Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09
CIVIL SERVICE LAW
No Bar to Ambitious Alleghenians
Out of POstoffice Berths.
KEEPING WITHIN THE LIMITS.
A Problem for the New Postmaster to
Figure Out at His Leisure.
GREAT GROWTH OF THE PoSTOFFICE

No civil service examinations intervene
between the Allegheny politicians and 3S
nice positions in the postofice under Post
master-elect Gilleland. The ambitious young
man who wants to juggle mail under the
new regime won't have to know the medical
properties useful in curing the tropic of
cancer, or whether Jupiter has as many
satellites as the average boss politician.
The new postmaster says that he doesn't
intend to impair the efficiency of the service
in any way by sudden changes; but he
frankly states his intention of surrounding
himself with men in harmony with himself
and his political friends. There is abso-
lutely no limitation in the appointments, it
being simply required that letter carriers
should read and write and stand a physical
examination. Civil service only comes into
play when an Office has so or more employees.
Allegheny has 27 carriers, 10 clerks and
janitor. So the politically ambitious on the
Northside are out for the stuff, and Mr..
Gllleland sighs as he ponders the coming
onslaught of the ubiquitous Office seeker.
GROWTH OF THE PosToFFICE.
Allegheny's postotice has dlstanced in
growth during the last four years every city
Z
Theodore Myler gives some interesting fig
ures as to the growth of the Office during
Postmaster Swans term of office. Post.
master Swans appointment was gszetted in
January 1856. The Senate confirmed him
some months later, and his commission will
expire in April. Mr.. Gilleland will assume
charge of the Office on the 1st of April, as
the current quarter ends the night before.
His appointment was to have been made at
the same time as Postmaster McKean's, but
was held back by the President on account
of Mr.. Swans length of term.
The gross receipts of the Office in 1889 were
S66, $50 As, an increase of SO per cent, rating
year by year, over the receipts of the last
year OF his predecessors term. The four
years showed an increase of Is per cent in
the number of pieces delivered, and in the
money order department there was an in
crease of 39H per cent in the money
handled. In the number of transactions
there was an increase of 70 per cent, and the
total showing outstrips the record ot any city
in the State, even excelling Pittsburg's
great postal growth, according to Mr.. My
ler's figures.
CHANCE FOR IMPROVEMENT.
POSTMASTER Gilleland will have a wide
opportunity for improvement in many re-
spects." said Mr.. Myler. sour 27 carriers
are under the scope of the eight-hour law,
but their average of hours worked is or 9L
every day. The reason for this lies in the |
fact that they have to do their own distrib- |
uting, not having the help of clerks as in
Pittsburg. To take this extra and very
onerous work off the shoulders of |
our carriers at least five more |
clerks will be required. At the |
present time our ten clerks easily average |
ho
surprising, but it is nevertheless true that |
the Allegheny postoffice employees are the
worst paid in the entire postal service, and
easily the hardest worked. Taken In con-
junction with these facts, the miserably
cramped quarters make their condition one
of extreme hardship, and the new admins
tration should by all means come to the
rescue.
''The reason Allegheny's postmasters
have been unable to obtain more concessions
from the Postal Department is that the gross
receipts of the office-the only official index
to its size-do not begin to correctly repre-
sent the actual business done. The reason
of this is that scores OF Allegheny firms who
have their printing done in Pittsburg buy
their stamps and other mail material at the
Office. There is really no way to
change this, and the Allegheny Office has
always suffered for the benefit of the Pitts
burg Office.
AN INCREASE POSSIBLE.
"Strong influence brought to bear upon
the department will be of great effect in
securing an increase in the Allegheny force,
and Colonel Bavne will undoubtedly aid
Mr.. Gilleland effectually."
Mr. Myler has been steadily employed in
.he Allegheny Postofice since May, 1868.
He will be succeeded by Squire M. j.
Clarke, of the Fifth ward, a close friend of
Mr.. Gilieland. James Harman and Alex.
Cunningham, two of the carriers, have been
steadily employed in that capacity since 1866.
OF the q carriers now employed there are
ID Democrats; of the 10 clerks are Repub-
leans. When an Office is not within civil
service rules it is an understanding that no
'emovals must be made except "for cause"
t is needless to say that the understanding
s more honored in the breach than the
observance, or, in other words, it isnn't very
lard to find cause" when an offensive
PARTISAN" has to walk the plank.