Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-31
TRANSFORMATION OF U.AIL
REPORT OF SECOND AsNV
POSTMASTER GENER
Alaskan Service Very Unsatirx-
Pneumatic Tube system ins
Cost of Service Next
Estimated Mt S56.-
344,0OO.

4 ~ =
master General William S. Shatper
| which was made public to-day. main
feature of the report is a vigorouign-
ment of existing star route metI Mr.
Shallenberser refers to the prese;tem
OF speculative bidding for star : as
"dlscreditable to the government. Eavs
the bidders cut little under theon-
tract prices and risk being ablsuo-
let at profit. The competition : in
the greater part of these CONTRACTING
awarded at very low rates, thepted
bidders or their agents often ushceit
and misrepresentation in securingcon-
tracts from poor and ignorant me,rin-
cipals and sureties. The report +, the
subsequent steps. saying the sub-act-
ors. if complaining of greater reuVnts
than they understood, are threatNith
the penalties by the contractor if
the sub-contractors attempt serwith
inadequate equipment. fines are,sed
upon them Finally, if the sub-cotors
abandon the routes, or the depart is
compelled to remove them and emrem-
porary service, the cost of which isged
to the contractors, the latter, in take
action against the sub-contractGyho
may thus lose the little property tlaye.
Then there are the unscrupulton-
tractors" it is added, "who fail to heir
carriers, which causes hundreds Gins
against the contractors to be filethis
office and necessitates voluminousre-
spondence to get the claims aed.
Again, there will be a bidder who, in
experience and eagerness, will N his
bids at rates lower than those foich
he can secure sub-contracts. Therows
general failure to perform the,ice
awarded him, and the department [ to
the trouble and expense of arranghm-
porary service and reletting the cons. !"
The conclusion drawn is that thDfit
to contractors must be considerahnd
that, If the department could deal ltly
with the men who do the work, tltal
amount paid by the government bout
into the service without any ma. to
speculative middle men, it would ubt-
edly produce better mail service. is
conceded that exclusion of speculatid-
ders would increase the cost to the rn-
ment, and recent examinations at re-
quest of congress indicate the adual
cost would be s1,5GO,OOO, which, htur,
would go into effect gradually.
The belief is expressed that a coer-
ably larger sum for faster transpdon
would be well expended If it resu in
improved equipments, las many The
now used in carrying thails
present such n dilapidated and disreble
appearance as to be strong argun in
of the present systemag-
lslation is recommended requiring atch
bidders to reside on or contiguous he
route covered or formally agree to re-
side and personally supervise the ice
AMI authorizing refusal to acceptds
deemed excessive.
The report shows the number oail
routes at the close of the year was95:
total mileage, 4s0,461, and averagion
each route nine trips per week. ere
were 4S4, ,S32, ,691 miles travelled onase
routes, costing almost sl07 per m Of
ength each, or almost Il cents peliie
The total annual rate of ead-
iiture for both routes within the led
states and in the foreign mail seryioas
SO, ,04. Asa.
Discussing Alaska, Mr.. Shallenser
ays the mail service on the overlandlte
rom Juneau by Dyea to Circle, prong
or letter mail only, was extremely ut
sfactory, the contractor falling to Ter
he required number of trips, and >se
performed were irregular and unrele,
erious complaints following. The arpe-
nent with the Canadian postoffice dct-
nent regarding a monthly exchange ct
er mail between Dyea and Dawsoriso
ell below expectations. To secure rear
ervice in the Alaskan interior. rela1a-
Ions We're established at frequent sr-
ais along the routes and equipped toaet
ii emergencies. This was attached tn
he consent of Canada. The establishnt
an overland mail route from Cookn-
It or Prince William sound throughhe
lterior to the Yukon river has beenn-
ldered, but it is not practicable to eb-
sh it at present.
The report commends the use of the ,u-
latic tubes, but voices regret that in ne
ases the tubes are not fully utilized. his
ervice in Boston is especially cited aSe-
ltinE twenty-one hours daily and caring
II the first class mail. The New rk
Ostmaster, however, takes the poson
lat 1t has not been possible to make en-
eductions in the regular mail wagon ps
5 1t was thought would result from III
Iting tube service.
The expenditure TO railroads for all
so far as shown by accots
ated TO September 30. was $50 449. .S37, nd
lie estimate for railroad transportation
le fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, Is g.
5000. A deficiency of nearly $1,000, ,G.ir
lis fiscal year for transportation is pb.
ole.
the railway mail service, he
port shows there were l.26S miles of tn.
ing pCstotticeS and recommendations
ade for a re-classitication of the serve
Sislation requiring newspaper publishs
make primary separation of their Il.
RS and periodicals for mailing, reouits
,Stal clerks TO wear a badge inSteabl
e present regulation cap, and for gent
tablishment of postal stations i'll railnC
pots.
For ocean mail transportation in /,
.Xt fiscal year S2,15i.o00 is estimated. Oh
$4,000 letters and post cards have BIZ
in transit in our interna tiul
a postofiiCes, and only 1.500 errors WE
ported. Negotiations are now pend!s
Oking to securing reciprocal bcnefits.frl
eat Britain in the way of sea postottC
the Cunard and White Star lines I
e near future. These two English lihs
rry u very large amount of mail az
II extensively profit by separation j
All III ltdllsiI anu lile consequent eltN
spatch and delivery of mail by the HI,
r boat service at New York. Mr.. Shallo
rger submits estimates for his emit,
rvice at $56, 944. 900 for next year. and sa.
e estimated expenditures the presa
ar will be S5i. 215.11 1139.
Special recognition is given to the coura.,
d faithfulness OF the postal clerks al
ler officials who, during the yellow few,
idemio in the South, remained at the
SITS.
ir. Shallenberger also submits a speci,
Dort on the investigation. recently col
Ided by him in Great Britain. France AN
rmany into the character of their raj
y mail transportation. He saws III
erage distance mail is carried by raj
Ids here is three times greater than /
eat Britain, the United States carrie
lble the number of pieces of mail matte
all classes Great Britain does, has ove
100 more postoffioes. and 90 cents create
: capita expenditure for mails Tn
stall system of France is not eoual +
: United States III many respects. I
rmany, as in France. the railroads ar
gely under government control, and IN
rman system of parcels post. pneumati
pc, service and telephone branch of th
vice are especially commended.
lore cases of sick headache. b,I;ous
So, constipation. can be cured in les
10 with loss