New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-09
POOR POSTAL WORK.
DECENTRALIZATION WROUGHT BY THE
RECENT CHANGES.
e. NEW CLERKS UNABLE TO PERFORM THEIR
DUTIES PROPERLY AND THE OLD ONES

e. NEW CLERKS UNABLE TO PERFORM THEIR
DUTIES PROPERLY AND THE OLD ONES
AFRAID THEY MAY BE DISCHARGED.
The experience OF a large number OF perso"'
points inevitably to the conclusion that the na"
agement OF the Ncw-York Postofhce is "oiu"!
lacking In efficiency. Nearly every busihess i'd
in the city could give instances in whch Iet'eiS
addressed to him have been long delayed III 'io
delivery and others in which they have never
reached him at all. Too often the susp'cio" i'
been justified that the interests OF lamman! no"
we're considered OF an Importance equai W .na'
of the postal needs of the city postmaster LAY
toms office was the Mecca for numbers OF "is"d"
politicians including men OF such stripe as JAMES
w BovIe ("Saddlerock Jimmie'O hungry for pat
ronaee The appointments OF messengers Jahi'oi .
etc. were frankly credited TO the various u'S''~
organizations OF Tammany Hail. 49,,
Lately this work has been supplemented W w
discharge of a number Of faithful employees "nos
long service did not overcome the pre]udice asa's
them On account of their Republicanism. Inc o
feet of this utter disregard Of the spirit Oh Ci'
Service reform has been natural ihpaA"e ~.
the usefulness OF the office. ms - !" 'p
various circumstances which should nave e'"'' ~
Mr. DAYTON to give much-mpro'eu SCI"
the first place the Postofce Department mas oes.
ain him In a far more liberal way than IL u'u
with his predecessor Cornelius Van Cott. MI van
Colt planned many additions to the se'''.e 49,.
would have been OF great beneht 10 'he pu0',
he was almost never able to get the money "eeueN
10 carry out his plans .., oil his
Mr. Davton. however while he has not had all MS
r..Cussts acted on favoraby, mas been able 10 ac-
.or,n,,sh considerable. He has opened addiuo"a'
branch stations. and has secured larger anu oe
ter quarters for some of the ola ones me -
NJ clerks and carriers at his command mas o
Increased On the other hand. the business y, ~"
oficc showed a falling off during most OF MS TERM
beeu al increase III
Of mail handled and of stamps soId ou iV INV The
time the increased ioree h Go, In view OF these
two Considerations which should have opefa,sdi
give swite in anG depiorabe condition Of
fairs in the New-York Postotice Is douo! o'S'P
There is reason to believe that the
in the office have caused a,aea a SSsitions through
No,,ticai influence. depend upon their lam lam
many friends than upon faithful work to Keep h nnp
Service feel that their official heads n may Pe
of unless they n can wo sSs"r n the Office is
performed wholly sc Taye peached The
tribune are true there has been some uhaT bai
work as we'll The charge has been mace d'd IN
the work CT searching for the addresses OF Hsw
Workers to whom circulars ana % seep IN with
the work which formerly was performed eas,y d HS
trained clerks and they nave eeen Clerks in
the department yesterday told Irioane eS :,
Mss @pSssss pa
persons for whom they had been intended but tney
said the fault lay with the persons who nad maleu
the newspapers and that there had not been any
violation of the law. . .,.,.o. II tho
Among the men who recently lost their places IN ,ne
Postofce on account Of political influence Is ChaIgs
n Conkln Of No 1854 Bergen-st. BrooKlyn re
is a veteran and he came home from the war VIII
out his left arm He appointed leter-carrieII
in this city wenty-four years ago. and as ne nad
ability he was promoted TO be assistant super IL .
tendent in charge of the carriers IN that part OF
the CITY south of Cana-st. He made NUMBER OF
imnrovements in the system. by which the carriers
were able to collect and distribute letters on time,
and the schedules which he made are still In use
in the department. He is a Republican. however
and within a month after Mr.. Dayton became POST
master word was passed Mr. Conkln that he
had better resign. On August p Mr. Dayton askea
for Mr.. Conklin's resignation. but Mr.: ConkIn
then refused to give up his place. Later Mr. Conk-
lin was induced to take another place at smaller
salary hoping that he might remain in the depart
ment in which he had performed faithful service
for twenty-four years: The change put him out OF
the classified list and recently he learned that he
was 10 be removed without charges. Then he re-
signed in order that he might have a better oppor-
tinity TO get another appointment. He said yes
terday that some Of his friends had told him that he
should have remained until discharged and that his
discharge would have been Illegal. 1t was hard for
him to be thrown out Of employment at such a
time he said