The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-12
THE RAILWAY MAIL CLERK
An indispensable Employee of the
Postofiice Department.
Some of the Important Duties Per-
formed by the Men Who Handle
Letters on Trains-A Hnrd-Work-
ed Class of Government Servants.

"" 'S-fN h"ru- " ork-
Gu CLASS OF Government servants.
Sn,,,,,u
~, .1.i9 =, 49, " .'.o 90 !" ~
tbe o.,io,a1. ~ - = III -
-, 80 VI INC os'o4iiee Dsp''i 'ii'eiie
=. II, -
-, - aie uesIe na'ioN Vi q
,ostofioe lass
- ,,a.u,,' -, ~ ...',. Wy
-, 80 ~ -, 5000 ''r,s pte
49, o,,,,,,,,,.s - - -, l. -
,o,,,s .i,, ~ .,,.,,,s,..,. -
| - a. ,..,,-,,,,.,.to - $3.50 -.
Sc, ,,,ti.. ~, = ,,,,se..,.
81 r. .,1,,,t;, - .s.,..
,nce
..-rbe n,,rpber NJ tbssa o.-ar+s bas hos,,
| nroe,ressivet,, i,creased 4, ,,ro,o,tio,, ,,i,h
! the .sxtension of railroods ,rd -tte,, orc
now ennIoved ,,nor pe,,1x, oil tbesa roads
in this co,,,tr,. &c nil a.. ~, a., 49,. &c
! rho staornhoats uh,c,, corr, ,he r,oiIc
..Rv ,ba terms az o,rtroo, ,,,i,h .,,,,
raiIroad co,nrar, "a &c r.,,,,,ir.,7 .. ,,,,,i,
a suitable car so,. tbe me-, or the, ,,,,i1 o.
ror,ta agent who, 60 ro,,,,astad h,, che
Postoftice Denartment tn, ,s,e,,. ,,co,,-
Mics this tra,eline, rostcmoo e1s III 90.
receives and daIi,.ers ,naiIs 80, a.
route. assorts and ei,,o., 49, $500, It,
all
b,e barls I'LL, ,,o,
ed him and accor, No ,,ies The Ill =,
their transit between tho nostoftica and
the railroad stat;o, -. r,,I,o,. =. ~
-, - .t 80 % ''''i'i"O'' al eAie
terminus VI the route.
1t is too often the case that persons Of
influence, in proposing a candidate for
this responsible most greatly undervaI,,e
tho natnro ard ;r,,,,rta,,oe 20 - ,,,.,a,.
-. ~ 20 Gnu i'iipoi 'aiee VI we uuties
u. n
Voive merely the mocha meal lsoor of de-
livering mail bags at the different nostof
flee statione ,,,o,, ,ba ro,,,a tn. 60. =.
49, LIZ u'S' i"e lat -
that the successful working of our postal
machinery depends in no small degree
upon the active faithful and Intelligent
discharge of tho route osorts, a,,t,o.
VI INC ou'e aseh.s uutles.
Mucn care ana thorough knowledge
of the topography of the sections
of the country through which tho
ro,,.o ,,o. - -, -
iou'e nes' DIS wen as tnat OF
more distant portions, are therefore
required for giving letters and other
packages a direction nv which tba,y will
.oo,,., -. ,1s.:....
ieSSn 'heh uesliiia' ioh III tiie shoftest
possible time And that essential preiim-
mary, the ascertaining where given
package is TO go. is a matter NOT always
go. 80 ,o,,,,s,,t;,t,., r., ~ -,
" "piiSiiiieH.. 'Oi 'iie h"os'
skiilful interpreters OF the species OF chi
ten taxed TO their utmost canacity of
1esrnire,. and axner;e,,c. Il, ,be e,,Ies,,or
-. - .-.e as
10 ueclpher the outside addresses OF pack
ages which they are required to 'distrib-
ute without loss of time.
Furthermore, in consequence of the
improvements constantly progressing in
many parts of the country and the fire.
quent changes in railroad, steamboat, and
stage connections resulting from that and
other causes, what would be correct dis
friI. ion dax nfeEt no II
next. The old adage the longest way |
round is the shortest way home is often I
literally true in the sending OF mail mat
ter for steam occupies less time in ac- I
compIishins a circulation route of a h IN :
dred miles than horses in passing over a 4
direct one of twenty. on the other hand, /
by stage should be adopted instead of a !
short one by railroad owing to a want of /
the proper railroad connections
when ali these demands upon the /
vigilance and ability If the rorte agent
are exercised N will be obvious that il !
would be difficult to estimate the amount
Of injury that the nubIic might receive
from the eInplovnerit of a careless. in
efficient or illiterate person In this no
sition
Among the Postmaster General in
structio1s TO route agents is one reuuir-
ing them TO receive and mail all letters !
written after the closing Of the mail at
the places where the writer's reside and
before its departtire This privilege in !
tended solely for the Recommendation of /
those who are T,revented nv n.ay,oidabIa
circumstance from denosifino their LET
ters in the nostoffice has bae1 rsed m n
degree formerly never dreamed of nv The
Tardv and indoIent corra-
who can save a few stems Inv
taking their letters 10 a mail car or
steamboat Instead of TO the nroner nlaca
of deDostt n postoffice find the hard
worked roiite agent an Invention s,inoir-
abIv calculated 10 facilitate Tho indIIIa-
ence of their law habits and do not
scr,Iple TO avail themselves of The onnor.
tunitv IN the utmost extent
There is also a numerous cIass xrbo
entertain feelings of hDstility toyya ri tt,air
for various reasons. MOI in
frequently from the failure of THEW own
or those of their friends to oh
tain the office which he holds These
persons show their resentment bv wttb
holding their mail matter from the most
office and thus cheating the inrumhent
ont of his lawful commissions. In carry
ing out this plan they make the 5-oute
agent an Innocent accessory. by placing
ali their correspondence in his ear iust
before the departure of the train. thus I'M
Increasing his labor for the
Another class, fully persuaded of the