, 1888-03-22
AN OPEN LETTER.

not paid any attention to the plead
ings of Postmaster Peel, the Board OF
Trade at meeting held on Tuesday
evening last, appointed a committee
to prepare an open letter to the post
master-general. We give the letter
below To the readers of the REVIEW.
II il terse, truthful and TO the point,
and If il does not succeed in attracting
the attention of Don NJ. Dickinson to
the needs Of this city, IL will let the
eastern people know that We exist:
SPOKANE FALLS, Wash. Ter,
March l6, 1885
Hon. Don NJ. Dickinson, Postmaster
General, Washington, ID. @.
SIR: Numerous complaints tp you
have been made in the west against
the prevailing, unsatisfactory mail
service. In reply to u resolution OF
inquiry by u member Of congress, you
state TO the House CT Representatives
that "a careful inquiry and close in
vestigation fail to disclose any reliable
grounds for complaint" and that "the
mail service throughout the entire
west is in better and more efficient
condition than it has ever been before"
II We are to Judge from this state
ment, it is evident that you have not
given due heed TO the statements
made to you OF the condition of the
postofiice at Spokane Falls, Wash.
Ter, and other points on the Pacific
coast, or that your special agents have
suppressed the facts and attempted to
controvert the statements made by
the complaining postmasters, in order
to force an excellent showing and to
curry favor with the, administration.
Numerous letters setting forth the
deplorable condition of the postoflice
at spokane Falls, have been sent you
Ivy The postmaster and by others to
which you have vouchsafed no reply.
This post Office was made second-class
to take effect July 1st, 1887. This
naturally implies an increase of SALARY
and other allowances. Not u dollar
additional to meet the necessary in
crease of expenses has been provided.
The amount provided for clerk hire is
but 800 per annum. The amount
paid by the postmaster from his pri-
vate funds to six clerks is $4,000 IA
year. No office rent has been paid
since the first OF hlst July, and IL notice
of ejectment has been served upon
Postmaster Peel by the owner of the
building. Mr.. Peel, who has bank
rupted himself in defraying the nee
esoary expenses OF $500 per annum
out Of an allowance of $270O is prepar-
ing to move the post office into tent.
The Board of Trade of this city has
assisted in paying the salaries OF the
clerks, who we're forced TO quit on ac-
count of the meagre pay they re-
ceived. Tho city of Spokane Falls
has over ten thousand inhabitants. IL
is distributing and supply point TOT
fifty-six postoffices, and il sends out
nineteen letter pouches daily. The
correspondence Of transient people is
large, rs may be inferred from the fact
that cur hotel registers show over thir-
ty thousand arrivals for the year 1887.
The business in the postal order and
registry departments is very large.
Crowds of people may be seen stand
ing from morning until night ut the
solitary delivery window, waiting to
be served by single clerk, worn out
with constant attendance.
These facts have been fully laid be-
fore your department, from time to
time, for ID period of several months
by the postmaster, 10y petition of our
citizens, by letters To our delegate in
and to the assistant post
master general.
IL is well known that a similar state
of affairs exists in many rapidly grow
ing cities in the west, that many simi-
lar complaints have been made To
YOU; and to ali these the only recog-
milton given is in your mis-statement
to the house, that there are no
grounds for complaint. We are forced
TO conclude that you appear TO be un-
n lie to comprehend the rapid growth
western cities, or that you are
wholly indifferent TO the interests of
!he service which you represent.
Respectfully,
(CHAs. NJ. PATTERSON,