The herald., 1897-03-06
j. w. Erwin's Facts and Figures
of the Postal Service
MARVELLOUS DEVELOPMENT
How Postoifice Business Has Increased
in One Hundred Years
Professor w. S. S:evenson's Lecture on the
Rhine-EvangeIist VarIey's Farewell.
Public Ownership Club

James w. Erwin, chief inspector of
the postofflce system of the coast, deliv-
cred a lecture in Masonic hall last even
ing, which was we'll attended. The lee
ture was entitled THE Postal Service" "
and was full of interesting detail.
Mr.. Erwin is man of fine address
and had very pleasant delivery. The
lecture opened with a bit of history
from the time of the beginning of the
United States mail service in 1888, and
under permanent organization in 1894.
In 1889 one thousand letters were sent
in one day. At the present time 10000
are sent in one minute. Then there were
thirty miles of service; today our miles
of service are In the millions The length
of time of the service was also compared
with that of today. The four classes of
postoffices; the appointment of post
masters; the revenue that is derived
from the sale of stamps; the salaries of
the postmasters being governed by the
revenue from the stamps, were some of
the points then made by the speaker.
On the last point Mr.. Erwin showed
what great loss was entailed on the
postoffice by the merchants in Los An
geles receiving stamps for sales made,
which was greatly against the interests
OF their own city. The revenue of the
Los Angeles postoffice was S186,000 last
year. The salaries of postmasters run
from $50 year to $4,000, the first being
paid in some little outlying district in
West Virginia and the last is the salary
of the postmaster in New York city.
With considerable humor Mr.. Erwin
presented some of the features of chris
tening postoffices and the making out of
reports, giving report made out during
Andrew Jacksons administration which
was simply convulsing to the audience.
The lecturer then took up the bureau
of the railway mail service and pictured
the travelling postal car, which Wana-
maker pronounces 1.-The spinal column of
the postal service"
In 1896 eleven billion pieces of mail
were handled by the fingers of the rail-
way mail clerks. High tribute was paid
to these faithful workers, who know no
hours, who are untiring in energy and
devoted to the service.
The longest run made is from Los An
geles to Albuquerque, of S33 miles, or
1866 miles the round trip.
The free delivery system, with its civil
service rules, the pay of carriers, their
attention to duty and other points, were
then made by the lecturer.
The money order system was taken
up in detail with many interesting points
The Mikes" those ulegible letters that
so puzzle the clerks, was made the sub
ject of much humor and Jest. The mix
ic" clerk has his hands full even in Los
Angeles, where careless people forget
addresses, or write their own state in a
TT, of absence of mind, instead of the
one to which the letter should be sent.
The mike" letters average S1S day
in San Francisco. Last year there were
81, $40 mike" letters sent in Los Angeles
A sketch of the dead letter office was
given with many pathetic touches, clos
ing with a bit of humor on the museum
of confiscated articles, such as hand
saws, tarantulas, loaded pistols and
alcohol that were found in the mail
sacks.
The lecture closed with a series Of
views commencing with the
great seal of the department, and pre-
scnting William L. Wilson, the retiring
postmaster-general, Hon. James A.
Carey of Maryland, the new postmaster
general and other postal officials. Then
was given a delightful series of pictures
of the inner workings of the railway
mail service. which closed the lecture.