The San Francisco call., 1896-05-17
The New System VIII Be in
Operation in Less Than
Ninety Days.
ALL SAN FRANCISCO BENEFITED
Special Cars Will Be Run Over
Every Electric and Cable Line
in the City.

The department at Washington has
authorized Postmaster McCoppin to make
a contract with the Market-street Rail-
road Company for a special service over
their lines for receiving and distributing
mails. In less than ninety days, if the
programme as now scheduled is carried
out, three mail cars Will be running over
the entire City, facilitating the transporta-
ton and delivery of mails at least 100 per
cent.
On Wednesday Postmaster McCoppin
received the following telegram:
WASHINGTON. d. C., May Is. 1896
Frank HcCoppiR, Postmaster, San Francisco
Cal: Have your telegram and have requested
General Jones TO notify you TO come VIII
mail you transportation. / think your ar
rsngements as laid out in your letters are all
right and would suggest your establishing the
service, or, ii you would rather, after you have
made your trip. AS far as we are concerned,
II you want 70 establish II now will send YOU
written authority. You might get them 10
construct the cars at least and get things IN
shape. q. NELSON,
Acting on this authority McCoppin ad-
dressed a letter to Superintendent Vining,
asking him 10 name a suitable time TO
canvass the situation. Yesterday the Post
master and Superintendent Flint OF the
Railway Mail Service met the gentleman
who looks after Mr.. Huntipgton's interest
in the CITY and County OF San Francisco.
Three hours or more were consumed in
general talk, after which Mr.. Vining con-
sented to build three cars from plans pro-
vided by Mr.. McCoppin. One car IS to be
used on the electric lines, another exclu-
siveIy on the Market-street system and
the third on the narrow gauge, Sacramento
and Clay-street lines. This covers the
three trunk lines in the City and means
great saving in time and labor OF collect
ing and delivery of mails.
Postmaster McCoppin has worked very
hard 10 accomplish this result and but for
the assistance OF Congressman Loud it is
questionable ii the system now authorized
would not have been subjected TO several
months OF red tape.
In October Of 1895 the scheme was first
broached TO the department at Washing
ton. They did not take very kindly to II,
but suggested that ii would be all right if
the HarbOr Commissioners and railroad
people could be brought TO terms. Ac-
cordingly, in January of the present year
NcCoppn had an interview with the Com
mlSSloners, resulting in permission being
given 10 construct building at the loot OF
Market street suitable ior distributing and
receiving purposes. That building is now
being erected, and Will be finished in less
than sixty days.
The most difficult undertaking was vet
TO come, namely, gaining the consent Of
cars over their system. Several interviews
followed, resulting in Mr.. Vining consent
ing 10 anything with in reason desired by
the Federal authorities. Postmaster NJ c.
Coppin reported to the proper authorities
the result OF his work. and on Wednesday
the telegram above quoted was received.
When the station at the foot Of Market
street is completed it will result in the
practical condemnation of the present
main office. True, the general postotfice
order, foreign and domestic, business will
be carried on, including the general deliv-
cry OF letters and papers. The main col
lecting and distributing, however, will be
carried on at the Market-street station.
This means the removal from the main
Office to station D OF at least $50 men.
The carriers from Station K will work
from station D. The three cars already
named will run as follows;
Out Market street via HAYES to the
park, taking in stations and II.
Mission and South San Francisco lines.
taking IN stations G, Z and L.
Sacramento (narrow-gauge) line, out
Sacramento and Clay, taking in stations a
and T.
It will be necessary with this service to
remove stations ana F nearer the Sac-a-
mento line. Negotiations are now being
made with that end in view.
One OF the features of the new system
viii be the collection of mail by districts.
The City will be portioned off, so as to
work in with the branch offices, enabling
acollector to send his mail direct to the
distributing point on the first round, and
go right over the same route, turning his
collection in at the branch station subject
TO the visit OF the next car. Mr.. Vinine
has consented to allow carriers ereativ
reduced rate, thereby giving them an in
centive to patronize his employees lines
The compensation Of the Market-street line
has not been fixed. Mr.. Vlning in letter
TO Postmaster McCoppin says his com pany
will allow the department to fix the rate
provided it is made definite by January !
1897. -
The cars will be fitted up like regular
railway cars, enabling the clerks to do a
certain amount OF distributing before the
general offic IL reached -