The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-27
INJUSTICE FROM WASHINGTON
Poor Old Missouri Man Ruined by Fool
Red Tape.


Chicago, June CIV. z. Curtis saws:
Down in one OF the committee roms at
the capitol the other day 1 picked up an
old report OF the senate which contain
Ell the history Of a remarkable business
transaction between the government of
the United States and an honest though
iilitera.e citizen. illustrates what n
hard bargain Uncle Sam drives, and how
merciless heis when he gets fellow in
his clutches, as we'll as the amount of
red tape which IS required to tie UP
small matter of executive business.
During Mr.. Cleveland's first term as
president Mr.. Villas, as postmaster gen.
eral, advertised for proposals for carry
ing United States mails three times a
week over route $3.50, from Knock Lick,
by way Of Liber;yville, TO Coffman. No,
and back, thirty miles each round trip.
Whenthe bids were opened the highest
of twenty-five proposals were s699 a
year. The lowest was 81 a year, and
came from Moses Pendergrass. who got
the contract. On the LIST OF July, 1887,
Moses qualified. with his neighbors,
Messrs. Presnell and Black, as sureties,
the mail. On the 1st OF October follow
ing. being the end of the quarter. Moses
had made seventy-eight round trips of
thirty miles each, riding altogether 2340
miles over country roads in all kinds OF
weather, delivering letters and news
papers to the people Of Libertyville and
Coffmdn with great punctuall,ty, amia-
bllity and cheerfuness. II ne had
travelled the same distance in a straight
line he would have gone nearly one
tenth OF the way around the world. or
from New York to the Isthmus of Pana-
ma, or from New York TO Liverpool ard
had he gone north from Knob Lick and
kept on going he would have reached the
north pole.
Moses Pendergrass was astounded
when ne received a check for 81. &3 from
Uncle Sam for this service, the 81 be-
ing payment in full under the regular
contract and the 43 cents being for ex-
iras at the same rate. Moses went TO
the postmaster at Knob Lick for an ex-
PLANTATION. The postmaster was natur-
ally "befuddled," and wrote letter to
the department as follows:
Third Assistant Postmaster General.
Washington, D. C.-Sir: Moses Fender
grass bid on route IS. $50 was $500 a year.
and he only gets 81 for the first quarter
There is certainly some great mistake
somewhere. ANY one knows that the
r1ail could not be carried fifteen miles
an. back six times a week for 81 year.
] made cut the papers for Mr.. Pender-
~.
A. A. RUDDY.
POSTMASTER Knob Lick"
The third assistant postmaster general
respectfully referred the letter 30 the
second assistant postmaster general
The second assistant postmaster general
respectfully referred i; % the supern-
tendent OF the star route service. He re-
specially referred p. 20 the contract d.
vision. who ordered a clerk 10 look &c
u2. and tina: clerk. upon examining the
original papers. notified Rudy that ''the
amount % the p-ouosal OF Mr.. Moses
Pendergras for route $3.50. on file in
this office. is very plainly written 81 per
annum. The same amount appears In
the contract and the bond bearing n.
signature. Therefore there can be no
mistake and the rate AZ which Mr.. Pen
dergrass was paid for the quarter ended
September 50 is the most tha. can be
paid for the service"
whereupon there was 4 god deal oe
writing back and forth between Wash
inston AMI Knob Lick. and /; was devel-
ope6 that Mr.. Pendergrass. not being
able 10 read or write, had asked Post
master Rudy 70 make cut the proposal
for him at the rate OF $500 per year. BY
some strange A. or he;erography Mr.
Rudy wrote "four dollars" instead OF
-four hundred dollars both in the pro-
possl blank end af,erwari IN the con-
tract ana the bond There was no ev,-
dence % bad faith on his part. bus
nevertheless by his inexplicsble careless
ness he made mis- frisn. Moses Pende--
gras. miserable tor many years.
When Moses learned the facts he sent
an honest and candid letter to the post
master general which IS full q pa;hos
and homeiy dignity. He said that he
was no. res oonSible fo- ne mistake. so-
Postmaster Rudy admitted that his IN
s;-uc:,oas were perfectly clear. II have
got 20 quit ;he contract" he said ST
am a poor man and have 2 family .
support. ani how can I Do il On 81 a
year. aud hire team. besides giving
my own tine - the business II Won
can On something % get ME GU: Q: this
scrape the favor wi never he forgotten.
l have now carried the mail for nire
months. and the government. proposes -
pay me only s.. You know tha; il Is