The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-10
POSTOFFICE IN CUBA.
TO BE ESTABLISHED AS SOON AS A
LANDING IS MADE.


Connection With rnsurEent Postal sys-
tom Will Be Made Later-How Letters
Arstsent to Soldiers and Sailors
The war, with the consequent mill
tary and naval movements along the
south Atlantic coast, has resulted in
materially increasing the work of the
postal officials throughout the south.
The postoffice department is keeping
step, figuratively speaking, with the
war department and the navy depart
ment.
Wherever the United States flag goes
the mail sack follows apace. Prepara-
tions have been completed for establish
ing q United States postoffice upon Gu
ban soil as soon as the first landing Of
regular troops is made or the first port
is seized by the fleets for permanent oc-
cupation. Mr.. Eben Brewer has been
designated by the postmaster general to
take charge Of the new postoffice, with
force of clerks, hang out his shingle
designating the Office and proceed at
once to handling mail.
1t will be the first time this govern
ment has located a postofiice upon for
eign soil. AS the United States armies
advance the service will be extended,
and when the occasion demands it reg
ular post routes will be established in
Cuba and Uncle Sans mail carrier
will go upon his daily rounds. 1t will
be no international arrangement at the
outset, but will be conducted solely un-
der the auspices Of our own postoffice
department. AS progress is made in the
conquering of Cuba connection will be
made with the postal system which is
now maintained by the insurgents in
the regions under their control, so that
letter posted in New York or San
Francisco will go safely and speedily to
its destination in the interior of Cuba.
At present connection is made with
the ships of the blockading fleet and fly
ing squadron from the coast towns. Let
ters addressed to the officers and men Of
the fleets mailed at points north or east
of Washington are now carried south in
the through postal cars. The depart
ment operates a railway mail service
from Springfield, Mass, to Tampa, Fla,
on q quick schedule. The postal car
starts from Springfield and picks up the
sacks at the cities and towns along the
line. At Washington another car, if
necessary, is attached to the train, and
a crew Of mail clerks carry it through
to Charleston without relay, where an
other crew takes hold.
The through sacks from the north are
made up, scaled and stacked in one end
of the car, not to be opened until their
destination is reached. In the car which
is attached at Washington open sacks
are placed, and at ever postoffice the
mail is taken aboard the flier. The let
ters for the way stations are assorted in
the cases and made up into bundles to
be sacked and thrown off as directed,
while those for the fleet, the armies or
residents of Florida towns are distribut-
ed in the proper sacks.
When Tampa is reached, IL that is
the nearest port to the vessel to which
the mail is going, the postmaster segre-
gates the mail for the officers and sail
ors and makes it up into other sacks, to
await the arrival Of the official dispatch
boat from the ship, which puts in at
convenient opportunities. A great deal
of mail goes to Key West for Admiral
Sampscn's feet and Commodore Schley's
squadron, where 1t is sent out by the
local postmaster to the fleets and deliv-
cred by the dispatch boats to the proper
officers of each ship, who attend to the
distribution of the letters.
The mail for the armies at Tampa
goes south in the same way. Tho
pouches are delivered to the postmaster
and the army officials must apply to
him for the mail. Great care is exer-
cised in the handling of the mail after
1t leaves the postoffice at Tampa Spe-
cial messengers are detailed by each
commanding officer to get the mail for
the troops in particular localities, and
they transport it to the camps, where it
is kept in q stated place, at which the
soldiers call and get their letters. The
mail for Chiclkamauga passes through
Washington, but goes out ON another
road.
Since the outbreak of the war no mail
has gone to Cuba or come out of the is
land to tho United States. No postal
communication will be established un-
til our troops are landed. 1t is not pro-
posed to establish any system of espion-
age over the mails going TO the fleets or
to Cuba when communication is opened
with the island. The sacredness of tho
seal of an envelope bearing the United
States postage stamp will be scrupu-
lously observed. AS much care will be
taken in the delivery of the missive as
If it were addressed to peaceful resi-
dent of n city of the republic.
At this particular juncturc the post
Office department is maintaining consid-
erable reserve as 10 the destination Of
the mails. ~sghis is for tho purpose of
the possible whereabouts of
vessels of the feet, which might be di-
vulged through undue publicity of the
of the mails. New York
Sun.
The rough riders are the most sought
pfter mon in Tampa. They arc hungry