The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-01
SEATTLE, THURSDAY, MARCH 4
The Yukon Mail Service.


The board of trade OF Dawson City
and the leading business houses at that
place have addressed a communication
to the postmaster general Of the United
states protesting against the depart
ment ruling that mail contractors shall
carry to Alaska and the Yukon district
letters only upon which first class
postage has been paid. They allege that
while the Canadian Development Com
pany is obligated by contract to deliver
700 pounds OF mail matter per week. the
average weight of the letters taken in
has been about $50 pounds II IL there
fore requested that the postofiice de-
partment see that the full quantity
specified In the contract Is transported
to the North. and that supple
mentary contract be entered into so
tina. all mail matter upon which first
class postage has been paid shall be
forwarded to its destination without de-
lay Attention has been called 90 the
fact that under the revised statutes "ali
mail matter deposited for mailing upon
which full rates OF postage has been
pafd. as required by law. shall be for
warded to its destination" and the
stand how the postal department has
authority TO decide that mail matter for
the Yukon district shah be restricted to
'1etters only
The handling OF mails directed to the
mining camps OF the North has not been
as satisfactory as II might have been.
but It lis generally conceded that during
the past year there has been much inn
provement In the service. while the
government has been tardy at times. Il
has shown disposition 20 establish a
service that Is reasonably fair, when all
the surrounding conditions are taken
into account There have been delays.
and contractors have not always per-
formed the work agreed upon: but In
view OF the fact that the country is re-
mote and transportation during the
winter dtifleult II could hardly be ex-
pccted that the mail facilities could be
such as are enjoyed IN thickly settled
parts of the country where railroads
may be utilized by the government
II the contractors are not carrying
in AS much mail matter as they have
bound themselves 10 do. they should be
called 10 account and made to do what
they agreed 90 do. that for which the
government stands ready TO pay them.
There can be no difference OF opinion
on this point The carrying OF mail
other than letters Is another matter II
Is doubtful II the government could un-
dertake 20 transmit 10 It's destination all
mail matter of every sort upon which
FIRST class postage had been paid Il
would require sn outlay which. II can be
said in all fairness. is not warranted
hy the circumstances An ordinary
magazine weighs pound and can be
aent over the ordinary NATL routes for
a few cents. For carrying the same
weight 60 Dawson by dog team express
a charge OF s. Ia now made Taking
these transportation rates into consid-
Grafton. IL can be seen easily what the
government would have % meet In the
way OF expenditure II Il undertook TO
carry 10 the North all mail matter upon
which first class postage had been paid.
The United states pays now, II we are
rot mistaken. something like sSoo for
a semi-monthly winter service to paw-
xy, and the Yukon valley. This pays
for the transportation Of letters alone
II everything bearing first class postage
was carried in. it is likely that a sum
nearer $500. 900 would not be more IMAM
sufficient 10 maintain the service
The yukon mail routes In winter nave
rot been classed with the ordinary
postal routes throughout the country