The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-01-26
THE RAILWAY POSTAL CLERKS
CAUSE.

with I he bill now before congress for
the classification of railway postal
clerks, and believes congress should
take the matter up and push it through
as soon as possible The present CLASH.
fication has been in effect since 1881 and
certainly does not now. when we take
into consideration the great growth of
the railway postal system, do justice to
the. men. The service was then in
a crude state, the distribution was not
complex, nor the physical duties so
arduous. An injustice was also worked
in 1885, when on account of shortage
of funds, clerks who were entitled to
received $1,000 and 81, 400 annually.
were cut 10 81, $50 and 81. 300, and the
old schedule has not been reinstated.
The classes affected are those on what
is known as the full r. P. o. lines, such
as the Omaha line from st. Paul to
Sioux City. All that the clerks desire
is that these features be made right
and this is what the bill now before
congress will do, At present there are
five classes with salaries at $500. 5000,
81, 900, ST., $50 and $1,000 respectively.
The new bill provides for ten classes.
Two of these classes are of those desig
mated as chief clerks, who have charge
of several lines; the other eight classes
provide salaries ranging from $500 for
class to 81, 500 for class 8. 1t will be
seen that while the new bill provides no
grea er compensation for the clerk at the
beginning, he is better paid as he gains
in knowledge and experience.
The claim for this increased salary
would seem to be based upon good and
sufficient grounds, being the similarity
of the requirements to that of profess
sion. Take run like that referred to
over the Omaha line from St. Paul to
Sioux City. Before one is proficient on
this line he must memorize by states
the postofices therein and their loca
ton, knowing not less than SO per cent
thereof, the quickest means of forward.
ing the mail thereto and the schedule of
trains carrying mail, either closed or
open. This embraces the whole or part
of some nine states, and the number of
postofices therein aggregate over H.
900.
It is impossible for the average per-
son to do this, and also all of the duties
that are required of him while on the
road, in much less than three and half
years. And the manner of acquiring
this is not like other studies The loca-
ton of one postoffice does not suggest
that of another. Each one must be To-
Gated individually from sheer force of
memory. Aud to do this is most ex-
hausting work, and it is impossible for
the average person to study and mem
orIze these postofices and schedules
over three hours each day before he be
comes mentally exhausted. In fact the
nature of this work is such that to be-
come proficient in it, units man for
other lines of business in life.
Further than this, the strain upon
the physical endurance of postal clerk
is tremendous, and he must be strong
and vigorous physically in order to en-
dure it. 1t is the rule rather than the
exception that the railway postal clerks
are compelled to stand on their feet con-
tinuously and labor fourteen hours day
and this does not include much that has
to be done in the car before and after
the trip is made 1t is often the case
on runs leaving large centers that clerks
begin work in the yards directly afte
dinner and stand on their feet incesss
~ until the end of their run of 1907 nj,
or mora at 500 or 900 o'clock th q no
morning. And all this time b 10 mi;
must be active and alert ane he mn
| be able to handle pouche' 4 weight,
| from few pounds to not less than ty
hundred. The through mail must
correctly distributed nd the local ma
and that of connect lng lines proper
dispatched.
Then there is the matter of expens
The clerks are away from home on 6