Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1891-03-20
Ocean POstOMces.

Ocean Postoffices.
In no one thing has the administra-
tion of government affairs taken more
gigantic strides than in the mail SER
vice. Less than a generation ago the
people were content with what was
then supposed to be the very perfec-
tion OF communication between the
different cities of the country. In
those days here and there the larger
cities were selected and styled distrib-
uting postoffices, and into them was
poured the mali intended for delivery
over a large territory. There it was
sorted and delivered to a person llv-
ing but few miles from the writer.
Very often letters pass right through
a town on their way to a distributing
Office, only to be returned the next or
some subsequent day.
AS great an advance as this was
over the old stage coach system, the
demands OF the country outgrew it,
and q clamor arose for some more
speedy and perfect system for the mail
service. This demand brought into
existence the present railway
mail service. The old distributing
postotiices were done away with and
the work in them was delegated to en-
ployes on the various trains, on cars
specially fitted up for the purpose.
Since its introduction therailway mail
service has grown very rapidly, not
only i'll size but in efficiency, until to-
day it is the pride of the nation.
Steam and telegraph wires have
brought the nations OF the earth clos
er together. Europe, today, is at the
very door Of America. The wonderful
speed of the great steamships have
brought this country into immediate
connection with the countries of the
old world, and as communication has
increased the demands of commerce
have multiplied unt .,ere has been
growing call tor n speedy methods,
for a more perfd system OF mails be
tween this country and Europe. The
delay of a single day in the receipt of
a letter may involve serious loss to
the sender or to the person addressed,
so closely are these commercial rela-
tions interviewer. The government
of Germany realized the demand of
the times, and IN 1889 proposed to
establish the Atlantic ocean mail SER
vice similar to that now in existence
on the railways OF this and other
countries. Postmaster General Wan
amaker readily saw the great advan-
tage OF the proposed movement, and
communicated with France and EGG
land. The governments OF these coun-
tries, however, declined to take part
in it. The more the postmaster gen.
eral studied the matter the more he
became convinced that it wasia move
ment in the right direction, and if
carefully carried out would prove Of
great benefit.
The matter was brought to the at
tention OF congress and authority was
given the postmaster general to enter
into an agreement with Germany to
establish the proposed service. Ger
many was notified, and last December
Mr.. Sachse, director of posts of Ger
many, was sent here to perfect the ar
rangements. Speed was what the peo-
pie were demanding, and the highest
rate OF speed that could be obtained.
An hour saved in New York might
make a business days difference in
some great commercial transaction.
Steamers very often would not reach
their wharves until late in the after
noon, too late for delivery OF mails in
the city, and if the day OF arrival
should happen to be Saturday, it
meant a very serious delay. The OBJ
ject OF the conference between the Ger
man and American postal representa-
tives was to reduce this delay to the
minimum. Under the present system
the mails from foreign countries are
dumped, in bulk, into the New York
postottice, there to be sorted and
started out on the various railroads.
1t is true that for some OF the larger
cities it Is labeled so as to be dispatch
ed intact, but the greater mass of it
has to be sorted. 1t not tunfrequently
happens tnat q European steamer
brings several hundred sacks Of mail,
ard with all the care bestowed on its
labelling in the country OF its origin,
the handling of it In the New York
Office requires several hours. Toavoid
this delay and place and correspond
ence from foreign countries in the
hands OF those to whom it is address
ed at the earliest practicable moment,
is the main object OF the new depar-
ture in the mail service.
The plan agreed upon ls to placeup-
on all the steamers of the German
Lloyd and American Hamburg lines, !,
playing between New York and Bre-
men and Hamburger, two postal clerks,
who will assort and Distribute all the
mails, just as is now done in the pos
tai cars on the railroads. When the /
mails reach New York under the Snew
arrangement they will be ready to Rosl
into the hands OF the city distributors,
or directly to the railroad stations
for dispatch by the fast trains. The
clerks will be supplied with United
States and German postage stamps
SO that passengers may be accomodat-
ed for all correspondence originating
on the voyage The service will begin
April /. Success is predicted:
Rumors Of the outbreak In cuhA heSSs
reached New York. II u said that NJ a.;
include Havana, but MotsnEs zesho
and the most important perts q ~ iel1 y Y 1
ssS ~
August Hsluts 4 Co, tks isxDast ~ ~
0i the oldest msFchaptlle holleeg ~ i \;
Grange, Tex, has made ~ 80
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