The morning times., 1896-06-07

Delays and annoyance caused by mis-
| understandings in putting into operation
the law of March 23, 1896, requiring that
pension checks be sent by mail, have
nearly al been overcome and made good
IL was stated at tie city postoffice yester-
day that not more than half a dozen
checks OF those sent out up to date were
then undelivered.
CHER Clerk Summers at the Pension
Agency said only about half IL dozen had
been in during the morning TO inquire why
they had not received their money.
Heretofore comparatively few checks
have been sent out by mail here. Conse-
quently when Pension Agent Wilson on
Wednesday and Thursday put into the
! pustoffice about 1000 checks il added
suddenly a heavy burden to the carriers
duties. IL was worse from the restric-
lions under which the mail must be de-
livered.
The postal regulations governing the
delivery of mail To pensioners require that
the letter containing the check must be
delivered 20 the pensioner in person, or
To some member OF lis family specially
designated.
DELAYS IN DELIVERY.
1t was explained to the carriers that
the designation might be by written order
or verbal statement, but that it was not
enough for the wife or daughter To state
that she had been told to receive the
check.
This rule was strict. 1t was departed
from i'll few instances when the persons
interested were known intimately TO the
carrier and the necessary designation bad
been forgotten. The carrier then took the
risk OF delivering the letter without
special authority.
good many letters were directed to
IL Tit
giving them much work in trying to find
the proper places. One carrier in the
center OF the city had on the first morning
SIX addresses on his route that he did not
know were in existence. He had never
had mail 10 deliver TO any or them
Another annoyance to the postoffiCe
arose from the fact that large number of
those who had been victims OF unscrupu-
louS persons under the Old method OF pay
nlent declined to accept the benefit in
tended under the new order of things and
directed that the checks be sent to them
at the general delivery, in order to prevent
the money from falling into the hands of
their families. AS consequence there
was a crowd at the delivery window early
in the day demanding their checks.
Many of them WHO got them made for
the nearest saloon and were soon as
effeCtually rid of their pensions as they
bad ever been under the old law.
INCIDENT rs AT THE WINDOW.
One man who appeared at the general
delivery window was very drunk. He be
gan early to demand his money, and when
told il was not there begged for a dollar
to go out aud get drink, saying he would
return il as soon as he got his check.
Another man came in frCm the country
yesterday. He had misunderstood the law
in some way and was irate when he received
a card notifying him that his check was
at the postoffCe. He refused at first TO
idtutify himself, but finally produced some
letters. These were accepted US sufficient
proof, hut the gentleman was out of humor
and urged that he had not been identified.
He thought the letter with the check was
being delivered without sufficient care to
see that the proper person received it. He
was finally convinced that there was suf-
fIcient identification.
The poStOlfiCe authorities say there Will
be little or no difficulty and delay next
time. II Is only necessary thatthe pensioner
receive his check at his place OF business
where it will be delivered at his request, or
that he leave authority at home for some
of his family to take it.
About IS ,0U0 checks havenow been mailed
and the remainder are being rapidly put out.