Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-11-10
STAR MAIL ROUTES.

D Hn MAIL huU 70.
e. The immense work of transportin
E ftLe mails throughout tue United State
e is dealt with in the annual report of Sec
ond Assistant Postmaster General vii
liam ShalIenberger. The main featur
OF the report is vigorous arraignmen
OF the existing Star Route methods. Th
present system of speculative bidding
i is referred to as "discreditable to the
i Government. He says the bidders Gu
i little under the old contract prices
and risk being able to sub let at profit
The competition results in the eateI
part of these contracts being awarded
at low low rates, the accepted bidders
often using deceit and misrepresenta
tlon in obtaining sub-contracts from
poor and ignorant men. The report re.
cites the subsequent steps, saying the
Isub-cOntractOrs often lose the little
property they have.
Then there are the unscrupulous
contractors, who fail to pay their car
fsers, which causes hundreds of claims
a..3inst the contractors filed in this Of
| flee and necessitateS vOlnmiDOus CORE
spOndence to get the claims adjusted.
The department is put to great trouble
and expense. 1t is recommended that
the department deal directly with the
men who do the work, the total amount
being put into the service without any
margin to speculative middlemen, thus
undoubtedly tending to a better mail
service. It is conceded that exclusion
of speculative bidders would increase
the cost to the Government by 81 500, 900,
which, however, would go into effect
gradually. Legislation is recommended
requiring all bidders to reside on, OF
contiguous to, the routes covered or
formally agree to so reside and personal
ly supervise the service.
The report shows the number of mail
routes was 80, ,705, total mileage 4SO, ,461,
and averaging on each route nine trips
a week. There were 424, ,332 ,691 miles
Travelled on these routes, costing $lO7 a
mile of length each, or almost 12 cents
mile Travelled. The total annual rate of
expenditure for routes within the Uni
ted States and in the foreign mail SER
vice is $53, 3,023,454.
Discussing Alaska, Mr. Shallenberger
says the mail service on the overland
route from Juneau, by way of Dyea to
Circle City, providing for letter mail
only. was extremely unsatisfactory, the
contractor failing to render the required
number of trips, and those performed
were irregular and unreliable. The ar
rangement with the Canadian Post Of
flee Department regarding a monthly |
exchange Or mail between Dyea and
Dawson also fell below expectations |
The establishment of an overland mail |
route from Cook 5 Inlet, Or Prince Will |
liam Sound, through the interior to the
Y ukon River has been consipered, but
it is not practicable.
The report commends the use of pneu |
matte tubes. This service in Boston is |
cited as operating twenty-one
hours daily and carrying all the first
class mail. The New Y York Postmaster |
however, takes the position that it has |
not been possible to make such reduc-
tions in the regular mail wagon trips as
was expected.
The expenditure to railroads for mail
was $50, ,449, ,S37, and the
estimate for railroad transportation for |
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1890, is
$33 ,275, 900. A deficiency of nearly ST.
100000 in this fiscal year for the trans
portation is probable.
The report shows !. .26S miles of travel
ing post offices, and recommendation is |
made for reclassifcation of the ser
vice, legislation requiring newspaper
publishers to make primary separation
OF their papers and periodicals for
mailing, requiring postal clerks to wear
a badge Instead of the present regula-
ton cap, and for general establishment
of postal stations in railroad depots.
For ocean mail transportation in the
fiscal year 81, ,215, AGO is estimated. More
than 4, 100000 letters and postal cards
have been distributed in International
sea postoffices, and only 1,500 errors
we're reported. Negotiations are now
pending looking to reciprocal benefits
from Great Britain in the way of sea-
post service on the Cunard and White
Star lines in the near future. Mr..
Shallenberger submits estimates for
his entire service of $50, 944 900 for next
year, and says the estimated expendi-
lures the present year will be $54, ,215,-
738.
Mr.. Shallenberger submits special
report on his investigation in Great
Britain, France and Germany into the
character and cost of their railway mail
transportation. He says average dis
tance mail carried by railroads here is
three times greater than in Great Bri
taip, and double the number of pieces
of mail matter of all classes is carried
The postal system of France is not
equal to the United States The Ger
man system of parcel post, pneumatic
tube service and telephone branch of
the service are especially commended
Second Regiment will Stay.
Washington, Nov. 2.-Senator Martin
of Virginia, accompanied by Colonel
Baker and Captain Taylor, of the Sec
ond Regiment of Virginia Volunteers,
secured from President Mckinley yes