The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-01
MAILS ON cABLE-cARS,
The Market-Street System Is
Ready and Willing to
Cooperate.
OPINION OF THE POSTMASTER.
He Thinks 1t Would Be an Improve
ment, but Fears to Broach
the Subject.

The carrying of mails on streetcars is a
question to which Postmaster McCoppin
has given much thought. 1t would be a
boon to outlying suburbs such as Rich
mond and the Potrero, and more especially
to places on the line of the San Francisco
and San Mateo Electric road, such as Bay
View, Oceanside and Colma.
A similar system to that in operation in
st. Louis, Boston and other Eastern cities
might be adopted The railroads could
run mail-car at certain hours during the
day, and the clerks could sort and have
the letters all ready for delivery at each
stopping point on the way.
In talking about the matter yesterday
Postmaster McCoppin said: 81 have dis
cussed the matter time and again witty Mr..
Doyle, my chief deputy. We recognize
what big saving there would be in the
matter of time; but then there is the ex-
pense and prevailing on the authorities to
take the necessary steps.
Eyes, interposed Assistant Postmaster
Doyle, sit would take us year to get the
Government to do anything, and then we
would be two years more getting Mr..
Vining of the Market-street Railroad COM
bine TO come to terms"
1.-THE scheme is practicable" continued
the Postmaster. land would be a great
benefit to the public, but just at present it
would be an uphill task to get it estab-
lished."
'San Francisco should have its mailcars
on all the cable and electric roads Just the
same as they have them in Cleveland,
Boston and ST. Louis said E. ?. Vining,
manager of the Market-street cable system.
"You can tell Postmaster McCoppin for
me that | will gladly cooperate in every
way to make the venture a success. We
ask no unreasonable remuneration, but of
course We are not in business for the fun
OF the thing, and fair price will have to
be paid for our services.
"A special car for the use of mail clerks
and carriers could be run at almost as little
expense as the present system is carried
on. In outside stations the mails could be
delivered at saving of half the time now
required. In Boston the letters are sorted
in the car Just the same as in the railway
mail service, and whenever point on the
road is reached where there is station
the mail is delivered, and the letters that
have been posted are collected in a very
short space OF time.
mo one from the Postoffice has called
upon me in regard to the matter, but as
soon as Mr.. McCoppin or his deputy does
SO think can show them that the VEN
ture would save the department money.
Another thing they ought to do is to make
arrangements for their carriers to ride on
all car lines. We will sell them tickets at
reduced rates, the same as they do in st.
Louis and Boston, and in that way the
men can ride at any time, and thus cover
twice the distance during the time they are
on duty.
"As [ said before, if the matter is figured
out think it will be found that we can
give the postal authorities a mailcar on
each of our lines and sell them tickets for
their carriers for probably the same money
they are now expanding on a service that
is not one-half as efficient as the one you
speak of. We will only be too glad to CO.
operate. and when Postmaster McCoppin
applies to me think he will not find my
demands exorbitant."