Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-15
RAILWAY MAIL CLERKS MEET
Seventh Annual Session Of the National
Association is Sitting.
DELEGATES GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
Welcomed to the city by Mayor
Moores md DR.. Miller and
Then the work is Promptly
Taken Up.

The seventh annual convention OF the Ma
tional Association of Railway Postal Clerks
was called to order yesterday morning by
President C. l.. Shafrer Of Chicago in the
court room In the old federal building. The
court room was handsomely decorated with
flags and potted plants and more than $50
persons, members of the association, their
wives and friends, were present at the
morning meeting.
After the invocation by Rev. C. b. Allen,
jr, Mayor Moores welcomed the mail clerks
to the city in a hearty manner, presenting
President Shaffer with the golden key to the
city and assuring the association that the
city was theirs for the time being.
DIR. George l.. Miller, collector of customs
for the port OF Omaha, addressed the asso-
citation on behalf Of the business men of the
city, President Shaffer responded to the
! welcome extended and said that he was by
no means sorry of the influence he had had
In locating the convention in the exposition
city. He complimented the local committee
on arrangements very highly, saying that
never had the association been offered bet
ter accommodations at one of it's national
conventions and assuring the Omaha mem
bers of the association and the citizens of
oh'th thub NV iluii SiSl NO "ouiu v
have a soft spot in their hearts for Omaha.
After the speaking was finished President
Shaffer appointed a committee on creden-
tials, which began its work Immediately in
preparation for the afternoon meeting.
An informal reception was held last night
at the Dellone and today while the men are
engaged with their business ses-
sions the women of the party
will be entertained with a tally
no ride, given by the woman's reception
committee at 1890 tomorrow morning, and
in the afternoon an informal reception will
be given the visiting women at Lininger's
Art gallery, from 8 till 5. At $50 tomor-
row night a banquet will be given at the
Dellone, and on Thursday all the visitors
will be given an opportunity to take in
the exposition.
Names Standing Committees.
After calling yesterday afternoons meet.
ing of the railway mail clerks to order,
President Shaffer announced the following
committees:
on ways and means-M. &.
P%rentiss, W. L. Pearce. c. w. Eddins, J. A.
Peterson, j. T. Council, A. j. Moore, d.
Deffenbach, C. H. Buttenbender. C. B. Brat
ton, e. Upton.
Committee on constitution and bylaws
G.. A. Wood, N. S. Harrison, ]. A. Brown.
w. w. Myers, J.. A. Warren. d. E. Barnes,
p. A. Blake. A. Bindeman, Harlow Brown.
E. d. Rutledge.
Committee on resolutions-S R. Kente. C.
C. Reiff, II. II. Palmer, j. A. Kidwell, w.
B. McLinn, A. L. Carr, John Mccarthy, d.
Mcknight.
Secretary Wood made a report as secre-
tary and treasurer of the association, and
his report was adopted. August Bindeman
reported on behalf of the auditing commit
tee that all accounts were found to be cor
rect and his report was adopted.
An order was issued recently which pre-
vents a mail clerk from carrying another
mail clerk in the car with him if he is not
detailed for work. This order is called the
dead heading" order and a motion made
by S. G. Reiff that the association make an
effort TO have this order modified passed
the meeting with a unanimous vote.
Concerning Classification.
Since 1881 there has been no reclassifca-
ton of the mail clerks and no change in
salaries, although the work has increased
many times. Under the present system of
classification there are five classes of mail
clerks, the minimum salary being $500 and
the maximum 81, 800. Clerks who work side
by side and do the same work in many cases
receive different salaries, thus working an
injustice and causing much dissatisfaction
August Bindeman of the ninth division in
troduced a resolution urging that all postal
clerks make every possible effort to secure
a reclassification.
A motion to suspend the dues of all men,
bers of the association who have enlisted
in the army carried without a dissenting
vote.
Upon a request made by the second divi-
sion, c. C. Reiff introduced a resolution
that a committee be appointed to wait on the
postal department or the heads of the de-
: partment regarding a two weeks leave of
absence for all postal clerks and transfer
clerks, the salaries to be continued during
| the vacation. The resolution was referred
to the committee on resolutions.
AS much of the important work of the
meeting will be done in committees the
I meeting was adjourned at 4:3O to allow
: the various committees time to prepare their
; reports for today's session.
In the evening an informal reception was
: held at the Dellone to give all the delegates
{ an opportunity to meet in an unpretentious
way and become better acquainted. About
$50 persons were in attendance at the re-
. ception, many new arrivals being there VIII
got into Omaha too late for yesterdays bust.
5 ness sessions.