The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-04
Second Assistant Postmaster General
of Opinion that Mails Should BE
Separated Trains.
MUCH TIME MIGHT BE SAVED
II LETTERS WE'RE SORTED FOR
CARRIERS BY RAILWAY CLERKS.
Fast Service Across the Pacific Ocean
Necessity-RepOrt of the Acting
Governor of Hawaii.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-The annual re-
port of Second Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral William S. Shallenberger, made public
to-day, urges regular, direct fast mail serv-
ice between the Pacific coast and the ORR
ent, the re-establishment of pneumatic tube
service generally and the closer separation
of city mail by postal clerks on railway
trains rather than by clerks of the mailing
division after it's arrival in the general post
office. Under the last named proposition
the entire force engaged in distributing the
mail ready for the carriers would be under
one management and congestion in post
Office considerably overcome by the tempo
rary detail of railway mail clerks off duty.
The city distribution in postal cars has
been assumed entirely by the railway mail
service, supplanting the former practice OF
having clerks from the city postoffice go
out some distance on the road to meet in
coming trains. Constant demands are now
being made for still closer separation by
having the railway mail clerk or superin-
tendent in charge take the outgoing mail
from the public and see that 1t is expedl-
tiously dispatched, and also deliver the In
coming mail properly made up for the car
riers. Mr.. Shallenberger suggests for the
present test of the practical operation or
receipts are half million dollars or more
a year.
The Postoffice Department has no con-
tract for direct mail service between the
Pacific coast and the Philippines mails
being carried by government transports or
by steamers to Hong-kong and thence by
steamers of other countries to Manila. IL
now seems probable" says the report,
that if this government should Withdraw
its transports, may be done at any time,
with the understanding that its passenger
a N ST
increas sing volume of its mails, might go to
the steamship company that would submit
the most satisfactory proposal for quick
and regular service, favorable contract
could be secured The mail service and
commercial interests would be greatly ad-
vanced by fast mail steamers adherlng
strictly to schedule time between the Pa
cific coast and Manila, and calling at other
ports at regular intervals under contract
with this government
The request for $500 900 appropriation for
pneumatic service is renewed, a basis
for the beginning of the service, which,
when fully established, 1t Is stated, VIII IN
volve an annual expenditure of approx
mately $S00.000 The department expresses
it's opinion and that of the commission of
experts that investigated the subject that
the outright purchase of the system should
not be considered by Congress, pending
more complete test.
The report shows that on June 80 last
there were 267,357 miles of star route serv-
ice 1873 $50 of railroad routes, 1918 of rail-
way postoffice car routes and almost 1000
miles of electric and cable car routes. The
annual rate of expenditure for all classes
of domestic mail transportation service has
increased $3.50 2S5 since last year. 1t is
contemplated that the new contracts for
star mail service beginning next July, shall
provide for delivering mail into boxes along
nearly all Of the routes. The practice OF
granting to contractors general permission
to sublet their star route service has been
discontinued. There were S25 casualties in
the railway mail service during the year.