Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-28
HAD TO RECONSIDER,
Uncle Sam CCuntermands a
Pittsburg P. 0. D. Increase.
EXTRA MAIL CARRIERS OFF
Because That Congressional Eight
Hour Law Interferes.
MORE PAY MEANS LESS HELPERS.
A Novel Situation, Entirely Unanticipated
by the officials.
EXTRA MAIL CARRIERS OFF
MORE PAY MEANS LESS HELPERS.
WHY DALZELL MAY WIN FOR FORD

Pittsburg's SO letter carriers will have to
90 il alone in the distribution of the United
States mail, for the Postal Department has
countermanded the order allowing Pitts
burg four more letter carriers. This un-
welcome news comes from a local postofice
official.
An effort was made to see Postmaster
Larlin in regard to the reasons which led
to the issuance of the countermanding
order by Postmaster General Wanamsker.
The postmaster was not, however, accessible,
and in his stead an official of the local Office
explained the cause of the recent retrench-
ment, which is of national scope, affecting
every postofice of sufficient dignity to en-
ploy carriers.
The eight-hour bill passed in the last
hours of the last Congress, under the cham
pionship Of Sunset Cox, is responsible for
the state of affairs in which the Postal De-
partment finds ITSELF Beyond conformity
to the eight-hour law, the various postmas-
ters gave themselves little trouble.
IT PRESENTED OBSTACLES.
The law went into effect on August 1,
1888, and it had the effect of theoretically
placing all letter carriers upon an eight
hour basis, while practically it was found
almost impossible to rearrange routes so as
to allow direct application of the law. In
some offices over a month was consumed be-
fore routes could be arranged in such a way
as to use the same force Of men eight hours
instead of ten. In many places carriers are
still at work ten hours. The Postal De-
partment took but little notice of this fact,
and really requested postmasters 70 take all
the time necessary in readjusting routes in
order to serve the public quickest and best.
An unpleasant awakening came to the
Postal Department last week. 1t was in
the shape of the United States Supreme
Court decision awarding to a carrier in
Washington, who had worked overtime for
slong period under the precise conditions
outlined above, his account for overtime for
the whole time of the extra service. The
carrier in question made the claim that for
all the time he worked over eight hours per
diem be was entitled to pro rata compensa-
ton, and the Supreme Court allowed the
claim, not even considering the defense put
in by the Washington postmaster, that the
overtime work was rendered necessary in
bringing the carrier delivery system down
to the eight hour basis as prescribed by
Law.
RECONSIDERATION WAS ESSENTIAL.
Here was a fact, and the Postal Depart
ment had run square against it.
hn of fho init tad fa&a lie
appropriation for the fiscal year beginning
the first of June last was such as to warrant
the department in apportioning number
of extra carriers to the various postofices,
the allotment giving four new carriers to
Pittsburg among other cities. This action
was taken strictly in conformity with the
law which set aside fixed sum annually
for the maintenance of the carrier system.
The Postal Department recognized that
any claim which carriers in every city of
the country would put in for overtime
would have to be paid, if properly authen-
ticated, and there did not appear any way
in which the gross amount of such claims
could be approximated. The only course to
take was 10 wait until the overtime bills
came in. 1t might prove to be a large sum,
or it might turn out TO be inconsiderable
Meanwhile the orders for new carriers
were promptly countermanded. There was
q surplus; but the department could not
take any chances on what the overtime
claims would aggregate.
DEcAPITATIoN MAY COME.
1t is barely possible that these will be
greater than the amount set aside for addi-
tional carriers. In this juncture the un-
pleasant necessity of cutting off heads will
have to be resorted to; but this is deemed
improbable. Should Congress assemble in
extra session the matter will be presented
and a sufficient increase in appropriations
asked for to cover all contingencies and pro-
vide the much-needed extra carriers.
1t is interesting to note that very little
overtime expense was incurred in Pittsburg
in making the change in hours of work. and
by a singular anomaly, there is no city in the
Union where extra carriers are more urgent
ly needed than here. This state of affairs
arises from the fact that the Pittsburg post
Office is run with less friction or lost time
than any other mail system in the country.
PosTMAsTERsHIP GOSSIP.
A postoffce employe, who has been bet
ting right along that Congressman DaIzell
would name the local postmaster, gave some
unique reasons in favor of his position last
night. He said:
"The Presidents declaration that Con-
gressmen should name postmasters only fails
of application, in my mind :. in such cities as
Philadelphia, where there are Congress
sional districts interested; Boston, where
there are 6; Baltimore, where there are 8;
New York, where there are IA; Chicago,
where there are 4, and so on. Pittsburg is
the largest city in the country wholly
within Congressional district, and fully
believe that the President, having allowed
the Buffalo, n. Y; Minneapolis and st.
Paul, Mimi; Cleveland, o.; Kansas City
and other Congressman to name the post
masters, will not have the hardihood to 90
back upon Congressman Dalzell's claims.
The position OF the Pittsbur9er is all the
stronger because he has kept his hands off
the five Federal Offices which center in
Pittsburg. 1 am almost positive that, de-
spite the strong fight being made by Sena-
tor Quay and his adherents, Congressman
Dalzel will get the persimmon for his man."
THE INSPECTOR HERE AGAIN