The herald., 1896-01-17
CONDITION OF STATION {
Ex-Postmaster Van Dusen Says Some
thing Concerning it
This Particular Branch Postoffice is Not as
Clean as 1t Might be, But
There Are Reasons

A letter has been received by The HER
AID, written by H. V. Van Dusen, who has
just retired from the postmastership, which
is self-explanatory. 1t is as follows:
EDITOR HERALD:-In recent issue of
your paper noticed an article complain
ing of the untidy and unclean condition of
Station G, Los Angeles postoffice, and l
thank you for the kind words you express
when you state that the superintendent of
the station ''should not be grumbled at by
thoughtless and inconsiderate critics."
Mr.. Thayer. the superintendent, is thor
ough postol1ice man, kind and courteous to
all has had large experience, being at one
time assistant postmaster at Santa Bar
bara, Cal. He and one clerk transact
business of 100000 per annum, and iss,l-
ing domestic and foreign money orders. as
we'll as doing the Chinese business. In fact,
great portion of the wholesale dealers do
their business at this station. and they do
the work at almost starvation wages, trust
ing better day and better pay may come
some time in the future. These two men
transact this important business at an ex-
mum for both. In busy times they work
night and day, Sunday, holidays and week
days. If they make a mistake in the pay
ment of a money order they have to make
it good. and they are both under bonds to
the postmaster.
.@Only this week a clerk in the Los An
geles postoffice who handles thousands of
dollars every month and who receives the
munificent compensation of $500 per an
mum, had to pay the inspector $1O0 that
some scoundrel had wrongfully received
upon improper Identification. The post
office department allows on the Los An
geles roster one general utility man at a
salary of 5000 per annum. He is required
to do all the janitor work at the main office,
and if he has any time he goes to Station C
to clean up there.
For the past month, during the rush of
business incident to the holiday and tour
ist season, this man has been detailed to
perform clerical as we'll as his usual du-
ties. He has worked nights, Sundays and
holidays, and has done his work faithfully
and well. For about one week his time was
almost wholly occupied in keeping the pa
per and letter drop boxes clean and carry
ing same to the cancelling and distributing
tables, and he had no time to devote to
Station @.
The department allowed $95 per annum
for the lighting of station c. 1t is necessa-
ry for the accommodation of the patrons,
and for security, to keep lights burning
all night This beggarly allowance ena-
bles the postmaster to use coal oil for
lights ''allee samee" as any. other country
office, when gas can be purchased for 81
per thousand. The liberality of the post
office department in this instance has but
one parallel in the annals of history, and
that was of certain rich man who every
fall killed an OK and gave the head to the
poor. The clerks and carriers in the vari-
GUS departments of the main Office and it's
stations are a hard-working, courteous,
patient, conscientious band of noble men
and women, ever ready to do extra work
at a moments notice, without complaint
and without extra pay, and in my sixteen
years in the postal service 1 believe am
able to judge, and l can freely say that I
believe they are the peers in every respect
of any force in any postoffice in the United
States. One employe has averaged eight
cen hours per diem since about December
10th. and many others twelve and fourteen
hours.
They are overworked and underpaid,
and trust the time will soon come when
their service will be better appreciated and
they will be better paid, but until the
working force is increased carping critics
and fault finders will have ample opportu.
nifty 10 ply their vocation.