Evening journal., 1899-02-13
NOVsMgST FOR BEYTVR SERYICE
BErTER FiAcaHaTrEs LIKELY BIZ
TWEEN THE POST OFFICE AND
RAILWAY STATION.

TWEEN THE POST OFFICE AND |
RAILWAY STATION.
Attention OF the public has been
called 10 the miserable condition OF
the wagons and horses used by Sub
Contractor George W. Thomas in his
work. I'D the reeponslbi.ty for such
a sta. - affairs was laid directly
the door q the government.
The matter reached the hg
cf tAa second assistant pSatrhus
genera az Washington ahout the sa--s
time as Postmaster Browne wrote TO
him on the subject, and last week he
instructed Post Oifce Inspector p. J.
Cummlns CT New York to visit this
cisy ana look ingo the matter and re-
port to him.
Mr. Cummins arrived here on Thurs
day last. and proceeding to the post Of
fee building. introduced himself to
Assistant Postmaster H. II. Billany,
After some talk with the assistant
postmaster, Mr. Cummins accCmpan-
led by Mr.. Billany. proceeded to the
residence OF Thomas on West Fourth
street. and made a thorough inspection
cf his wagons and horses. Mr. Cum
MINIS found the description
given OF Thomas equlTages 40
be only too true. he was amazed al
the condition Of the WAGONS
and the dilap.dated appearance
cf the harness. and expressed himself
surprised az the existing state OF
things
AS a result Of his inspection Mr..
: Cummlns Will submit a report TO the
second assistant p1snusier-eeuera
/ this week recommending thar the evil
be remedied al once. lie wi, advise a
thorough oGerhau.ing and rcpaung OF
the wagons new In use the purchase
OF entirely new sets Of harness and
any other repairs that he may deem
advisable. The inspector IS a.so IN ia
vor Of procuring other horses, and
thinks there should be four OF such
animals to do the work but as the AMI
mails now owned by Thomas although
net particularly speedy are capable 81
doing the required amoun, ci duly,
that suhj,ct viii. fgt bo tonehgd on az
present BY Ar Clmm.ns.
ln taking TO a reuurter ON tho
snbject. Mr. Cummins s-ltea that the
government should rlt be wholly
banned for the condition a affairs. as
Ia many Instances il was net kert
properly informed 81 the workings Of
its emp0yts. L "a customary. Die
said. TO .o, contracts for hauling mails
s.m..ar 10 the one nov he'd ~ W. n.
Mcguire Of Danvllle, Va, and that firm
W-uld be he'd respOnaib.e f1r The fall
ure 10 properly perform It's duties
! 1h-mns. he thcCght, was an honest
oolcrel man, and warted 20 do what
was right ia ihe matter. Mr.. Cummins
via report 10 Superintendent Bradley
OF Now York, thc head of his depart.
meuS. at once, and through him the
I matter VIII be ,lid before the prcpci
.rWhorlt.es.
Inspector Cummlns has q arse felt
I 60 cover I'm the performance Of hi.
I duties, as he Is In what Is known as
tthe second division Of the railway mai
o service, and his territory comprises
o New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersel
4 and Delaware, and part Of Maryland
and Virginia. He left for New lOrl
4 on Friday al neon.
The professional mail contracting
., firm 81 W. H. Mcguire & Co., of Dan
vile. Va. have evidently, througl
their agent. WOodson H. Mcguire 80
the best OF Sub-Contractor George w
Thomas The original contract draw
UP between this firm ard the govern
Il ment requires that Mcguire 6 Co. fur
nish new wagons and new harness a
4 the beginning OF every contract term
They are also compelled to furnisl
3. horses to do the work The firm ha
"a done neither of these things a
n Thomas states that two of the wagon
- turned over to him by the former Sub
Contractor Steele were at ieast tw'
years old. and that the thirds ag
would be hard to estimate The horse
y now In use by Thomas are his owl
d personal property the former one
y having died on his hands.
" In the contract drawn up betwee
d the Magulres and Thomas the latte
II agreed to buy the horses turned owe
20 him by the contracting firm. tn
stipulated price he agreed to pay wa
sl3S for the dere.iots. $50 to be pai
- In October, 1899, $50 IN October. 190i
|, and the balance In June. 1901 al th
I, expiration OF his term. AS an induce
ment to purchase these two grl
horses and one bay horse" Maguir
& Co. agreed to pay Thomas $3.50 pc
year. but instead OF giving him the eS
n. ira amount the extra $50 was to be an
10 piled to the purchase OF the now dc
s. funrt animals and was retained froi
'r the sum named.
al AS Maguire's original contract wit
y the government requires them TO ful
b. nssh horses. and as there is no claus
in their sub-cOntract with Thoms
d. Whereby he agrees to furnish animal
q. George is thinking seriously OF charl
M Ing the firm so much per day for tf
Iy use Of his own horses now in service.
AT any rate the citizens OF Wi
mngton viii soon be blessed vii
the sight OF remodeled mail wagon
new harness and IL. is trusted, a MOI
juvenile set Of horses.
Pianos $50 and $780, Ludwig & @
er SIS Shlpley street Red Mems Hah.