The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-31
Transporting the Mails in the
United States
HE POINTS OUT ABUSES
Iho second Assistant Postmaster Gen.
sral Vigorously Arraigns The Ex-
sitting Star Route Methods-Dis-
crvditabie to Government

o@< ~
the annual report of Second Assistant
Postmaster General Shallenberger.
which was made public to-day. The
main feature OF the report II q vigorous
arraignment Of existing star route
methods. Mr.. shallenberger refers to
the present system Of speculative bid
ding for sta routes as ''discreditable
to the government" He nays the bid
ders cut q little under the regular con-
tract price n rick being able to SUBJ
let At . profit. The competition results
In the greater part Of these contracts
being awarded At very low rates. n
accepted bidders or their agents often
using deceit and Misrepresentation in Sc
curing -sub-contracts from poor and
ignorant men as principals and sureties
The report recites the subsequent steps.
saying the sub-contractors. II complain
ing Of greater requirements h they
Understood. are threatened with the
penalties by the contractors or IL the
sub-contractors attempt he service
with INADEQUATE equipment, fines are
imposed upon them Finally. II the SUBJ
contractors abandon the routes or the
departments are compelled to remove
them and employ temporary service the
cost Of which IN charged to h contrac-
tors, the latter take action against the
sub-contractors. who may thus lose the
little property they have.
Then there are the INSCRIPTIONS
contractors." Il In added. who fail to
pay their carriers. who cause hundreds
of claims against the contractor to be
filed In this once n necessftate VOL
luminous correspondence to get the
claims adjusted. Again there will be a
bidder. who. In his inexperience and
eagerness. will make his bid at rates
lower than those for which he "a Sc
cure sub-contracts. There follows a
general failure to perform the service
awarded him m the department Ii put
to the trouble and expense Of arranging
temporary service n reletting the
contracts"
The conclusion drawn is that h
profit TO contractors must be consider
able and IL the department could deal
directly with the men who do the work.
the total amount paid by the govern
ment being put into the service. without
any margin 70 speculative middlemen.
Il would undoubtedly produce better
mail service. 1t Is conceded that ex-
clusion Of speculative bidders would in
crease the cost to the government and
recent examinations at the request OF
indicate the additional cost
would be q. 800. 900, which. however.
would 20 into effect gradually. The be-
lief n expressed that a considerably
larger sum for faster transportation
would be well expended II II resulted in
improved equipment. "as many Of the
vehicles now used in carrying the mails
present suc a dilapidated and d%isrepu-
table appearance as to be a strong ar
gument in condemnation OF the present
system"
Legislation IN recommended requiring
all such bidders to reside on or ON
tiguous to the route covered or formal
~ agree to reside and personally super
wise the service n authorizing refusal
to accept bids deemed excessive.
The report shows the number OF mail
routes at the close OF the year was ga
7s5. total mileage $50. ss1 and averaging
on ach route nine trips per week.
There were 4s4. 332. 6s1 miles traveled on
these routes. costing almost s1o7 per
mile of length each. or almost si2 per
mile OF length each. or almost s12 per
mile travelled The total annua rate
OF expenditure for both routes within
the United States and in the foreign
mail service was $50. s23. asa.
Discussing Alaska. Mr.. S~hallenberger
says the mail service on the overland
route from juneau by Dyea TO Circle.
providing for letter mail only. was ex-
tremely unsatisfactory. the contractor
falling to render the required number
Of trips M those performed were ir-
regular and unreliable. serious COM
plants following. The arrangement
with the Canadian postofice depart
ment regarding q monthly exchange OF
letter mail between Dyea and Dawson
also fell below expectation. To secure
regular service in the Alaskan interior
relay stations were established at fire.
quent intervals along the routes n
equipped to meet all emergencies. This
was arranged with the consent OF Can
ada The establishment of an over
land mall route from Cooks inlet or
Prince William sound through the in
terror to the Yukon river has been con-
sidered. but IL II not practicable TO es-
tablish IL at present.
TIT report commends the use OF the
pneumatic tubes. but voices regret that
in some cases the tubes are not fully
utilized. This service In Boston is espe-
cially cited as operating p hours daily
and carrying all the first-class mail
The New York postmaster. however.
takes the position that II has not been
possible TO make such reductions In the
regular mail wagon trips as IL was
thought would result from instituting
tube service.
The expenditures to railroads for mail
transportation 80 far as shown by &C
counts stated to September 80. was $780,
<4e.S3I. and n estimate for railroad
transportation for the fiscal year end
ing Tune 30. 1900. In SIS. $4,000. A de-
ficiency OF nearly 81. 1000. 900 I'm this fiscal
year for h transportation il probable.
Concerning the railway mail service.
the report shows there were LES miles
OF travelling postofices and recommends
q Reconsideration OF th~ service. legis-
iation requiring newspaper publishers
20 make primary separation 81 their pa
pers and periodicals for mailing. reauir-
ing postal clerks 20 wear a badge in
stead Of the present regulation cap
and for general establishment OF postal
stations in railroad depots. For ocean
mail transportation In the next fiscal
year. -. 154. 900 In estimated.
Over 14.0oo. 900 letters and postal cards
have been distributed In transit in our
international sea postofices n only
$500 errors were reported. Negotiations
are now pending looking TO securing
reciprocal benefits from Great Britain
I'm the way OF a sea postoffice on the
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