New-York tribune., 1896-04-20
,nrrsp IN THE POSTOFFICE.
wrN WHO HAVE BEEN A LONG
TINE IN THE SERVICE.

.,,srENpENT LYONS EXPERIENCE
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF CITY DE-
LIVERY WAS A CARRIER ONCE
THEN AND NOW.
.,.. has been eliminated from the postai
-" remarked a Postofice omciai the o,aet
es'" s,d ths man who I'D more 10 accompns"
esn .r,, than any one else was POSTMASTER men
.n.' u. came In as Postmaster unoer 'ne hrs'
ora IA Administration, and. OF course 'he great
""...urs was put on him to give men places oe-
.'.'. thew were Democrats. But ne s'eaaias'v re-
esu's . ...s influences, and more than once have
s''sea ' that n he couldn't get good Demo-
he''. - nlace he would take good Republican.
e.s' rets a place in this ONCE because OF poll
Nv ~ no man loses . place when ne mas once
- II for that reason.
~, univ was Mr.. Hendrix an admirao'e foSr
W. and not only did he organize the once on
~-I,,,v business basis. but he was the means oi
100, into the service In Brooklyn some OF tne
- ,ho have done most to elevate the character
- N. postal service and MAINTAIN II IL hish
,..., The present Postmaster Andrew 4. sum
S'eN brought into the Postoffice by Mr. hen
wn' va" ears ago 10 fll tho office Of cashier, and
@n .S,,v w.. advanced until made Postmaster after
~ s-.,h ~ Postmaster Collins. being thus THOR
IN y .,r,,uar with the various departments OF
f0'~a u,ar vhou Mr. Hendrix brought into
=. ..,v,ee and who Is still there. Is Charies w.
-. IN. superintendent Of malls. MI, Lyon may
.r,v he termed a Postof1ce veteran FOR ne mas
~. connected with the service for nearly thirty
...,s As a young man. he went to the war as a
.,her OF the 7th Regiment. In response 10 Fresi-
~, I.nco,ns first call for troops Subsequently he
80 active in raising a cavalry company ana later
g. "a. 10 the rank of captain. He served through
~ .x. ,.r and received his discharge after the
srrender OF Appomattox.
! rn.n az he rather quantity says tine war ehoeu
a, him. and he has never worn oadge since nor
IN. ANYTHING TO attract attention to MS service III
,.hsN OF his country As matter OF FACT, ne was
~. Of the men ready to enlist In behalf OF the
f,n,on before the firing on Fort Sumter. In MS
ser,pbook he has carefully preserved a copy OF
circular issued by the list Regiment Union Voiun-
,,.r, Of New-York." which was organized On Janu-
,ry Il 1851. with these objects: For the preser-
v.,on Of the Jnion as far as II Is In our power
To assist the Government in the enforcement OF the
hvs as propounded by the Constitution OF the
I'ntAi States" The circular was issued by the re-
cru,tne committee OF the regiment" and Mr. Lyon
was member OF that committee. At that time ne
Vas In the employ Of Bowen Holmes & Co., the
head Of the firm being the late Henry c. Bowen.
THE EARLY RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.
soon AFTER the close of tho war; in 1868. Mr.. Lyon
entered the postal service and his first duty was as
4 clerk IN the railway mall service just established
on the yew.York Central and Hudson River Rail
road The railway mall service was new thins
then but II had been operated for few months
between New-York and Boston and between New
York a1d Washington. Mr.. Lyon was one OF the
eew ef eAsce clerks that made the nrst Trip 10
Bufsh and he recalls many amusing incidents OF
TIE Journey The start was made from the old
tal- were
esB fitted over SO as to answer the purpose some
bon. lighted with kerosene lamps and heated with
CYLINDER stoves. The clerks were new to the bus-
xss and were not even familiar with the stations
fer getting some little distance from New-York
When they reached Albany there was an immense
luantity OF newspaper mall undstributed, and 1t
ras out Of the question to sort IT.. What to do the
Jerks did not know. Pretty soon Schenectady
.ame in sight Here" said OF them, ''is
pretty good-szed town: let US give them about two
bushels" And, accordingly about that quantity
vas thrown off, The same experience was re-
peated at Amsterdam. Fonda and Dittle Falls.
Ctca. being larger. got five bushels. and 80 did
Syracuse and Rochester. Nobody knows how that
mali matter reached It's proper destination. but.
o. b we'll known. the handling OF mails on trains
soon became systematized.
n. Lyon continued to act a clerk in this
baneh OF the service for eight years. In 1876 he be-
eame connected with the first fast mail-a service
That was maintained for q, year and then abandoned
fx the time because Congress failed to make the
nasded appropriation. He was then made chief ex-
aniner OF the second division Of the railway mail
ssyice. and little later appointed chief clerk
aAs second division. In this place he remained
IN years.
MAIsE FOR SUPERINTENDENT LYON.
When Joseph C. Hendrix became Postmaster OF
huoklyn ne looked around carefully for the right
m to act superintendent OF mails and reorgan-
= that branch OF the service. Mr.. Lyon was rec
amended for the place. and received the appoint
seat. he and the Postmaster soon becoming warm
n'ends That superintendent Lyon is the right man
inc right place is shown by the fact that he still
s0'~ this office. and the service has steadily i'm
psoveo under his direction. Only few days ago
xostmaster Sullivan received letter from James
= wnise general superintendent Of the railway
">ai service who said:
.un. ~ acknowledging receipt Of the report Of the
ins a1si e nan dsributed and dispatched in the mali
efc n n ss.m IN your Office errors made and checked.
the best S.vs e pleasure TO state that II 10 one Of
fS TS.S SlSst nss.sedit credit on the Brooklyn ONCE.
worthy D.eHpsstment .Ha looks with favor on all these
,..s ..,se s standard and can assure you that
Within srsnned that there is that esprit du corps
'.cn T records possible
IA. io examinations shown In the report cannot
stand vtas ttact the attention Of those who under.
Tie sssc.n.a sx. an important bearing they have upon
thai thney ths ss OF the service and 1t is no wonder
perfo,m.Ss % Sseual work in the ONCE has been so we'll
Tor ths ~ wnen these examinations are considered
Vorf =, examinations - at the and the actual
"ps BIZ. o. tne Office go hand in hand
this letter 9uans and Mr. Lyon With the contents OF
hand 0'"ce' on the very excellent report now at
O.ner indication OF the good work done by
49, Lyon appears in a note received
" . Bradley. superintendent Of the second d.
~" o' the railway mail service. Mr.. Bradley said:
= sS. exhibit Of case examinations which appear.
~ ne s report OF Superintendent OF Mails Lyon Tor
- .n Sx or March calls for appreciative comment
ejSrts ...minations -. Of the Government Postoffce
= - are az very good but especial mention mmst
6i,ss oi those very excellent records on the full
pufe ! ccep-aork made bX 8; J. Carey, Peter
svcs Sns S.s general superintendent Of railway mail