, 1889-04-04
STARTLING STATISTICS.
TREMENDOUS ISCkEASE OF POST
OFFICE BUSINESS.
As shown by Postmaster Peers Forth
coming Quarterly state

In his rounds yesterday u REVIEW re-
porter dropped into the postotiice and met
the accommodating postmaster, Judge Peel.
The Judge stated that on account of the
heavy business done through his office 1t
had been impossible for him to complete
his quarterly report ending March 81, but
that he had progressed that far that he
could give few statistics in the newspa-
per line that might interest the public.
Judge Peel assumed charge of the Spo-
kane Falls pos,oihce in September, 1886.
One or his first duties was to make out the
report Cor the quarter ending September
30 of that year Then the report showed
that the newspapers of this city had for
three months mailed not quite 700 pounds
of papers through the office to points out.
side the county. The report for the quar-
ter ending March 81 of this year will show
that total weight of 300 pounds of news.
papers, all Spokane Falls publications,
were sent outside the county
"This is election day. and new mayor
and city council will soon take the reins
of the municipal government. Would 1T
not be a good idea to prevail upon them
to petition the postal authorities at Wash
ington to make some provisions to remedy
the evils existing here In the postoftice?'
asked the reporter,
"Well." the judge replied. 81 dislike
to call upon the citizens or any city otti-
GERS to assist in remedyIne matters, but
your suggestion is good one, yet if was
going to step out Of the office tomorrow,
| would take the same interest in the
postoffice affairs of this city that | do to-
day. We are so snort of help that we
cannot possible handle the mails that come
to the office so as to give the public pro-
per service. The postal clerks on the main
line of the Northern Pacific have more
than they can attend to. Mr., Welch, one
of the Oldest and best clerks on the line,
informs me that he intends to resign un-
less the dep ,rtment furnishes him assist
ance to handle the mail between Helena,
Montana, aud this point. Every trip each
clerk on thr Northern Pacific has lot of
slop over mail which has to go to Port
land and be returned here. Why, the last
postal clerk In from Helena told me that
he had to open and distribute 125 sacks of
paper mail, besides the letters in his rum
from Helena to Spokane Falls TO give
an illustration Of the increase in the pos
tai business here will state that there is
! lust three times as much mail going over
! the Palouse branch now as there was three
months ago while the different stage
routes are about the same. On the Daven-
! port route the stage man could scarcely
carry any passengers, as his coach was
| loaded with mail matter. but now the
/ mail over l. at route Is Scut as tar as
| Davenport over the seattle, Lake Shore a
! Eastern railroad"
The reporter happened to meet Mr..
| Robert R1ndles, former postal clerk on
the main line, but now on the Palouse
! branch, aud asked him for an opinion on
| the MAJ ter.
| "Oh, saw some time ago that one man
could not handle the mail on the main
| line, SO | made application to be placed
! on branch" replied Mr. Handles "a
man has just all he can attend to on the
| Paouse branch, but he needs helm on the
main line" remarked Mr. Randles. 81
am glad got out of that job before the
; rush came.