The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-07

Arrangements for the Distribution o
Home Letters.
w West Letter in New York Post


Key West Letter in New York Post
The past week has seen the perfecting of
system of mail distribution for the fleet
in West Indian waters, and for the army on
Cuban soil, which will be of great service
and of great joy to many a man whose
thoughts turn away northward to the loved
ones at home
Through the kindly courtesy of Mr.. c. S.
Beaver. the chief clerk of the service be-
tween Jacksonville and Key West, your cor
respondent was enabled to learn something
of the SYSTEM the efficiency of which is in
large measure due to Mr.. Beavers long ex-
perience in. a similar capacity Oh the route
between Philadelphia and Pittsburg The
amount of mail matter handled represents
the mail matter of city of several hum
dred thousand Inhabitants Taking only the
camps at Jacksonville and Tampa, the fleet
from Key West to Santiago, and the troops
now In that vicinity there is represented
an army and navy of letter-writers compris-
ing probably $1,000 men, whose mail matter
VIII equal in amount that of a city of 500, 600
pee the postmaster at Jacksonville told
me that the outgoing mail from Camp Cuba
Llbre averaged 600 letters per day for each
regiment in the camp. This would probably
De Oe l Jar average for all. AS, Col. Egans
ONCE did not handle the inward mail for the
camp ne could give no definite idea of it's
quantity, but it is somewhat heavier than
the outward.
The separation and classification of the
mai Tor the army and navy begin prac-
, ucally when it leaves Washington and
with every stage of it's progress comes into
more and more of systematic condensation
until it reaches Key West, which is now
the ultimate postoffice on United States
separated from that for points further
southwark before 1t reaches jacksonville
It is also. separated from the local mail for
Jacksonville, and is distributed into differ
ent sacks and pouches according to the diff
ferent regiments in the camp. and so is not
subject to any handling in the Office at
work and the final system come into opera
ION! ION. Inc tampa mail is sorted out and
kept separate from the military mail, just
as 1t is at Jacksonville, so that the local
office is not burdened with the army mat
ter. That army matter is sorted out and
tied up for each company of every regi-
ment stationed in Tampa, the letters
pouched and lacked, and the papers sacked
ready for delivery TO the regimental post
master. rms position Is usually filled by
the regimental chaplain
WITH these two, camps disposed of, there
tined for the West Indian Meet ' and o for u the
troops engaged in Cuba. This mass has re-
celVed partial separation and assembling
in the mail cars along the route, but only in
general form. When the system is wholly
perfected a portion of the mail will go from
Jacksonville via Miami and the east coast
line, but at present the bulk of it goes by
the way of Tampa. AS steamer-days from
these two points alternate, there will be
constituted daily service to Key West, ex-
cept Sundays. The process of mail han
ding will be the same on both lines At
Tampa the mail for the navy and for the
army at the front is transferred from the
train to the steamer Mascotte of the Plant
line. the regular mail and passenger boat
to Key West To facilitate the work of the
department two large staterooms have been
Knocked into one and all berths and fixtures
removed. leaving a large room, which has
6een htted up with racks, pigeon holes, and
frames for supporting sacks and pouches.
In and around this room the matter is piled
as 1t comes from the train in truckload
after truckload. Here it is received by two
long experience. For the greater part Of the
eighteen hours of the run these men are
busy emptying sack after sack upon their
tables and with nimbe fingers sorting
bundling and pouching that mass of letters
ana papers which viii mean so many hours
others.
Upon one wall of the room is a set of
pigeon holes with compartment for each
ship plainly marked with the name of the
vessel / counted upward of 40 of the
spaces, and read the name of many vessel
of which / had never even heard. The let
tiers after being sorted into these pigeon
holes, are bundled III the usual manner of
the postoff1ce service, and deposited in their
proper pouches. The mail for the army is
treated in the same way, the unit of the
packages being the company organization.
Provision is made for commands which
made by the railway service on shore Each
car has what may be called a military d.
rectory, kept az accurately as possible by
means OF advices from the War Depart
ment. For instance, If G troop of the For
ty-Second has gone to Cuba, while ID troop
remained at Tampa, and A troop has been
sent TO Fort Mcpherson, this directory
would show the location of each and it's
mail would be forwarded accordingly. That
for c troop would go on board the Mascotte
for Key West, and be tied in its own special
package and, in company with that for the
other troops of the same command which
We're at the front. be forwarded TO that part
of the regiment wherever 1t might be.
AT Key West what may be called the
carrier service" begins. All being ready
for delivery. dispatch boats receive the
sacks and pouches. Mail for the vessels on
the Key West station Is delivered on board.
coed eastward and southwark. AS the car
rier delivers his load from house to house
so the dispatch boat delivers its sacks and
pouches along the line OF the blockading
fleet at Havana Then 1t goes eastward