The rustler., 1891-12-11

Esa Esseas - --assralm@.s
MAamxarax. nee a-W ] Palluek.
the suEerlutendsut af the free delivery
system e the post onlee Department.
has made e. Flrst Assistant ia.lstmasteF-
General Whitfield his repsrf far the
useal year ended Inne "a lsaL ID
shows that the nun Der II free delivery
afioes la operation ~ the clusr of the
year was sta. an increase Of sixty-ave
over the preceding year The cpst of
this services was sa.u54os0 which i
So. a. less than the appropriation for
that purpose The number 81 carriers
employed on Jane 20 Vas 10. iso. which
i an increase of l.oaa during the year.
The local postage for the year
amounted - eit.tTs 5sA The number
Of pieces of mail handled were a.God.-
ST So Considerable attention j. given
IN the report % the subject Of overtime
claims Of letter earrierz Under the
act of May "a lsss. limiting the hours
the carriers shall be employed per day,
the practical result of this act, the
report states. has been the g.
/ ing of an enormous number Of
overtime claims. aruregating near.
/ " 500. 600. and this does not
I by any means represent the maximum
/ amount Of claims that are already pre-
pared and will be filed A. soon a an
adjustment Of the legal question pend
+ ing has been had 50 many important
questions relative TO the construction
of the act have arisen In attempting to
adjust these overtime claims that II has
been deemed best. In the interest of the
service aud also as an act of justice to
the carriers. 10 await the construction
of The law by a court having competent
jurisdiction. The report then goes on
To say:
"ln view. however. of the tendency
OF the law TO create these overtime
claims aud the certainty, judging from
past experiences. that they will arise as
long as the existing system continues
and with the further unfortunate eN'
pcricnce that the law puts a premium
on lettering and ineiliciency rather
than affording an incentive for active
and efficient work. respectfully sug.
gest a modification OF the existing law
that shall provide:
al That no carrier shall be required
10 work in excess OF fifty-one hours In
any week of seven days at Offices hav.
ing necessary and unavoidable Sunday
service and not in excess Of forty-cight
hours In any week of six days where
such Sunday service is not required.
~. That in addition to the salaries
now provided by law, letter-carriers,
after four years service, may, upon a
certificate of the respective postmas-
ters that they have been especially
faithful and efficient, be promoted from
1000 to 81 coo per annum, aud thai
when letter-carriers become unfaithful
and inefficient or untitled for active
work, they shall, upon the certificate
of the respective postmasters to tina
effect be reduced 10 lower grad,
commensurate TO their service, or re-
moved, as the equities of their case MAJ
suggest.
"Such an amendment would not onl,
! provide n just recompense To faithfn
and deserving carriers now in the ser
vice, but would tend to enlist some O
our ablest and best young men, an'
stimulate all the carriers to earnest ef
forts in this important branch OF tn
public service. In many OF our office
4 large number of men impose o
: younger men, who are working at
3 minimum compensation, the great bur
: den of the work.