Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-10-31
THE UNITED STATES NAIL.
The Work Of the Past Year Reviewed
in the Report,
JUST MADE BY ASSISTANT POST
MASTER SEALLENBERGER-
EXISTING SYSTEM OF STAR
ROUTE SERVICE seDISCREDIT-
ABLE TO THE GOVERNMENTAL
REMEDY AND BENEFIT POINTED
OUT-THE RAILWAY MAIL SER
VICE.

throughout the United States is dealt
with in the annual report of Second AS
sistant Postmaster General William S.
Shallenberger, which was made public
to-day. The main feature of the re-
port is the vigorous arraignment of ex-
listing star route methods. Mr.. Shallen-
berger refers to the present system OF
speculative bidding for Star routes as
"discreditable to the government" He
says the bidders cut little under the
old contract prices, and risk being able
to sub-let at profit. The competition
results in the greater part Of these con-
tracts being awarded at very low rates,
the accepted bidders or their agents
often using deceit and misrepresenta-
ton in securing sub-contracts from poor
and ignorant men as principals and
sureties. The report recites the sub
sequent steps, saying The sub-contrac-
tors, if complaining Of greater require
ments than they understood, are
THREATENED WITH THE PENAL
lies
by the contractors, or if the sub-con-
tractors attempt service with made
uuate equipment fines are imposed
upon them. Finally, if the sub-contrac-
tors abandon the routes or the depart
ment is compelled to remove them and
employ temporary service, the cost OF
which is charged to the contractors, the
latter in turn take action against the
sub-contractors, who may thus lose the
little property they have.
"Then there are the INSCRIPTIONS
contractors it is added, who fail to
pay their carriers, which causes hum
dreds of claims against contractors
filed in this office and necessitates
voluminous correspondence to get the
claims adjusted. Again there will be
a bidder who, in his inexperience and
eagerness, will make his bids at rates
lower than those for which he can
secure sub-contracts. There follows a
general failure to perform the service
awarded him, and the Department is
put to the trouble and expense of ar
ranging temporary service and re-let-
ting the contracts"
The conclusion drawn is that the
profit to contractors must be consid-
cradle, and if the Department could
deal directly with the men who do the
work, the total amount paid by the
government being put into the service
without any margin to speculative mid
dlemen, it would undoubtedly produce
better mail service. It is conceded
that exclusion of speculative bidders,
who increase the cost to the govern
ment and recent examinations at the
request of Congress indicate
THE ADDITIONAL COST
would be 81 100000, which, however,
would go into effect gradually. The
belief is expressed that considerably
larger sum for faster transportation
would be we'll expanded if it resulted
in improved equipment las many OF
the horses and vehicles now used in
carrying the mails present such di-
lapidated and disreputable appearance
as to be strong argument in condem-
nation of the present system. Legls-
lation is recommended requiring all
such bidders to reside on or contigu-
Gus to the route covered or formally
agree to so reside and personally SUI
pervise the service and authorizing re-
fusal to accept bids deemed excessive.
The report shows the number of mail
routes at the close of the year was
33.795, total mileage 4S0, 461, and aver
aging one each route nine trips per
week. There were 434,332,691 miles
thncn
most $107 per mile of length each, or
almost 12c per mile travelled. The total
annual rate of expenditure for both
routes within the United States and in
the foreign mail service was $53 ,023,
asa.
Discussing Alaska, Mr.. Shallenber-
ger says the mail service on the over
land route from Juneau by 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 unreli-
able serious complaints following.
The arrangement with the Canadian
postoffice department regarding a
monthly exchange of letter mail be-
tween Dyea and Dawson also fell be-
low expectations. To secure regular
service in the Alaskan interior relay
stations were established at frequent
intervals along the routes and equipped
to meet all emergencies. This was at
tanned with the consent of Canada.
The establishment of an overland mail
route from Cooks Inlet or Prince
William Sound, through the interior to
the Yukon river, has been considered,
but it is not practicable to establish
it at present.
The 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
especially cited as operating twenty
one hours daily and carrying all the
first class mail. The New York post
master, however, takes the position
that it has not been possible to make
such reductions in the regular mail
wagon trips as it was thought would
result from the instituting of the tube
service.
The expenditure to railroads for
MAIL TRANSPORTATION,
so far as shown by accounts stated to
September 30th, was $30,449,S37, and
the estimate for railroad tranSnorta-