Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-21

NEWLY-APPoINTED POSTMASTER
COMPLAINS OF BEING BOYCOTTED.
POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENTS REMEDY
How II Proceeds in Cases Of the
kind-sInii-Curs Closed TO Letters.
Number of Quict EIopc-
mcnfs.
n,cnts.

WASHINGTON, D. c., August 20
Especial -General Edgar Allan. acting
either as counsel or political medium.
has addressed a letter TO the Post-Of-
fee Department in behalf Of the post
master at Centralia, Chesterfield county,
Va. The latter. IT appears, is recent
ly appointed Republican postmaster OF
the fourth class and he complains that
he is In a measure boycotted as an
official. He alleges, through his best
friend. General Allan. that his salary is
estimated according TO the cancellation
Of stamps upon letters mailed in his
office, but that since he took charge Of
the Office a great portion. perhaps the
greatest portion, Of the letters mailed at
Centralia are deposited in passing rail-
way mail-cars, instead Of at his Office.
This is a common complaint at the
Post office Department, following every
change Of administration. Fourth-class
post-offices are usually in stores, and
frequently the outgoing official, In or
der TO in part maintain the flow OF
patronage TO his store, continues to sell
postage-stamps, takes the letters for
mail from all the customers he can, and
regularly deposits them in the railway
mail-cars. Consequently, these letters
do not bear the pOstmark Of the mall
ing office, as the stamps have not been
cancelled at that Office. and the post
masters salary is correspondingly re-
duced. OF course this is unfair TO the
new postmaster, and there is usually
local row about It, followed by an OIL
cial investigation.
THE DEPARTMENTS REMEDY.
The department. however, has
remedy. which usually has the desired
effect. Complaints Of this kind are re-
ferred TO Superintendent Vickery, Of the
railway mail service, who instructs the
railway mail clerks on the route on
which the Office making the complaint
is located to keep a daily tally, for a
week or more, Of the number of letters
in the regular post-ofiice pouch, and the
number mailed in their mail-car at that
point. Frequently, the number mailed
in the car by far exceeds the number
found I'm the post-oiiice pouch, which
shows that the new postmaster is being
bovcotted by reasons of efforts on the
part Of his predecessor.
The mail-boN in the postal car Is mere
" for convenience, not for the whole
sale mailing Of the letters Of "A COM
munity; that IS the function Of the
postmaster and his Office. The rule I'm
such cases is TO close the boxes on the
mail-cars, so that letters cannot be
mailed in them, at such points as the
practice is made of discriminating
against the pOst-otIicc. This soon COM
pels the people to patronize the post
Office. and the old incumbent has 10
4r.Hr &
sale of stamps. This will doubtless be
the outcome in the Centralia case.
QUIET JUDGEMENTS.
There have been several clipping couples
here from Virginia during the past week,
and so cleverly and quietly did some of
them get the nuptial knot tied that they
escaped before the object Of their visit
could be discovered. Yesterday there
were two Virginia wedding parties In
town. who had the ceremony performed
I'm quite an transformations way. Ihe
first of these was Mr. Frank NJ. MerIl-
ken and Miss Vera Isabel Wilkinson
both of stanton. The groom is a clerk
i'm the Internal Revenue Department
and the bride quite social idVoHtc'
,l,oua, che is only s~soct sisfteef'- Il a.
eoid that her age was the cause Of the
trim here to be married, as her parents
Objected on that account. The couple
we're accompanied by Mr.. and Mrs.
Argenbright and W. w. Gibbs ana atter
obtaining a license, were married by the
pew Touis Wood at the Church or the
Eniphany. The only witnesses were their
stanton friends. and after the cere-
monv the party went sightseeing Tor the
ronoeinder Of the afternoon. Ihey re-
turned home to-day.
me other couple Of alleged elopers
el-iIfulIv concealed their identity. Upon
a,..,,,ol here they went to one of the lead
inc hotels. and engaged room tenn
,,ororilv for the bride and female
er,ard while the groom went for the
license on his return they dined at
he hotel. paid their bill, and left declin-
i,o Ia register. They next sought a
niergvman. the marriage was quickly
,,erformed. and the bridal party left for
i,or,o nv an evening train. This couple
,,o ~ the following four couples who
nbtoired marriage licenses here yester'
oIy o,yis pendleton. Of shadwell. Va, and
riey Rutler. of Culpeper county, Va.
poriarnin u. Libbey and Jennie \
ryiSd both of Charlottesville, va.
Gideon II. Duke and Mary Ihacker
both of Hanover county, va
| charles r.. K Warner and Susie u
willis Of Lexington, va.
Mrs r. Wallersten, Of Richmond j.
IN the city. on a visit TO her sons, wh'
are commission merchants here. she J.
stonning at the st. James.