The Washington times., 1901-09-16
MAIL CARS DISCONTINUED.
Electric Service and Ninth
street Lines Ended Yesterday.

The mail car service on the F and Ninth
Street lines, operated by the Washing
ton Traction Company. is permanently
discontinued this morning, and the old
mail wagon service again instituted. The
mail car service operated by the Capital
Traction Company will not be affected
but on and Ninth Streets the familiar
white cars will no longer be seen.
The order just issued by the Postoffice
Department is the result of a decision by
Postmaster John A. Merritt, who is un-
derstood to believe that the value of the
portion of the mail car service to be dis
continued is not commensurate with the
expense which is considerable. 1t is be-
lieved by the department that the return
to the old style of delivering mail by
means of the familiar red wagons will In
every way prove to be an Improvement
upon the present system.
As published IL The Times more than
n month ago, the original order of the
Postofiice Department was to go into
effect on August II, and the mail wagon
contractors engaged in the exchange Of
mals at the different points along the F
and Ninth Street lines were so informed.
The day before the order was to go into
effect the Postofice Department agreed
r
Traction Company an extension of the
time within which TO prove the value of
the service 1t Is understood that the
railroad company was very anxious FOR
its continuation. and that it brought con-
siderable pressure to bear upon the de
partment to this end. The order was held
up in the postofIice for a month. the
length of time granted the company TO
demonstrate If possible the advisability
of continuing the service. The Demon
stration could not have been entirely sat
isfactory. for commencing with this
morning the mail cars on the lines men
toned will be discontinued
In lieu of this service the department
has informed W. n. Catching, the con-
tractor for the screen wagon service. that,
reverting to the former method OF as
tributing mail. collections VIII De made
by wagon from the main Office To station
from the main office 10 Station u, and
from Station ID to the main office; from
Station g to the Pennsylvania Railroad
station, one way. and from station
to The baltimore and Ohio Railroad sta
tion, one way, upon the iollo"lhs sched-
Al 1875 a M. daily except Sunday, L
train : Baltimore ard Pittsburg Rail
road postofiicc: Il $3.50 p. m. daily except
cxcept Sunday and holidays TO train !.
New York and Grafton Railroad postoi-
fee: at : rs T.. m. daily, to tram BIC. New
York and Grafton Railroad postofhce'
Fast; al S:l5. daily. to train 3. baltimore
and Pittsburg Railroad pcstoficc.
The new order discJntinuing the rail-
| way mail cars in the city VIII probably
| a feet the delivery Of mains mcst partict-
| larlv at Tak1na Park, to which place the
new service goes into effect this morning
The mail viii bc taken to the suburban
fit, IN charge of Il motorman of the
Ninth Street car line. and viii hereafter
| leave the main Office in this city AT go
a m. and l:30 z. m. on week days. with
| the exception Of holidays. The return
| mail from TakoIla Park w!ll arrive ai
| Ninth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
| at about :45 o'clock p. m, with the tx
| ception Of Sundays and holidays This
/ gives Takoma Park two deliveries and
aQs cole ction OF mail dailX.