The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-19
POSTAL CARS FINAL TEST.
Mr.. Shallenberger Explains ExteE-
sion of a Lapsing Contract.
Upon Promise of Improved Service
the POstOfiice Department Granted
n Six Weeks Further Trial-More
Direct Connections Contemplated.

w. S. Shallenberger Second Assistant
Postmaster General, in discussing the
proposed discontinuance of the mail car
service on Ninth and + Streets. said last
night that there was no good reason why
this city could not have mail car ser
vice that is efficient and remunerative
both to the Postoffice Department and to
the street car companies operating the
lines which carry the mail cars.
The system is in good working order
in all the larger cities of this country.
continued Mr.. Shallenberger, and surely
this city is populous and large enough to
have the benefits of the same service.
The Postoffice Department makes con-
tracts with street ear lines for mail car
service extending over period of four
years. The contracts with the Washing
ton companies have expired, and as far as
the Ninth and F Street mail car service is
concerned, 1t was the intention of the
Postofilce Department not to renew the
contract, which expired last week, as the
small quantity of mail matter which was
handled by these two lines did not justify
the department in renewing the contract
for another term of years.
I'VE notified the Washington Traction
Company to that effect. whereupon their
representative called on the First Assist
ant Postmaster General and made prop
ostions to improve the service to such
degree as to make 1t profitable to both
parties. Several suggestions were made
by the companys representative, and the
idea of putting in d number of loops was
discussed so as to connect number of
mail collection points.
-AAother very hhpoieaiit iuea pios'Seo
was to lay tracks between the Postofiice
Department and the PENNSYLVANIA Rail-
road dsnot On ,ba, tho incoming nd out
-. -, - -, p-.,,.s,t, p,;,-
soiiis man over .he fe"nS' ann"
road lines could be loaded on mail cars
directly in the Postoffice building This
would contribute to innrove the service
w.. 80 - IA 90 ~ ;roor,a Of tho
anu "ouiu diso duu W the i'i'oiiie VI INC
company operating the mail car system
since their pay is regulated by the num-
ber of miles trsversed
..,.s -. .a,'.asa,,..,or. 70 m. pos,-
IN inahihe repi esehsa'io " .ie os.
once department not 10 discontinue the
service, the street car company claimed
that they had gone to considerable ex-
- a., ,,,,ita,,s., ,,,o ,,,au o,rs .coord-
pehse IN Dniiuihs the man cars accoiu,
ing 10 spechicatioils anu rules Iurhisheu
by the PostOfiice Department. They claim
that should the service be discontinued
n would entail financial Ioss uDon them
- 49," -. - -.
py reason Oh the cars not being Oh any
use to them for other purposes than those
for which they We're expressly built They
further contend that If tho letter oar
-. -, s-,,...,.- -, -, a.
"Fs "hei coilec'ihs lie man "otiiu oe-
post the same in the mail cars, instead
of carrying it to the more distant sub
stations as il is claimed they are now
,,i,,., =. ~ I..;,,,,,t 80 .,a ..,,,,.,,,, ~,
u"ihs' l" the e'iiiisN' VI inc SCI ''SS' the
department would De Justihed IN renewing
the contracts
The representative OF the street car
company made several suggestions where
by he Claimed the service could be i'm
proved sufficiently to warrant continu-