New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-04
THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.
ANSWERING A MUGwUMP CRITICISM OF
RECENT CHANGES.
SUPERINTENDENT BELL STATES SOME FACTc-
WHAT THE OFFICIAL FIGURES SHOW.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TkIBCNE.1


Washington May 3.-The Mugwumps and
Democrats are deeply troubled about Mr. Bell. the
General Superintendent Of the Railway Mall Service.
This Is natural. In the first place Mr.. Bell Is
Republican,; In the second place he Is an energetic
business man. full OF snap and trained by expert
encc IN organization and the administration OF execu
tive duties. To him The Tribune correspondent To-
day showed Washington dispatch published in Tho
New York Times" Of this date. In which may bo found
this passage:
The fac, Is that the Railway Mail Service has been
painted blacker than It deserved to be for several
months evidently the purpose OF arordinR sufficient
excuse foI reconstrucnS II as the opportunity
was presented. Having removed as many Of the Dem
ocrats possible It Is supposed that political In
rcnuy will be developed to prevent the restoration Of
the removed CLERKS. Under the law they are entitled
to be restored OF appointed within year not ais
ncompetency other cause that is propesiy
prc!udicial to them.
We'll. IL the Railway Mail Service has been painted
backer than 1t deserved to be, am sorry for IL. and
If Is not In better condition three months hence than
II was three months ago shall be moro sorry still,
remarked Superintendent Bell. After q pause hs
continued
The changes which have been made we're Necessary
II we were 10 have efficient service. or eleven
division supcrntendents who were on duty when
the Administration changed hands only two were
com peent and efficient The proportion Of eoicisnt
suboldlnates not much greater. Let me give you
ono or two examples Of the condition OF ahairs. In
L, Chicago Office we found about 600 bags and
pouches of mail unworked." which had lain in the
office nom three 30 days. At this time not an
unworked" package lies In that ONCE over night.
We found that a large proporioh-more than half
OF the mail which lett New York for Boston at m.
was not distributed before II reached the attor pace
and that much OF II waited to reach the persons
entitled receive until the next mornings dslverv
BY carrier, although the train arrived at Boston A
8 30 p IN. Now all the mall Is distributed BY the
,k.l
delivery Al 4:l5 p. NJ. There was delay also In tho
mall which leaves New.YOrk At IL D. m. and reaches
Boston At 0:lo n m, and IL was due to tho sams
cause. good deal OF that mall did nos reach thu
persons 10 whom II addressed until noon or lats,
Now all OF that mail is IN the hands OF the carrisrs
or In the boxes At the postofico at an.
"'Panted blacker that 1t deserved to be continued
the superintendent why, the report OF the lsss
Postmsster-General itself showed that the serytcs
terribly demorailzed, and have evidence that the
real state Of affairs much than that report
shows. The late officials themselves became thor.
oughy alarmed By tho condition Of affairs, and
have good believe that the reports Of ssress
for q considerable period In the last months of -
previous Administration were systematically docsossT
as to show state Of things loss depioraos -
that which actually sxisted-'
An examination Of tho statistics to vhsa ssP. sP.s
tendent Bell referred ana . comparison os
those of three years before shows sons = s.-s.,-.
suits Here are q few Of thsm II isss sa -.
OF 37ol pieces Of mail BY tho kanwN ,sa. ~.
was marked, on an average, By ons essor 49, ~ ~
, prspssuen Of 1sross hsA h''ss % ~ I"