The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-10-16

The contract between tho y. s. gov
.yument and tho Wheeling Electrical
railway company by which that com
n,ouyis to transfer tho mails from tho
Wheeling postofice to Bcllaire, Bon
wood, Bridgeport and Martins Ferry,
and from tho Ohio River railroad
station nj Bcnwood to tho Bellairo Of
fro and vice versa, went into effect yes
,erlay. The mails arc simply carried
M tho cars In tho caro- OF the conduc-
,ors OF tho electrical cars and tho
drivers OF the mule line to the Island
and Bridgeport. OF course when the
electrical cars begin to run between
Martins Ferry and the city the matter
viii be much a!mpliiied. AS it is,
abou, the only Inconvenience is tho
transfer from Iellaire to Bcnwood
and back. The railroad employees must
he sworn to care for the mails in tran
81, in their care just tho same Us II they
were postal officials, The service so
hr, though not yet adjusted, has been
satisfactory, and Postmaster Cowdcn
sail Yesterday ho thought tho new plan
was Going to work all right.
Some OF the employees oil the electric
railway company arc not enthusiastic
over the new duties they will have to
assume rs U. $. mail carriers. Most OF
them were sworn in yesterday, and
GONE refused 10 take the oath. Some
Of tho men suspect the company OF
having concoctcd 4 deep laid scheme,
to enable it the better to fight tho
union, should it and the company ever
again have my trouble. In talking to
an ISrrLLJGESC2U reporter yesterday, Il
prominent labor man thought he saw
rocks ahead, on which the operators
and conductors union might evcntu-
ally founder.
Suppose said he, "thc company
should discharge some OF the men for
reasons which the union does not con-
sider valid and good. Tho company
can then 20 ahead and take new men to
the postoilice to be sworn in; if the old
hands strike, the company will simply
fill their places with new men, sworn
officers, you might say, Of the govern
mcnt, and will be backed up in its &C.
ton By the government. The street
ear company is to get $500 per year for
carrying the mails between Wheeling
and BcIlairc, Bcnwood, bridgeport and
Martins Ferry. Ii the wages OF each
man were reduced only ten cents 4 day
the company would make more than it
gets Tor the contract, and secure itself
Tor am losses it might sustain by reason
Of the lowncss OF the contract price"
Other persons who werespoken toabout
the matter did not view it in the same
light. The mere fact that the conduct
ots are to be sworn to take proper care
Of the mail, while it is under their
charge, is no reason, they claim, why
The men should be alarmed. In case 4
sirIke should occur, and the public
should rndcayor to stop the running OF
ears, as occurred during the last strike,
arrangements could be made to allow
those ears carrying mails to pass through
sEmolrstcd.
At any rate the probability is that
the conductors will all allow themselves
10 be sworn in, il another difficulty
which stands in the way can be ar
ranged; when the last agreement was
SI:ned by the company and the com
'H!ltee representing the employees, the
daI!es OF the conductors were well de-
i'ed. 1t is argued hal with added
ultIes higher wages should be maid.