Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-10-21
HE NEW MAIL TRAIN.
What the Second Assistant Postmaster Says
About the Matter.


here every morning about D o'clock, 4
Washington correspondent of the Fhila-
deIphia Ledger saya: The postal author!-
ties declare that the adverse criticism
10 which they have been subjected on
account of establishing mail train
from New York at .. 10 a. M, running
through to Washington on fast time,
proceeds FROM misunderstanding Of
the facts that LODI to the establishment
of this new service. In talk with
Secoud Assistant Postmaster General
Shallenbereer to-day, he explained that
the additional service makes no
changes whatever in the departure OF
mail trims between New York and
Washington, and simply transfers to the
l'ostotlice Department train which
has been running for several year5 for
the special purpose Of doing business
for private parties that properly belongs
to this department.. Ii was found tnat
several OF this New York morning papers
had an arrangement with tho Pennsyl-
vaniB Railroad Co. TO curry their papera
from New York to Washington every
SUNDAY morning, starting at 2 a. III. for Il
stipulated price, which waA helpw that
charged the government for postal ser
| vice. 1t was proposed by the New York
papers to extend and make permanent
| this special service. and contract by
way of experiment was made for two
weeks with the railtoad company to
carry the papers daily at the hour
named. Upon lnqa!ring into the matter
II was found By the postniiiGe authori-
tieH that this service could be per
| formed ny the government al profit OF
between SD, 900 and $50, 900 per
annum, ana as the pustoilice was carry.
| ing newspapers on long hauls for one
cont per pound. there was every reason
for taking advantage Of tins short haul
| between New York ami Washington to
increHse the postal revenue Aside
| from this, by taking charge Of train
already established. the same facilities
were extended the newspapers of Phiia
| oelphia, Baltimore and other citieH
along the route Of travel, as were here
tofore exclusively enioyed by three or
four OF the New YORK dailies.
ar. Shallenberger pointed out that
there could he no discrimination
\ against Philadelphia and other cities
on the route, for the reason that none
of the mail facilities heretofore exist
ing had been curtaied and, as matter
of fact, these facilities had been ex
tended by throwing open to the news
papers along the Fuute fast service
which has heretofore heen exclusively
run for tho New York napers The
mail train leaving New York at mid
night reaches Philadelphia at B. % a.
m. and leaves that city at 3. 30. This
is closed mail, but the Philadelphia
newspapers have been carried on that
train largely by express companies or
ageacioH other than the pnstoltire. II
is contended TINT the government is
prejudiced by this method Of carrying
newspapers ana that it would he az
reasonable to permit private parties to
arrange for the carrying of the letter
mail as to permit another profitable
branch of the postal business 10 he
done by individuals. The special train
leaving New York at Q, 10 a. ~ reaches
Philadelphia at 4. II ana delivers the
papers at Washington as early as the
regular midnight mail, and, as all the
cities south of New York may use the
special train, Assistant Shallenbereei
thinks they are really benefited by the
new arrangement through the extension
of time for departure of their packages
without appreCiable extension in the
time of arrival at Baltimore and Wash
ington.
There was, however, another aspect
of the matter. and one which Mr. Shal.
lenberger commended the EostoFlice De.
nartment was bound to take cogni2ance.
regardless Of what the effect might be
upon any particular class of persons. II
was discovered that certain parties had
proposed to run IN their individual
account, and for their exclusive bene.
trl s,.. Co.. AI,..., -.
mail matter on abort haul, leaving
toe government to carry the same class
of matter on the oug and more ex.
pensive hauls, Hnd at rates below those
secured for carriage by the specia
train. 1t was represented to the Penn
sylvania Railroad Co. that il it could
carry mail matter for private parties al
the rates proposed, then the govern
ment's mails could be carried at the
aams rates. A special investigation
showed that over 30 tons of matter were
carried eSery Sunday morning on thu
special train, and single calculation
Hhowad that this work could he dont
by the lostofIice Department al a fair
margin OF profit, thus adding to The
postal revenues and at tho Same time
preserving the rights of the government
To the exclusive carrying OF the mail
aud extending nostal facilities to al
persons desiring to avail themselves O
them, and who we're excluded undei
the arrangement between the railroad
and very few individuals. If thu
Now York newspapers had been per
mltTod to maize special arrangement
for the carrying OF their daily issue
between that city and Washington, thu
same Kind of arrangement would ht
made by newspapers elsewhere, and il
this way the Postoilioe Depur.men
would ho deprived of large share o
it's most profitable business. so far a
newspaper matter is concerned.