Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-02-16
,orrlcIAL PAPER OF THE CITY.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEB. 10, 1898.
FREE MAIL DELIVERY.
No. J

w ~ ""
FREE MAIL DELIVERY.
Boulder, Colorado, has been given
free delivery of postal matter, by the
postofice department.
This is no concession on the part OF
the government, but is simply a matter
of right under law. Whenever the
gross receipts OF any Office aggregate
$4,000, that Office is entitled to aud
can demand free delivery of mail. This
is the law of the land, and no official of
the postoffice department. can prevent
such delivery when the conditions are
complied with, and no friend of the
town can secure sush delivery, when
the condition have not been complied
with. Hence, the effusive gratitude of
the Boulder people to their member of
congress for securing this boon for
them, is a little over done.
Las Vegas could easily have free de-
livery, were the two postofices united.
In round numbers, the income of the
old town postofice is $500, tho In
come of the new town Office is $1,000.
This gives us the $4,000 required and
a good large margin to spare.
But the first step is the union of the
two offices. Until this is done, free
delivery is impossible. The East Las
Vegas office now stands In the highest
row of third class Offices. During the
administration of the present incum-
bent, the salary of the Office has been
twice advanced, owing to the increase
in receipts of the Office of more than
$4,000 per mum Beginning on July
LIST, 1898, the salary of the new town
office will be 1890. The next step will
put the office in the second class. This,
however, does not give free delivery.
AS already said, the receipts Of an
Office must not be less than $4,000 to
secure the free delivery of mail.
This amount the combination of both
offices will have. 1t needs but the an
nouncement of the p~ostoffice depart
ment that the two offices in the one
town of Las Vegas have been combined
when at once the combined postoffices
become of the second class, with free
deliver aud all the other advantages.
In a third class Office, such as both Of
the Las Vegas offices now are, the gov
eminent furnishes next to nothing.
The present appropriation for the east
side office, the larger of the two, is 500
a year for clerk hire. just think what
kind of clerk can be had in this couRtry
for So per week. The appropriation
for rent is SIS, while the present room
costs $50. For lights and fuel, the
government pays $5S, while the lights
alone cost S45, leaving but $13 a year
for fuel. Other expenses, sach as
water, janitor's fees and the like, as
well as the deficiency in appropriations,
the postmaster must meet out Of his
salary. Then, too. the postmaster in an
office of the third class, must own or
rent the postofice fixtures, costing him
fully 500 a year.
In q second class office, all these
things are changed. The government
furnishes everything = building, fix
lures, light, water, clerks hire and car
riers when the free delivery water.mark
has been reached. Such would be the
cordition of the Las Vegas Office, had
we n instead of two.
AS soon as the department shall an
nounce the consolidation of the two
Offices, the one Las Vegas postofice
becomes of the second class and entitled
to free delivery. The government will
then call for bids for location. the bid
to include lights, water, building and
fixtures, at a designated annual rent,
say for five years. Amongst. the bids
offered, the government will select
what is considered the most advantage
eous for the combined business of the
two old Offices. Then such building,
whether to be erected or to be supplied
with furniture, will be gottsn ready in
the shortest time possible. In the
meantime, the postmaster OF the cor,
solidated offices will appoint, probably,
three clerks and three carriers, who
after appointment will be under the
civil service administration.
Instead of sending 5000 or $4,000,
and probably more, every year from
Las Vegas to meet the deficiencies of
the general department, the ~postofice
would then spend annually almost its
entire receipts here at home. But this
would be a small matter compared with
the general benefit to the postal service
in this city.
The question now arises, Why are
not the offices united? Both parts Of
the town have %petitioned to have this
done, and yet it is not done. What is
the reason? THE OPTIC fears there is
some secret but powerful influence
working with the present admicistra-
tion. What is it?
ONE town. one paper. one pOgt0fiee