Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-27
MAIL AT LAST.
The WASHINGTON OFFICIALS PER.
NIT THE USE OF A STEAMER.
A Large Amount of Delayed Mail Ex-
pected to Arrive Saturday Morning.
The Fault Not With Local Officials.

Many people have lately been asking,
Why don't Assistant Superintendent
Flint, OF the railway mail service, at San
Francisco, order mail for Southern Cali
fornia sent via steamer? The reason
why he does not is because he is not
vested with that power. The public is
not aware OF the fact that the authority
lies entirely with the second assistant
postmaster-general, at Washington, D..
C. The postoffice department is being
constantly informed of the condition of
things in Southern California regarding
the postal service, but the people OF the
southern portion of the state, more es-
pecially in this city, are commencing to
feel depression of business on account
of the non-arrival of the mails. Valua-
BILE correspondence is being delayed by
the effects of the late storm. Business
men OF the city are heard complaining,
and suggesting that steamer service be
employed to carry mails until such time
as the railroads will resume operations.
A HERALD reporter yesterday called
at the Office of j. M. Johnson, chief
clerk of the railway mail service, with a
view OF ascertaining what were the pros
poets for mails arriving in this city.
Mr.. johnson said it was impossible to
tell when the washouts would be re-
paired and mail service on outgoing
trains resumed. He expected lot OF
mail in tomorrow from San Francisco
via steamer. The reporter suggested
that, in the event of washouts, why did
he not have the mails for the lower
fo laI ok hxyc los fv~
San Francisco, as a great deal OF incon-
venierce as we'll as anxiety would be so
avoided.
"Well," said Mr.. Johnson, "that is
the very thing want to converse with
you about. You see, for the last ten
years or more we have had considerable
difficulty with the transportation of
mails by water, in case of roads being
washed out. Many people who are not
acquainted with the departments do
ings censure my Office, and say that
here is where the fault lies. My orders
come absolutely from the superintendent
of the mail service for this division. I
am constantly informing him by wire of
the situation, and have already sug-
gested by telegram that steam
er service should Immediately go
into effect between this city
and San Francisco. He replied
that he was powerless to act in the
matter OF forwarding mails by steamer,
as it entirely laid with the second assist
ant postmaster general. Assistant SUI
perintendent Mr.. Samuel Flint at San
Francisco is placed in the same position
as l am. Mr.. Flint is invested with no
authority to act. AS an illustration
Postmaster Backus OF San Francisco
called at the railway mail service head
quarters, asking permission to forward
mails to Los Angeles via steamer in case
of washout weather. Mr.. Flint informed
the gentleman that the authority laid
entirely with the second assistant post
master general and he would have to
ask that official The mail officials of
this coast have repeatedly asked for
some authority in the way of dispatch
ing mails via steamer, which in every
-in5tunCc iIuS Dccn rcfuscu.
Late last evening Mr.. Johnson in
formed a HERALD reporter that arrange
ments had at last been completed to
transport mails via the steamer Santa
Maria.
Postmaster Green yesterday issued the
following notice:
The steamer Santa Maria left San
Francisco this morning at 8 O'Clock with
mail for Southern California, including
some delayed eastern mail. 1t will ar
rive in Los Angeles, via Redondo, about
10o'clock Saturday morning, and steam
er will proceed to San Diego.
The department has authorized tenn
porary service between this city and
Mcpherson, including intermediate
points, to commence tomorrow morning
at 6 O'Clock