Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-02
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
THE DODGE IN THE RAILwAY-MAIL
SERVICE.
A Sensation in Regard to Blaiss-His
Attaoks-Ths Bed Postage
Stsmp-Notss
From Our Regular corrsspOnden.l

From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, d. c., May 1.-9'he railway
mail service is now under the civil-seryice
rules, and persons appointed To II VIII in
| the future. be required to undergo prelimi-
nary examination. II was with wry lace
that this Republican Administration allowed
| the civi-seryIce rules 10 extend its wings
over q class OF public servants which num-
| bers something over five thousand. President
| Cleveland. II will be remembered, issued an
order that this should be done on the 10Th oil
last March. President Harrison postponed
the date until the lst OF May at the behest OF
| his subordinate spOsmen, who wanted 10
| turn out as many Democrats az possible
| without the Intervention Of the examination,
which IL the principal feature OF the civil
service law. He was begged to further post
pore the date for the execution OF the CleYe-
land order 10 the first OF next month, but he
did not care 10 do that-not because he WAS
not In favor Of the greatest license In turn.
ing Democrsts out and putting the rascsls in,
butior the reason that he did not dare to fly
further in the face oi that public sentiment
which brought forth so much adverse critI-
cism upon the postponemeut from March
10Th TO to,day.
NOT NEGLECTED.
The spolSmen, however, have no reason 70
complain. The interim from March 18th to
May lat was not neglected. Democrats
were turned out by the hundred from
the ralway-msil service and Republican
workers substituted for them. In order TO
make as many such changes as possible the
officials OF the railway.mail service and the
corps OF clerks Immediately under them
worked until late st night. Frequently did
they labor until midnight IN making partisan
changes. They were at il even yesterday,
when everybody else was taking a day
off, and they kept ut 1t until 3
O'Clock this morning. Oi course, no
change made after II O'Clock last night
wonld have been legal. But they got
around that. Taking lists OF Democratic
rulwsy>m9il service employees they marked
opposite the names thereon The names OF the
Republicans who are TO supersede them.
When this was accomplished they decided
to look upon tho changes indicated or
made. The work OF making out the ap-
pOintments 90 conform with the list was con-
tinued until O'Clock this morning and was
not completed then. 10 has been gong on all
day. OF course, none Of the appointments
evolved from the unbushing display OF
raDacity will be dated May lst, because this
| is the daV upon which the service goes
under clyil-service rule. The number OF
changes made I'm the Indecent haste whicn
has characterized the work OF the railway
mail officials for short time past Is about
| tive hundred. OF course. many others we're
made before the rush assumed its spring
/ freshet proportions. They were made with
/ the GOOD OF the service only AZ q secondary
consideration, and very frequently 1t was
| given no consideration at all. II people
| throughout the country begin to complain OF
ta oil ifof al al -
Diogones with lantern to find out the
cause OF it.
SENSATION.
A New York paper printed to-day q story
/ which caused a good deal OF talk among
/ those people OF this city who love to feed on
sensations. The story was to the effect tast
lhe Hon. James Gillespie Blame. Mr.. tlarri.
| sons Secretary oi State. is not suffering from
an attack Of lumbaGo as he and his doctor
say he is. but that be has had very severe
! paralytic stroke. There IS no truth IN
! the story. MIR. Blame is by no means in
dangerous condition physically. He will by
/ the exercise OF a little care be all right in
/ few DAYS. The New York publication made
! him and his family very 9ngry-sO much
so that a refusal TO say anything about
| 1t Mt all was what met cyery news
paper-man who called at Blane's hotel
| TO inquire about his health. Mr.. Blame
has only himself and his record 10 thank
| for the many stories that are started
! about his health. lie bas upon certaln.memo.
rable occasions feigued sickness when he was
all right. As result nobody knows when to
| believe that he is sick or when to believe that
| he Is well. A bulletin slgned by himself cons
cerning his health would be no more credited
than would any statement Of biz as 20 what
would be his future course politically. II
mag be- rather tough on Mr. Blaine and the
cause OF great irritation and annoyance 10
! him that nothing which emAnates from him
! is received with credulity at all general,
! but 1t is fact. But let US return TO our
| mutton. Mr.. Blaine is not parayZed
! physicaly. Figuratiyely speaking be has
within a year had two paIaytlc strokes.
! one was when the Republicans I'm cOnVen.
! ton assembled at Chicago refused TO n0mi-
nate him for the presidency. The other
| time was when he had the breath knocked
out OF him by learning from Mr.. Harrison
| that be was 20 be subordinate and not the
| boss Of the present Administration. Blame
las fallen upon evil days.
TIE POsTAGE-STAMP.
Thrd-Assisiant-P -Posimaster-Gcneral Gla-
zen, who has that subject under superyl-
| sion, SAID to-day TO the Dispatch corresDOnd-
ent that he was almost daily 10 receipt Of
letters urging that the color OF the 2.cent
postage-slamp be changed from green back
| to the Orick-dust red Of two or three wears
ago. lie also sail that the brick-duSt
stamp was the most popular one that
has ever been issued by the Govern
ment, and that the question OF again putting
! II before the public was one that would re-
| ceiyc early attention. As Mr. HazeR designed
! the red stamp il can b. safely predicted that
| II the pOsimaster-Generii takes his advice
that stamp will not be very long in again
! making It's appearance upon letters
A marriage license was issued to-day 10
| Daniel j. Adkins and Laura A. Sims; both of
Richmond.
In the Circuit Court to-day the sealed yer.
diet IN the case OF the two postal clerks,
stewart and Jones, against the Pennsyyauia
and other railroads for injuries received in
the FOur-Mle Run disaster near Alexandria
in September. 1885, wss opened. IL awards
stewart $4,000 from the Pennsylvania, Bal
timore and Potomac, the Alexandra snd
Fredericksburg aud the Alexandra and
Washington roads. but gives him nothing
from the Virginia Midland. Jones is given
10000 from all the roads in the suit which
OF course includes the Virginia Midland.
Samuel T.. Turner. son OF the late Dr. and
Mary f.. Turner, Of Virginia, died Ia this
city this morning.
Three or four horses and several carriages
belonging to eX-PTesident Cleveland will be
sold at auction Ia this city next Monday.
As is usual IN such sales they will very likely
a IL. Sl.r - -.