Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-05-02
THE POSTAL SERVICE
FOURTH CLASS OFFICES AND THEIR
MANNER OF OPERATION.

The Pay In These Offices Is AS Small
nH the Responsibility LIS Large-One
ORciaI Who Worked ON "Bu.iness
Principles"
First, second and third class postmas-
ters are paid regular salaries, but the
fourth class officers must rustic for their
own pay. Sometimes that is as low as
81 month and sometimes as high as $60
a month-that is, some offices send out
just that amount of Cancelled letters each
month, but the fourth class postmaster
is not allowed to keep the $50 a month !;
not at all. He keeps just SIG 1-3 as his
own clear cash, and every dollar over
that he divides up with Uncle Sam, Civ
ing him 40 out Of every 100 cents until
his office gets to the Importance Of can
ceiling over $33 a month; then he must
hand over 60 cents out of the dollar in
stead of 40. Out Of what Is left he pays
his Office rent, his light and fuel bills and
his clerk hire when sick or absent The
department furnishes nothing, not even
the box, except what stamps, postal cards
and other stamped paper he needs.
Very few fourth class Offices cancel
stamps TO either the great or small
amount l have named. The majority Of
them range from So to $50 a month.
When an Office averages about $40 a
month, then il becomes q money order
Office, and while its revenue toward the
postmaster's pay is not perceptibly in
creased by this addition his bond and re-
sponsibility are. Some years ago fourth
class postmaster was allowed percent
age on all stamps he sold above the can
collation., but il was found that he hus-
tied around and offered inducements and
q share of the proceeds to those who
would buy many stamps from him, and
the department shut down on this. Now
X he sells 81 worth of stamps day, but
only cancels on letters 10 cents worth, 10
cents is all he gets for that days work.
The remainder of the 81 at the end Of
the quarter goes to the department.
The fourth class postmaster is brought
in closer relationship with his patrons
than the postmaster Of salaried office,
and trials and tribulations are about the
extent Of his pay for this. he is expect
ed to be ready for a social chat with
them, to answer all questions, to write
many letters for those who cannot write
OF have left spectacles at home, to ad-
wise them as to the best papers or maga-
zines for which to subscribe, and SO ON
and so on. Besides this he is to blame
for all the mail lost or delayed. There
are always one or more women who nc
cuse him of opening their letters, and
then there Is the pompous citizen who is
very certain that he is careless with his
particular mail.
In the majority of these offices strict
ness is the rule. The fourth class post
master is called to task for neglect Of
the slightest duty, the same as though
the government was paying him a good
salary for his work. But in very small
Offices have heard of postmasters who
have Ii all their own way. The office is
TOO small for q new postmaster to be
easily found IL the old one is turned out,
the patrons will not allow it to be dis
continued, and so the postal authorities
turn away nonplused and leave him to
his own devices. ! heard of one postmas-
ter of this kind who shut up his Office to
attend anything he felt was worth while
attending. He would go off dozen
miles to a show, a prizefght or the coun-
ty fair and sometimes stay two or three
days, and there was no getting in his
Office either to get your mail or deposit
letters until he came back.
Another case was where, time and
again. the department had been made
aware Of gross irregularities in the man
agsment of one Office away in the wids
somewhere. At last an inspector was
ordered out TO look up the matter.
At the wayside station nearest this
postoffce the inspector learned that 1t
+, was kept by an old mountaineer named
Saunders, who owned everything in sight
around II, and on this account could
hold the Office against all applicants.
The inspector was forced to wend his
way afoot to the place. Its general Wild
ness caused a slight feeling Of apprehen-
sion in his mind, and he approached 1t
with some stealth, taking an inventory OF
It from behind tree. The Office was a
rough pine structure, in front Of which
sat a man as rough looking as the shanty
tilted back In splint bottomed chair
placidly smoking a pipe. Presently he
laid his pipe down and, pushing his hat
hack from his eyes, peered over In some
bushes beyond the Office, calling out as
he peered: 81 see you, Jim Larkin. You
needn't come sneakin aroun' here. I've
tole an tole you thet you can't hev no
mail as long as you owe me for them
taters you bought las fall Now git!
From behind the bushes a shaggy head
now popped up, and voice said plead,
ingly: Saunders, I've heern there's now
two letters here fur me-thet one tibet
come three months ago an one thet come
f'other day. I'd like to hev 'em. I'm
feered some of my folks Is sick. or they
wouldn't be a-writin SO often"
Mary a letter do you git till them
taters Is settled furw The postmasters
voice was decisive.
1--WE got part of the money to pay you,
an Mary said fur me to not dar come
home without them letters ef had to
wallup you to get 'em." And now Lar
kin advanced, holding out some silver
and disclosing himself as something akin
I'm build and age to Saunders. The post
master took the money and, going into
the house, came ont with one letter.
There's half your mail, Larkin," he
said. Now, ef you want tother hall
you'll hey to do what Mary said fur you
to do. Come on"
The next moment, without any pre-
liminary skirmishing, at one another they
went. In less than two minutes Larkir
was completely knocked out
-ThereP said the postmaster, brush
Ing the dust from off his check shirt and
overals. 81 nsed jes' a leetle sich exer'
else ev'ry dag to keep me in good health
Tell Mary ] feel so good over wallupin
you thet eff she comes over herself she
kin hev thet letter, an III scratch the
rest OF thet tater money off'n the book"
The inspector, feeling that In this cass
discretion was the better part Of valor
turned tracks and left without interview
Ing Saunders and reported him to Wash
ington as running his Office on business