The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-11
P. o. Inspector Clum, to Go to
Alaska on Important Mission.
WILL CREATE NEW OFFICES.


The many appeais made by Eastern
people IN Alaska TO the congressman and
senators srons their home districts. ask
ting for better mali facilities. have borne
fruit. Adviees received IN this city yes
tsruay from Washington City stated THAI
q special commissioner bad been appoint
"a by the poetossfce department 10 look
into posfoffiee affairs in the north. This
commissioner Is Postofsice Inspector john
r. Cium and he will leave Seattle for
ekaxway on March - His trip will
be extended down the Yukon 10 Dawson
and Circle city and through the Copper
river country.
Cium goes north equipped With every
power 10 deal with the situation in Al
askz- He In authorized 20 establish
po@.ofsicss and appoint postmasters where
needed. and 10 Increase the clerical help
IN Offices. In fact he has power in every
way to meet the demands on the post
Office department Of the great influx o.
people to AIaska. Ills recommendations
regarding mail affairs are to he accepted
by the department without question.
Theirs Is ITO doubt that the mali SERVICE
10 most parts OF Alaska Is very poor.
Thousands Of people have poured into tbe
new country ard the postal facilities have
remained about the same. Even at DyA
and Ekagway the Office Is closed for two
days at a time while mail .is he1ng dts-
sributesi. Tho government employees cam
no, begin to keep up with the immense
quantity of mail brought In by every
steamer.
Often after the arrival OF several boats
voluntary assistance has TO be accepted
from outsiders or the Jam would be corn
ple,e. This has been the cause OF numer-
Gus and repeated complaints to the post
efice department ard to senators and
congressman whose constituents have gone
b Alaska.
Almost every exploring party that has
lef, shis port for the Copper river coun.
try In the past two months has sent some
sort Of a petition East asking for mail
service into the country. Carefully pre-
pared petitions we-e sent to the, congress
men and senators from Minnesota. Massa-
chuse'ts. Missouri Connecticut and other
Eastern states. The fact that hundreds OF
men are going into a new country where
the mails do not follow has made an i'm
preston az washington that will. after a
little nd tape work. result In better mall
service in all parts OF the country.
Postmaster General Gary has undoub,-
ediy been impressed by theae many COM
n,uncasions. and has decided to send an
Inspector or commissioner through the IN
tire country, for the purpose Of getting
accurass data regarding the postal needs.
Inspector john +. clum WAS selected for
th!s responsible duty by reason of his *.
psrienoa In postal affairs. and because o.
a long residence in Arizona. New Mexico
and California In the days OF booms and
benanzas
cium Will come direct from Washington
city To Spokane. which Is the heaGauar-
ssrs OF pos'offiee Inspector Lynn. in whose
district Alaska has always been included
lie viii confer with I.ynr and then come
20 Seattle Passage has been secured fer
him on the Paeifc Coast Steamship Com
paay's steamer Queen, due 20 san from
here ON March -
Clnm's duties In the north viii take him
TO all parts of shs tsfntory.f Dvea ana
skagway are FIRST 10 receive ogsleIal at,en-
tom Then he viii visit other srnpartans
Offices In Southeastern Alaska cfurn ex-
poets 10 leave skagway ahou, May /. aud
after eresSinS ono az the passes 10 Lake
Bennett to SO DOWN the Yukon 20 Dawson
and then on = Circle city. Fort Yakan IS
10 receive a visit also Prom that point
he viii make an overland trip into the Cog
per river country.
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