The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-06
THE POSTAL CONGRESS.
Delegates Welcomed to Washington
by Postmaster General Gary.

WASHINGTON, May 5.-The Universal
Postal Congress met to-day in the great
hall of the old Corcoran Art Gallery. Fifty
five countries compromising most of those
in the Postal Union, were represented.
Corea, China and the Orange Free State,
which are now outside the pale of the
union, had. delegates present 1t is expected
that the work of the congress will extend
over about six weeks. Most of the work
will be transacted by committees, which
will submit the result of their labors to the
congress about once a week The present
postal agreement will be revised and re-
newed. Several important questions will be
considered, among them proposition to
transmit the official mail of the countries
which are members of the union free of
charge. the question of increasing the unit
of weight to be carried under 5-cent stamp
from one-half ounce to three-fourths of an
ounce, and also proposition for a univer-
sal stamp.
The hall presented a brilliant appearance
when General Bachelor, the premier dele
gate of the United States, called the con-
gress to order at II o'clock. The delegates
were attired in dress suits or full court cos
tune, their breasts bespangled with glitter
ing insignia and enameled orders. The Or
iental delegates were very picturesque in
their flowing silken robes. The Corean
wore his box-like headgear and the Turk
his red fez. The decorations of the hall
were lavish. The walls were rich with gor-
geous tapestries and shone with coats of
arms. The prevailing colors were gold and
crimson.
The sessions of the congress We're held
behind closed doors. Postmaster General
Gary, Assistant Postmaster General Heath,
General Bachelor and Captain Brooks did
the honors. Postmaster General Gary de-
livered the address Of welcome. He said, in
part: we desire also that you may bear
away with you a more complete knowledge
of our domain, which extends across con-
tnent three thousand miles, embracing al
OF boundlesS resources, of infinite fertility
Of varied manufacturing interests and con-
tanning prosperous and happy population
or over seventy millions of people. We
want to afford you an object lesson of the
marvellous growth of communities founded
mainly during the past century, which sup
ports postal system comprising more than
10000 officers and 200, 000 employees. supplying
mails for and dispatching them over 10000
miles of railroad, 1900 miles of steamboat
service and by other minor routes of serv-
ice aggregating in all over 100000 miles of
post routes, and in the year 1896 handling
a total of 1888 1855 pieces of mail matter.
Thus we place even the small and remote
communities in direct communication with
one another by means of postal facilities
BY carrying back to your homes the knowl-
edge that all these millions of people are
anxious to establish the closest social and
tries you represent, you will convey some
idea or the value of the maintenance and
perfection of the system you have met to
promote
M. Camille Delessert, director of posts
for Lausanne, Switzerland. the dean of the
union, followed the postmaster general with
a brief address, in which he referred feel
ingly to the distinguished members who
had died since the congress assembled sin
years ago at Vienna. He paid a glowing
tribute to DR.. Won Stephan whose vacant
desk was draped in mourning, surmounted
by wreath of oak leaves and immortelIes.
M. Delessert then, on the part of the con-
gress, proposed Gen. B. S. Bachelor. the
oldest of the United States delegates as
president of the congress, and he was
unanimously chosen. General Bachelor
made fitting response in French.
A movement is on foot to secure an addf-
tional appropriation of $4,000 for the enter
tainment of the visitors by the city of
Washington. Congress has already appro-
prfated $780, 900 for entertainment by the gov
eminent. 1t is probable that some of this
money will be expended in giving the dele
gates an excursion to the Mississippi valley
and the Northwest.