The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-13
ONE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE
Careless and Inefficient Transferring of
the Mails at the Union Depot.
This Responsible Task Is Given as Reward
for Political Service-An Indiana Letters
Journeyings Among New Jersey Towns.

mense amount of mail matter handled there is
too large for the force, much of the trouble in
missent and delayed letters occurs in tho trans
fer at the Union Depot. Two men are kept at
that point to receive all bags thrown off and to
put in the postal cars the bags to be sent out
They have another duty to perform-one requir-
ing intelligence, quick wit and celerity-in hand
ling and sorting the bags that have been thrown
out for transfer to the several trains. No man
can do this work unless his brain is steady. It
calls for something more than physical exertion,
which it seems is about ali the postal authori-
ties think is necessary for the men engaged in
that employment now got their places through
political fealty to Congressman Bynum. Com
plants have been made concerning the manner
in which this work is done, and yet no remedy
has been applied. Mr.. Bynum was very much
shocked when his attention was called
to the record Of the first man
he had appointed to this position,
but his second appointment did not prove any
more successful, except nothing could be
charged against the mans integrity. He could
not fulfill the requirements. and had to go, and
that the change has brought about no better re-
suits by putting ex- Councilman Bowling in
charge of the mail transfers the many COM
plants that can be traced to the Union Depot
The work of transfer has to be done in fifteen
twenty minutes. and that, too. while the de-
pot is filed with passengers getting and off
trains, while express and baggage trucks are
meeting at every point. with those on which the
mails are loaded adding to the confusion. There
always from eight to ten trains to be attend
ed, and instance of one line of the transfer
shows the extreme necessity for care, steadi-
ness. quickness and watchfulness on the part of
of mail bags is intrusted. The Eastern mail on
the Pennsylvania road comes IN, and at the
door of the mail car are piled scores OF bags TO
be left here. either for the postoffce or imme-
date transfer to another train that is about to
leave Unless the men are adopts the Indian
apo1is bags get mixed with those to be carried
at once to the Big Four train for Chicago. This
often happens. as it does with mails from other
roads. In their haste the men seem TO take the
bags as they come, not considering whether
they are to be sent to the local Office, to ST.
Louis, or Kamtschatka. Mail with them is to be
sent anywhere, regardless of its destination
plainly marked the wooden tag. The
only well-defned notion they have Of their duty
is to unload and load the mail cars as quic IS
possible With the mail trucks piled high
bags. the utmost haste is made from one
to another across down the full length OF
depot. If a bag drops off the chances are that
it is not noticed nor placed again on the trucks
of the transfer men until the train which IL
ought to have gone has left the depot. The
system followed is a iugglery with bags in undo
ing the arrangements the postal clerks had
of the business. The mail may come into the
hands of the transfer men all right, but it is
very probable to go out all wrong Bags that
should have been retained here sent further
east, west north south, just as
the chance of transfer may send them. Bags
that ought to 60 to the far West left in the
shuttle and do not continue their journey until
the next through mail train. There is telling
then if they get off in the right direction.
The management of mails at the depot is in
keeping with that intelligence which causes
letters or those that have not found the address
ses mot none" 1t would be interesting to know,
if this fellow passed civil service examination,
what per centage he obtained in spelling. But
that is trivial circumstance compared with the
blunder a forwarding clerk in the Office here
made with one of Miner 8 Cooper's important
business letters. The firm wrote to customers
Feb. 2, and addressed the letter as legibly
a good pen. excellent ink and
a fine penman could do it to
..Messrs. Jas. Frazier & Co., Hisboroueh, In
letter started rightly 81. B. & w. Ry."
written in the 1efthand corner of the envelope
There was intelligence enough in the Indianap-
oils Office to send the letter out on the same
day. but two days later it reached Hillsborough,
N. ]. 1t was stamped with that office mark on
the 4th and sent out to take care of itself The
letter got to Milestone, n. j., tho same day. and
the postmaster there added his Office mark to it
and let it 60. The New Brunswick, N. J., post
master received and probably sent it
back to Hillsborough after stamping it.
It is likely Hillsborough returned it
to New Brunswick the same evening the post
master there stamped it for the second time and
sent it back to the Hillsborough postmaster who
again stamped it and this time with the addi-
tional marks ..Missent Forwarded That was
on the 7th Of February and three days later
Minor q Cooper had the letter returned to them.
Ind. While the letter seeking for somebody
to open it out in New Jersey, the firm here tele-
graphed eight or nine times to Frazier 81 Co.,
asking them if they had received it,