New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-10

practical measure OF relief has yet been framed
Theoretically postal clerk Is entitled 10 period OF
complete leisure every six days. But In realty, a
great part OF this time is absorbed in study and IN
needed rest and in preparing for the next rum and
all hands subject to call at any moment their
services may be needed. As the force - constantly
short handed these calls are frequent; ana on one
trunk limo alcne running out Of Newlork 'he CLERKS
are under orders for extra duty until the end OF
January. December IS one of the busiest months
For a week after January / there IS temporary
relief Then the mails burdcned with business
circulars until the end OF March. During the suhhcr
letter writer's wax INDECENT and publishers. who arc
the principal users OF the malls stop their torrent o
announcements and sample copies. But Ia inc '"
the mail bags bulge again with circulars anu
| readers OF newspapers in the country whose SUI
script,ons are limited 10 the winter months add 10
the duties Of the train distributors Sunday Is us"aS
| the lightest day of the week, since many OF inc
! branch roads stop running on that day, and inc
catches" small
GLIMPsES OF THE BUSY WORKERS.
When a clerk begins his from a terminal point
he reports for duty the clerk in charge, and signs
register kept in the mail room CT the station INC"
he goes 10 his puts on his rough working CLONES
| and begins Immediately labelling his letter or paper
cases and preparing 90 receive TN outgoing mall -
his run begins from point on the line' he Is eApece
| TO be ready in his working clothes to jump on ''0
train and sets TO work before It fairly comes TO STOP
| TO be carefully sorted and piled !"
convenient positions that those containing
matter for the nearest points may be handled hrsl'
| Formerly clerk expected TO do laborers WORN
in getting the bags board. But 1t has since De-"
found that this false economy and separate gangs
| of transfer men employed for that purpose
| The helpern as he empties each sack on the as
tributpg table srranges the packages with the ad-
dresses toward the sortcr This IS called facing
the mail and the operation OF placing It In the pigeon
| holes Is known " throwing Removing inc as
trilucd pieces for delivery is ticng OUT anu 'nc
printed labels attached to every package OF hiy or
| a hundred letters and which the sortcr stamps win
his name and official designation, so that any errors
in separation may be charged against him. are csied
! facing Slips Some idea Of the magnitude OF me
service may be gained from the fact that the Chlcago
| nostoeice alone serves out 10000 of these Slips
! TO the clerks of the Sixth Division every day.
II is to the interest of every clerks reputation ana
standing to see that his stint IS performed and All MS
mail properly distributed tedOut and labelled before
| he reaches the end Of his run The work Is appor-
| toned so that each member OF crew mas an equd'
share. But in more mail is received IMAM can
be handled. report is made OF me humDer VI Sao'
unworkcd and the clerk in charge on the connecting
| run receives memorandum to taat ehecI III"
official gives his attention first to his own regular
work and then to that in arrears, which he makes
strong effort TO clean up III he rails, nc hdHus
slim 10 the foreman OF the crew with whom ne CON
meets and If the OF the latter chd al cIInIhdi
point such as Chicago or Omaha on the through line
| from New-Yor to Francisco he and his force
are bound 10 distribute every letter ana paper Oeloe
| they leave The car
| WHAT AN AVERAGE CLERK CAN DO.
The average clerk viii distribute about
! . 600 letters or ten sacks OF 100 pieces
each an hour which means that he WIFI read thirty
three addresses and arrange them in their proper
| order every minute Letters more easily handled
than papers being lighter and involving less physlcai
exerion but the movements of the lettersorter are
| cramped and I'm the end prove very tIrlne' lho
postal clerk of all has 10 cultivate strong
| digestion and the habit of sleeping soundy under
| difficulties lie generally takes his meals with him
and eats them cold during the hrcf intervals he i
able 10 snatch from mis- duties. he may leave the
train during the tenminute stops at way Sta'0ns anu
snatch hurried repast In such cases, one or more
men are always left in charge of the train TO SUarl
the mails. though the penalty OF ten years at ha'
labor against mailrObbcrs and the incorrpibliy Of
Federal iures have proved effective IN prev enlinG al
tempts al theft The force west OF The Missouri RIVER
by The way is in possession Of formidable armament
OF x.shooters, borrowed from the War Department
But these are used and ancien. accumula'ionN
| Of rust would probably render them more dangerous
10 the user than to anybody else. AtarkS on clerks
are rare. In an outlying district OF Kentucky, the
solitary agent on a branch road recently fired a.
as HIS train passed lonely spot and his life has since
been Threatened lie has not, however. asked for
proecton and the Department has not thought the
danger imminent enough 10 relieve him.
on reaching the end of his run the clerk IS required
to register again. The rules this point very
strict failure register, though the work were
executed, would involve loss of pay for the trip.
unless good excuse forthcoming. tho object
being 10 make sure that the full run has been per
formed At terminal points, dormitOes for the rail-
way clerks provided in the postoiice build ng
and to these they repair Immediately arrival Their
| names are registered with the hour al which they
wish TO he called and watcher is in attendance TO
wekc them. On long runs. they frequently com
relled 10 sleep in the cars I'm which they court
slumber on lmprovsed couch OF empty mail sacks
Smoking in trains or the Of cooking stOves is not
permitted This rule IS rgidy enforced snch lircs
as the NcwYo:k Central where cars have been burned
through The careless handling of lights. Strangers
are also forbidden TO enter the postacaS. AMI those
admitted passes registered. checked and 10
ported on Ike any other consignment of mail matter
The regulation requiring the wearing OF uniform
cap, with gilt badge bearing the Initial letters Of
the words Railway Mail Service Is practically a
dead letter and will probably he repealed since the
cars generally hot that all supcruou, clohln,
is dispensed with. Errors charged up against zach
clerk. and II punishable by fine or
otherwise.
EYES OPEN FOR HONORABLE MENTION.
The clerks nearly all harl-wOrking. good
natured and intelligent. full Of anecdote as becomes
men who travel sometimes 10000 or 100000 miles
year. and whose memory for general info nation
is strengthened by the drill 10 which IT Is con
siany subjected in their business. some Of the
older hands spcnSe altogether with the Of label
on their although this Is infringement OF
the regulations and in;rcpdly perform their long
Journeys with written memoranda OF schedule
| changes. \ fOrnishy magazine is published I'm
| their interest From The Washington Office daily
bulletin is issued, occupying one and sometimes two
| he Of res
Iished changed discontinued, general orders, rail
| road extensions. etc. a division schedule IS also
supplied 10 the men once week. containing the time
| tables in detail Of the different railroad postofices
and list Of express pOuche and calling especial al
| tentiOn to all changes. Clerks IN charge le