The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-08-05
THE RIVER MAIL.

mail, the following letter to Senator
McEnery, and telegram to Senator
Gallery from the P. O. Department,
and forwarded by them TO Judge j, NJ.
Kennedy, will be of interest to the
community.
When the discontinuance of the
river mail wins mooted, Judge Kenne-
dy wrote to each of the Senators. re-
questing them t use their best efforts
to preys9tsiit
The result shows that their efforts
were without avail.
The communications show The stand |
point from which the Department
views the matter; and holds out hope
that the river route may be restored
in case the present star route service
should prove unsatisfactory:
WASHINGTON, July II. 1899.
Hon. S. D. McEnery, New Orleans, La;
Sir Il have the honor to ac6nowl-
edge receipt of your letter OF the 9TH
instant, with enclosure of letter from
Hon. j. M. Kennedy; and OF the letters
from MIR. j. L. Mcclellan, of Tallulah,
La. and Mr.. It. NJ. Miller Of New Or
leans, filed by you, protesting against
tho action of the Department in discon-
tinuipo the mail service on steamboat
route No. 471OO. Greenville to Nicks-
burg, Miss. Ia reply you are Informed
that such action was taken by the De-
partuent only after the most careful
and thorough consideration of the mat
ter, and after an agent Of the Depart
ment had visited the locality and had
zone over the steam 5ost route num-
Der Of times, and had personally in
spected the course of the routes which
have since been established to SUPER
sede the river service.
Upon his first inspection the repre-
sentative of the Department found that
there were twenty-one intermediate
offices being supplied OH the steamboat
route, and of these twelve had IN adj
dtion star supply of the frequency OF
at least six times q week. This left
but nine offices wholly dependent upon
the steamboat route for supply. The
AGENT became convinced that these
Offices could be given an efficient sup
ply BY land service. and OF the ire
oueuce of six times q week. while the
steamboat service was but three times
week in each direction, and often very
rregularly performed.
The star routes for the supply OF the
offices which, up to that time had 70
other than the steamboat supply. were
established as recommended by the
DEPARTMENTS agent, and thus gave to
all of the offices intermediate between
Greenvllle and Vicksburg daily, ex-
cept Sunday, connection directly to
and from railroad points, in close con-
nection with mail trains.
Both the star and the steam 5os'
routes were then permitted TO continue
for q while, when tho representative OF
the Department was again sent ovei
The steamboat route, and found that II
was carrying but g comparatively
small amount of mail, and that some
of that was beng delayed as a result
of being sent oyer it by postmaster:
who should have sent il instead by the
more expeditions star routes.
By tbs substitution of the star ser
vice tho Department has been enabled
to dispense with the steam boat service
with the service of two postal. clerks OF
the route, and with numerous incident
almail messenger. routes, resulting IN
, saving of nearly nine thousand dollars
per annum. =,
The Department believes that TIT
> STAR service is so arranged that even IL
4 time of overflow it will not be serious
ly interfered with. and even if inter
: ,upted for time that there will be NJ
. difficulty in securing the Temporal.
! service by steamboat which may be
: come necessary. and that the possl
: bility of the stoppage Of the star SCI
: vice by high water is not matter. Q
; sufficient importance to warrant III
i continuance of expensive steamooa
9 service, and its connected service
!. = sim ply for recourse in such emergency
;. The Department appreciates the lac
y that the maintenance of steamboat sci
= vice is very desirable for commerce.
. purposes, but does not feel JUSTIFIED
d under the law, in maintaining so lsrS
J a sum to maintain irregular mail sci
u vice on steamboats, without giving
:. fair trial to the system OF star route
y which contempiates greater freque enc
70 of supply at much less expense,
a If this arrangement shall prove IN
- practicable. after an actual test. IL
u Department will gladly give The ma
=, ter further consideration.
~ Very respectfully,
= w. S. SHALLENBEhGER,
Z Second Asst P. HI. Genera
70.
to WASHINGTON, D. c., July II, 1899.