New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-10
POSTOFFICES ON WHEELS.
THE HIGH EFFICIENCY OF THE RAILWAY
NAIL SERVICE
HANDLING THE MAILS WHILE SPEEDING
THROUGH THE COUNTRY - RESULTS OF
THOROUGH ORGANIZATIONS - THE
DAILY LIFE OF THE CLERK.
irRox STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRmuSF.l

frRoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT or The TBIBUNK.l
Chicago Dec. 1.-The recent achievement OF the
rostofice in conveying letters from Newiork TO san
Francisco aud Portland, Oregon. in four days ana
half, has drawn fresh attention to the %lmlraoN
organized and highly efficient railway man SeFV'o
which is the branch Of the Department most Intimately
concerned. Probably few OF the persons who eaten
an occasional glimpse OF the working sorters ana
distributors In the fast mail cars, drawn up on
station siding really understand what ihclr laoors
mean TO the public and stil fewer are aware OF he
drawbacks and restrictions under which they WORK.
Yet every letter package sent by man between
towns at any distance from each other ana cohhecru
by ran passes through the hands or these onic'aS'
The railway mail clerk has not only 10 learn the oca
ton of every postoice whose name may be borne on
stamped envelope WRAPPER bu' he mas also ~
know the shortest route FOR sending II there ana any
error or delay Is charged Up against him on oi'oA
list kept in the main Office OF the division IN wh~h
he reports. Anybody who has worried out inc
familiar problem of the combinations possible OH q
neal of twelve bells. knows how formidable Is the
result attained, and the number Ot postoh'es ~
cording 10 Mr. Wanamakers recent report, Is Only
one short of 50 OO0 the number OF inteNhd"s'S P''
formed in the mails Is something prod slous'
Tho railway mail service originated IN this ''S !"
1864. Prior TO that time letters for distant poi"'.
we've conveyed in bulk to local distributing ohces ANU
,hare awaited the leisure of tho available force III
This WAY blcckades frequent, ana inc uhoer'n's
attending the operations of the Postonce was e'e',
enhanced by the msklfulness our, ~
-, oeicia,s An immense accumu-
,.ton OF unworked matter at Cairo, Ill., III jury VI
an. year mentioned, called for some sweeping chanse
\, the system and George b. Armstrong speo""
agent of the Department, whose Dust now a'o,"' Wv
Ihicaco Postoffice Green, was sent 10 'aro anu '
points to make Investigations. in MS report -
Armstrong strongly recommended the uSuiou'i -
letters on the trains carrying them, and prepared an
fus for
p,a,r then Postmastcr-General. The scheme was d'
first regarded with dsfavor. But In 1000 an oN
r.rmental car was placed on the chicago anu ,o..
western Railroad between Chicago ana Clinton INV
This experiment proved successful, anu ano'"0' 70
was shortly afterwar on the Lake shoe roau
In Ohio Other lines wore subsequently P' .o
Nth tho imnrovemenr which Is now In use on lloio
miles OF railroad throughout the country, o'oo pos'
clerks are either employed on trains or at INC ui'
beadouarters and the appropriation asho" lo1 ."
,xpenses of the service during the ensuing year "
I2O,oOO.OO0
HOW THE SERVICE is ORGANIZED
= Lowrie Bell of Pennsylvania Is me " c.ro,,
SUPERINTENDENT at Washington. and AleNdno'I '
of Michigan Chief Clerk and Assistant "eherai sur,
,n,ander, The organization OF the service separates
tho country into eleven divisions, two OF "hIon n'N
been added recently. The first compress INV
England States: the second, newborn, NoM ~,
PENNSYLVANIA Delaware, and parts OF MarSla"" ~
NewYork and Chicago. via Buffalo, the INES VI "'
Ito sbore Railroad and the lower peninsula Oh 'i''
,san Each division has a superintendent VINO Io'-
forms an important function in The cch'ral Po IN,
controlling the dispatch of all mails sent pS i ,
Immediately directing the force Oh c0I~ VIA
within the limits of his division 'huoi M
many OF the most efficient of these superintendent"
mors them Mr. r. c. Jackson, of New-iorh' anu
C.rt.ir lanes f. White Of Chraeo-were eh">e"
nm poltcai grounds, but nearly all nave sun -,
reanstatsd as well as tho clerks VINO "eic ui''
for similar reasons The shameful demorSiHa'''" "
the service be1ucathed 10 Mr.. Bell by his pre1'o'S
has therefore been overcome, ana lis o'"''0"N'
never greater than at present ,r &c..
Rrcr,its are drawn from lists OF " ehgiplcs "
nlsbed by the Cvil Service Commiss"h. Inv &
uminaIy examination IS entirely pracu0a'' ,,,
=, n. rrob,ems In the direct line of postal clerh
work A candidate certified to as having oo' "I"' w
NECESSARY number of marks must he te'"eo" -
ND thirty five wears OF age Having first pIomise' u
,nove his residence 10 the line OF the raliIo"" ~
which be may be employed, he sWears u euPf T.
the Constitution of the United s'a'es' Ms '
registered on tho books of the service ana nc lc'o'
six months probationary appointment Az
he Is turned over TO the examining Clerk vi 'ho -"
headouarters who gives him 100 envelopes i'll d.
many different handwritings 10 read ALOUD 80 d. "
test his readiness. Some candidates perform inns ~
In six minutes. Others require ten WHICH - Ion
average and some as much twenty. which Is pai'
learn by heart within thirty days One-thu Vi isV
Of nostoces and postal routes of the state in whch
his services viii be needed. such lst Is cdliVu
"scheme7 and comprises sometimes as many a.
1000 names. His knowledge Is tested py dc'u"'
practce at intervals before case OF plgeohIolo'
labelled to correspond with the scheme anu "l' 'n
six months of his term of probation he Is eAPecuou u
learn 90 per cent Of the whole 1000 names during
this time he is employed on the Hne a. helper, ana
is paid at the rate of $500 year. Before the sLA
months have expired, tie eNaniDcr i e4'ieu ="
furnish information 10 his general chai%ur dh"
conduct his readiness industry and physical h'ness'
and upon his report the future Of the candidate largely
Diamonds In this manner only the best material
finds its way into the service and tendency ~ IN
temperance personal unceanlineSs, or even lhdoe"ce
may disqualify man who has contiiVeu 10 hds'er
his list Of names within the given time But still
further pains are exercised The division supeHn-
tendent is himself expected to make TIP over me
road with the candidate and personally acquaint him
self with his capabilities, and il IS not until all ues'
INQUIRIES have resulted satisfactorily that the pro
bationer may be recommended for appointment ds
clerk in Glass at salary of 1900 year. In case
he has been sick during any part OIL
his six months probation or has been otherwise
prevented from giving his whole attention to The
work the Department Is asked 10 grant him an eN-
tension of three months. with pay at the rate OF
$500 a year If at the end of that time be ias
up TO the requirements, or If he taxes If''ie
Interest in the duties and promises TO become a
shirker,7 he is unceremonOnsv dropped; ana 'he
same fate may overtske him at any time during his
povitiate, the superintendent recommending that he
be "reeved from service and his successor appointed
Politics is powerless 10 avert his fate.
FASCINArIoNs OF A RAPID LIFE.
When appointed in Class . he is relieved Of the
drudging Of hauling mail sacks and emptyng their
contents the distributing tables TO be handled by
the expert aud Is himself entrusted with the
sorting of letters or papers. His salary may thcn
be raised TO 81 900, and il he proves quick and
intelligent he is in time promoted to Glass A. and
receives the full pay OF skilled clerk. which is
E1,I5O a year. Glass Is the last TO be attained.
~ consists wholly OF clerks in chafge Of crews who