The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-31
STAR ROUTE SERVICE
SERIOUS FAULT FOUND WITH 1T
BY AN ASSISTANT SEC
RETARY
OVER FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS

OVER FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS
Cost of Mail transportation During
the Last Fiscal Ycar-Means of
Reaching Alaska inadequate and
the Results UnsatisfactOry-Ma
Service in the United States and
Europe Compared.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30.-The work
of transporting the mails throughout
the United States is dealt with in the
annual report of Second Assistant
Postmaster Gen. William II. Shallen-
berger, which was made public today.
The main feature Of the report is a
vigorous Remuneration Of present star
route methods Mr.. ShaIlenberger re
fers to the speculative bidding for star
routes as "discreditable to the govern
ment." He says the bidders cut a lit
tie under the old contract price and
risk being unable to slIblet at profit.
The competition results in the greater
part of these contracts being awarded
at very low rates, the accepted bidders
or their agents often using deceit ana
Misrepresentation in securing subcOn-
tracts from poor and innocent men as
principals and sureties.
The report Iecites the subsequent
steps, saying the subcontractors, if
cOmplain.ng Of greater requirements
than they understood, are threatened
with the penalties by the contractors,
or if the subcOntractors attempt serV-
Ice with inadequate equipment fines are
imposed upon them. Finally, if the
subcontractors abandon the routes, or
the department is compelled 10 remove
them and employ temporary service,
the cost Of which S charged to the con-
tractors, the latter in turn take action
against the SubcontractorS, 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 hun
dreds of claims against the contractors
to he filed with this office, and necessi-
tates YOlUninOus cOTresp 0ndence to get
the claims adjusted. Again there would
be a bidder who in his inexperience and
ignorance will make his bids at lower
rates than those for which he can Sc
cure subcontracts There follows a
general failure to perform the service
awarded, and the department is put to
the trouble and expense of arranging
temporary service and reletting the
contracts"
REVISION REQUIRED.
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 de-
partment being put into the service
without any margin to speculative mid
dlemen, it would undoubtedly produce
better mail service. 1t is conceded that
exclusion of speculative bidders would
increase the cost to the government,
and recent examinations at the request
OF congress indicate the aggregate COST
would be $1,500,000, which, however.
would go into effect gradually. The
belief is expressed that a considerably
larger sum for faster transported ton
would be we'll expended if it resulted
In improved equipment "as many of
the horses and vehicles now used in
carrying the mails present such a diiap-
idated and disreputable appearance as
to be a strong argument in condemna-
ton of the present system"
Legislation is recommended requir-
Ing all bidders to reside on or con-
ttguouS to the route covered, or for
mally to agree to so reside and per
sonally to supervise the service. au-
thorlzlng refusal to accept bids deem
ed excessive.
The report shows the number Of mail
routes at the close of the year was
1888, total mileage, 480, 461, and ay-
eraging on each route nine trips Der
week. There were 434 632, 691 miles traV-
eled on these routes. costing almost
SOY per mile of length each, or almost
IL cents per mile travelled. The total
annual rate of expenditure for both
routes within the United States and in
the foreign mall service was $53. 026, 454
Discussing Alaska, Mr.. ShaIlenberger
says the mail service on the overland
route from Juneau, by Dyea to Circle
City, providing for letter mail only
was extremely unsatisfactory, the con-
tractors failing to render the required
number Of trips, and those performed
were irregular and unreliable, serious
complaints following
The arrangement with the Canadian
postOff1ce department regarding q
monthly exchange of letter mail be-
tween Dyea and Dawson also fell be-
low expectations.
The expenditure to railways for mai
transportation, so far as shown by &C.
counts stated to Sept. 80, was $50. 44O.
837, and the estimates for railway
transportation for the fiscal year end.
ing June 80, 1900 is $33, 075, O00 A de.
fciency of nearly 81, COG, 900 in this ifs.
RAILWAY NAIL SERVICE.
Concerning the railway mail service
the report shows there were ,26S mile:
Of travelling pOstoff1ces, and recon.
mendatiOn Is made for a reclassifica.
ton of the service, legislation requir-
ing newspaper publishers to make pri
mary preparation of their papers an6
periodicals for mailing requiring pos.
tai clerks to wear badge instead OF
the present regulation cap, and FOL
general establishment of postal stations
In railway depOts.
For ocean mail transportation in the
next fiscal year $22, 154, 900 is estimated
over l4,0O0.000 letters and post cards
have been distributed in transit in oul
International sea postoffices, and only
1,50O errors We're reported. Negotiations
are now pending looking to securinz
reciprocal benefits from Great Britain
in the way of securing a sea postofict
on the CUnard and White Star fines If
the near future. These two EnglisI
lines carry very large amount of mail
and will extensively profit by separa
ton Of mail in transit al d the conse
quent early discharge and delivery o.
mail by the harbor boat seryice a
New York.
Mr.. Shallenberger submits estimate.
for his entire service of $56, 944. 600 foI
next year, and says the estimated ex