practicable to
extend the free delivery offices to places
where two or three carriers will he needs
cd. AT these places one man could act rs
substitute carrier and special delivery
messenger. On Monday the president
will appoint about fifty postnasters, in
Guiding some over which there has been "A
good deal of contest and it is expected
that no more presidential postrnaslcrs " Il
be appointed until November.
The postmaster at Cory. Pa, writes
is reliable to take the position of messrn>
ger. lie says the only person vino has APP
piled has II brother in the pcntentiary for
robbing the mails. The boys think there
is no money in it, he writes. The whole
thing may be like eating tomatoes o.
picked olives ii good thing whcn people
get used to IT. The postmaster at Adrian,
Mich, says thai it is hard to fl nd trlst-
worthy messengers who are willing to
wander around among tenement houses
and fight bull dogs till midnight for the
small pay that is offered. He ,ys fur
Their that the people object to be awak-
cncd at unscemly hours to receive letters.
The same is true of Rock Island
Postmaster Hnwcs has delivered only
thirty six letters since the system was
established, October l. At the rate of
eight cents per letter, 1t is put Il FIAT job
for the messenger,