The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-04-09
THE POSTAL SERVICE

THE POSTAL SERVICE
FOURTH CLASS OFFICES AND THEIR
MANNER OF OPERATION.
The Pay In These Omces Is as Small
az the Responsibility Is Large-One
Official Who Worked ON "Business
Principles"
First, second and third class postmas-
tiers 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 $50
. 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 / have named. The majority of
them range from So to $40 a month.
When an Office averages about $40
month, then it becomes 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 a percent
age on all stamps he sold above the can
collation., but it was found that he hus-
tied around and offered inducements and
a share of the proceeds to those who
would buy many stamps from him, and
the department shut down on this. Now
il he sells 50 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 50 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 a salaried office,
and trials and tribulations are about the
extent Of his pay for this. He is expect
al IN he ready for social chat with
thar to answer all questions. to write
,,eny lot+ors for those who cannot write
A. have left snectacles at home. TO adj
vice +bon, &C n the hest naners or maya
zines for which to subscribe. and so on
and co on BESIDES This he is to blame
Tor oil tho mail lost or DELAYED There
arc always one or more women who ac-
cusa him Of onenino their letters. and
tben tbera il the nomnous citizen who is
very certain that he is careless with his
rart;cpIar mail
Tn the mo ioritv of those offices strict
moss Is the rnle. The fourth class post.
master IL called to task for neglect of
+ba SLIGHTEST dutv tbe same as though
tbe government was having him a good
solorv for b;s WORK Rut in very small
ofg,cos T have hoard of nostmasters who
have i ali their own wav The Office is
+oo email for a now nostmaster TO be
aoS;lv fonnd IL the old one is tnrned out.
tbo natrons will not allow If 10 be dis
continued and so the postal authorities
t,,rn away nonnlnsed and leave him to
his own devices. | heard of one postmas-
ter of this kind who shut up his office to
sttend ANYTHING he felt was worth while
attending He would go off dozen
miles to = show. a prizefight or the coun-
~ fair and sometimes STAY two or three
Ssvs and there was no getting in his
ofT;ce either TO ret your mail or deposit
letters until no came hack.
\
again the denartment had been made
aware Of gross Irregularities in the man
.gament NJ one Office away in the wilds
.omewhere. At last an inspector was
ordered out to look ND the matter.
At the wayside station nearest this
rostof;ce the inspector learned that it
was kent by an old mountaineer named
Saunders who owned everything in sight
around f and on this account could
hold the Office against all applicants.
The inspector was forced to wend his
wav afoot to the place. Its general wild
ness caused a slight feeling of apprehen-
sion in his mind. and he approached it
With some stealth. taking an inventory of
r. from behind a tree. The Office was a
rougb nine structure. in front of which
eat q man as rough looking as the shanty
TIf,s3-hack in 4 splint bottomed chair
nlacidly smoking a pipe. Presently he
laid his nine down and. pushing his hat
hack from his ewes. peered over in some
bushes bevond the Office. calling out as
he neered: 81 see Won. Jim Larkiu. You
needn,t come sneakin aroun' here. I've
tole an tole YOU thet YOU can't hey no
mail "a long as Won owe me for them
taters Won bought las fall. Now gitr
From behind the bushes a shaggy head
now nonped mn. and voice said plead
inplv. Islanders. I'VE heern there's now
two letters here fur me-tbet one tibet
como ,braa months ago an one tibet come
t,other dav I'd like TO hey 'em. I'm
soered some NJ INV folks is sick. or they
wouldn't he a-writin SO often"
s.Norv letter do Won git till them
+stors l. se+tied furn The nostmaster's
vo;ce was decisive.
s.I,ve cot mart Of the money TO nav Won.
Nor ss;d fur mo to not dar' come
,r-.II,,n ro,, ~ GOT ,an, And now Lar
hin advanced. holding out some silver
and disclosing himself as something akin