The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-02-27

through the mails at second-class rate.
where question arises as to its claims Of
admissibility; also investigation con-
cerning the railway mail-serv.ce at diff
ferent points. and whather c. ,.st star
route contractors and mail-carriers arc
attending to their duty according to con-
tract.
You have no idea how many ground
less complaints are made against the
postmasters in the smaller towns. Fre-
quently letters are sent to the Post
master-General making all sorts of
charges against a postmaster, and upon
investigating the Inspector reports that
there is quarrel in the village between
the complainant and the postmaster,
and the charge amounts to nothing, but
were made with the hope that the post
master would be removed; the COM
plainant in almost all cases being q man
or woman of less than average ability, but
with more than average disposition
to be disagreeable. It takes as much
time to investigate a report of this kind
rs it would to investigate an ordinary
mail depreciation. The work of this inn
portant bureau Of the postal service and
its immensity may be better understood
when the reader recalls to mind the
fact that it is necessary to investigate
complaints concerning the obstruction
Of the passage of the mail, the misuses
of the mail pouches, the losses of mail
keys, the recovery of mail keys from
discontinued post-ofices, the inspection
nf hn nfo.n
masters or their failure to promptly de-
posit postal funds, the use of Cancelled
post-office stamps, the illegal possession
and sale of the United States post-office
stamps, the misuse of penalty envelopes,
forging or counterfeiting Sost-off1ce
stamps, irregularity in connection with
the registry business, complaints con.
cerning the money-order business, the
inspection of money-order accounts, in
structing postmasters how to handle
money-order business, non-payment of
money-orders, charges and complaints
against employees Of the, railway mail
service and a large number of miscel.
laneous complaints entirely too numer-
Gus for minute mention.
The reader will readily understand
that it requires a man of a great deal
more than ordinary ability to be Chief
Post-Office Inspector. No man Of ordi.
nary ability has ever been in the posi-
ton, but it has always been held by men
SO we'll equipped with natural and &C.
qulred talents that any one of them
might we'll have been Postmaster-Gen.
eral, and have administered the entire
department to the satisfaction of the
people. The present incumbent, Mr..
Rathbone, is very energetic, active,
tireless worker, who devotes many
hours outside of official requirements to
the supervision of the work in hand.
He possesses a remarkable memory OF
names, dates and places, and this facul-
ty has enabled him to keep track of the
most important portions Of the bushes.
of his great Office without reference to
books, save for minute details and par
ticulars. Nearly all of the inspectors
now in the service have been selected
by Mr.. Rathbone from the ranks of the
employees of the POST Office Department.
In thus selecting men of practical postal
business experience rather than from
the outside world on account of political
influence Mr.. Rathbone has done wisc-
ly and we'll, and greatly improved the
inspection service. SMITH D. Fry.
A SCHEME THAT FAILED.
An Adventurer's Attempt to Have
Brosdsword Bout with Englands Min
lister.
There was an Irish-American ad-
venturer in Washington last spring
seeking fame and fortune. He was a
voluble talker and an Industrious letter
writer. Many Western office-seekers
received letters from him, Offering his
potential aid in consideration of small
fees, and many of them responded with
their cash. The adventurer conceived
an audacious idea for bringing himself
prominently before the public, and he
almost succeeded. By diplomatic man
agement an introduction was obtained
to the British Minister, Sir Julian
Pauncefote, and the adventurer proved
an agreeable guest at the mansion of
the courtly Briton. After few days
the subject of broadsword contests was
brought up, and Sir Julian evinced q
lively interest, inasmuch as he has
been, and is, an expert in handling the
weapon. Over bottle of wine an ar
rangement was made for friendly con-
test in the parlors of the British Minis
ter before few invited guests, the con-
testants being his Excellency, Sir
Julian, and well-known gentleman Of
Kansas City.
The latter was telegraphed for and
came to Washington, bringing his ar
NOR with him. The adventurer, how
ever, invited several newspaper men to
be present, and thus committed an error
which was fatal to his scheme. The
Kansas City contestant was a noted
1rishman, an expert, younger man
than Sir Julian, and if the contest had
taken place he would have tried to win
it, even at the expense of the life Of the
distinguished representative of Great
Britain. One of the newspaper men
quietly called and informed Sir Julian
Of the possible outcome, warning him at
the same time that his reputation was
to be jeopardized, 10 matter how the
contest might result, and the matter
was unceremoniously stopped. But it
was q bold scheme, and, if successfully
consummated, would have made the al
venturer famous and probably infamous.
s. d. r.
NEEDED IRRIGATING.