Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-14
THE CARRIERS SIDE OF 1T.
Their Objections to the Proposed Early
Delivery.


The proposal Of the officials At the city posi-
Office to furnish the residents here an earlier
delivery than is now In effect has created vast
deal Of discussion. Letters and complaints
have come in from various quorters from
people who do not want an
early mail or who do not
want IL If It 10 going to add to the hardships Of
the carriers. All sides Of the story have been
told save one. The carriers, who may be con-
sidered as much interested a. any one else, have
not had . chance 70 say what they
think Of the proposed innovation. A STAB re-
porter interviewed several OF them this After.
unanimous in their objections 10 getting out
any earlier than they now have to do. The
general feeling 10 well expressed In what one
Of the wearers Of the hght-blue uniforms SAID
to the reporter: ~ don't know that object so
now - I do TO some other things We
carriers want eight hours consecutive work. but
We don't seem to be getting it 1t Is mistake
to say We will not have to report earlier after
the 18th Of this month. To get started
On our h round: With ~ our TIN a a, ready
40 in the morning. Now that's early in the
day. It win give rs more leisure in the day
time between deliveries 1t is true, but that is Of
little service to to Us, for we have to be in
uniform all the tune, and are practically
to go u home y" and change e'' our nave clothes
and We can not accomplish anything in the
hours We have Oh. The early delivery will be
. real hardship on us. We will have to be at
the post Office three-quarters OF an hour earlier
than at present and il is early enough
desire an early delivery. Every carrier on his
route hears any number of complaints from
people whose mail he delivers. know of lots
Of objection from people who do not want
their letters any earlier, and who
say they have to get up too early in the morn.
are solidiy opposed to the plan"
THE E1aHr-HoUR Law.
One Of the carriers told The STAR reporter
that it was absurd to say that the car
riers In Washington derived the benefits
intended to be conferred upon them by the
eight hour law. They were practically on
duty fourteen or fifteen hours a day, and
the proposed early delivery would
simply string out their work over greater
number Of hours. He did not agree with Post
master Ross that the delivery would relieve the
carrier during the heat Of the day.
As matter of fact he thought it would throw
the heaviest work into the middle of the day.
He said the statement made by the postmaster
in his report to the Postmaster Gen.
eTal that on Sundays the carriers were
on duty from to when the carriers window
was open to the public, gave the wrong inn
preston that they had only two hours
Of duty on that day, whereas,
rs matter of fact, they had
to 60 on duty at IL or o'clock in order to get
the mail ready for delivery when the public
called for it.
The carriers, he said, got little or no credit
for the many hours they are obliged to spend
in the Office preparing for their trips.
"To sum it all up" he remarked, "the car
riers would be satisfied il the intent Of the law
as it passed Congress- was carried out"