The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-04
PLEA OF POSTAL CLERKS.
Their Argument In support Of a Bill
Before Congress.
Wa shington Times.

Washington Times.
The railway postal clerks are using ev.
cry effort to secure the passage of the bill
which is designed to tighten their labors
1t introduced in Congress by Mr..
Tawney, of Minnesota. They have issued a
statement of the work performed by them,
and they earnestly hope that this will be
instrumental in helping to secure for them
the desired measure of relief. The state
ment is in part as follows:
1.-The labors of the railway mail clerk
are so arduous that he cannot work con-
tinuously. The strain of body and brain
on every trip is very exhausting. Trains
upright position while devoting every en-
ergy to his work Is very difficult. and lift
ing heavy mail sacks taxes his strength
to the utmost. He is allowed lay-offs as
an absolute matter of necessity two or
three days in a week at intervals to re-
cuperate, but even when off duty he must
study and keep posted on changes in time
tables and schemes Of distribution Of malls.
He must keep himself fully advised as
to the condition of his run, keep the chief
clerks advised as to his address and not
put himself out of reach without special
permission.
1.-THE magnitude of the railway postal
service In this country by far the greatest
in the world. may be gathered from the
report of the general superintendent of the
railway-mail service. On June 80. 1885, there
were 1,26S postoffice lines of all kinds
railroad. electric, cable and steamboat
in the United States, manned by SOFA clerks
appointed to the service. These clerks COW
cred 2S5. 563. 343 miles in the year, using
3,649 cars and steamer apartments. They
distributed 12.S17. 19S, 10 pieces of mail, be-
sides T.oT,70S packages, cases, and sacks
of registered matter. In handling this
enormous quantity Of mail there were only
LIP. ABB errors in distribution.
THE work of the postal clerk is per-
formed under hazardous conditions. Dur
ing the last year there were 597 casualties,
seven of which were fatal Congress has
made no provision for families of railroad
clerks who are killed or permanently in
Jured while on duty, but as far back as
1880 the United States Railway-mail Serv-
ice Benefit Association was organized, its
object being to provide pecuniary relief to
the widows, orphans or other beneficiaries
of its deceased members.
ANY person not over forty years of age
and connected with the railway branch of
the service, either by commission or APP
pointment, is eligible to become a member.
The membership numbers more than 1900,
and beneficiaries are paid $1,000. The Ma
tional Association of Railway Clerks has
also recently created an accident insurance
department, which pays SIS a week for in
jury that incapaciates a member for serv-
Ice. and $1,000 in case of death by accident.
1.-The working system of the railway pos
tai service has not been changed since
1SS2-the date of its organization being in
the early seventies-but each year has seen
the service grow and extend its limits to
the edges of new settlements until 1T now
covers the whole country. Salaries are
long since so inadequate for the labor re-
quired and for the modern expenses of
living that the postal clerk of to-day is
said not only to be the hardest worked but
the poorest paid employe in the govern
ment
1.-The postal service antedated its actual
organiza ton, its beginning being an inven-
ton of the civil war through the govern
road trains and steamboats, to soldiers in
camp and on the march,