The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-10-26
Washington Time

manner to ship anything under a frank
that cannot be packed in the special
boxes or In the mail sacks which are
provided for documents. Formerly
furniture, desks, trunks and even bug
gies and carriages were franked home
in mail cars.
Nowadays we seldom come across
anything of that kind, except an Occa-
sional trunk or two. 1t is also no
longer considered a fair thing for a
congressman TO send his laundry or
family wash TO his home and have II
returned under his frank. There used
to be a member from Indiana who was
addicted to this habit. He had a
family OF about five children, and yet
after two terms he retired with about
$40. 600. which he had saved out of his
salary. One of his daughters acted as
his private secretary, another was a
clerk in one of the departments, and a
small son was a page at the capitol.
The entire family practiced rigid econo-
my, and among other things the con-
| gresham each week franked home his
family washing. OF course. he did not
save much by the operation. but in the
course of four years service IL must
have amounted TO at least $500. / have
heard he was one of those members
who constantly use their committee
stationery and draw their allowance Of
$125 for such in cash.
1--WE used to have considerable diff
Guilty with household furniture. A
folding bed or a lounge is not a de-
sirable object in a postal car. 1T is
bad enough to have the car filed with
bags of documents or boxes Of goods,
| hrrN nh n -
tables, boxes of -brac, and other
things OF that character, including
! china closets and kitchen utensils. one s
patience is tried to the limit. I have
heard of a member of congress who
once franked home an upright piano.
| The clerks were so enraged at his pre-
sumption that a heavy box was al
| lowed to drop, accidentally Of course,
upon the lid, which was split open.
Then a leaky lamp was hung right over
/ the piano. and by the time IL reached
its destination. il was very badly dam
aged. OF course, the member had no
! recourse, as he could not make a com
plant about the treatment his piano
received when he was clearly violating
the law"
What is the most difficult shipment
you have knoWn?" the reporter in
quired.
We'll. we have had many difficult
and peculiar jobs in that line" the
postoffice employes responded.
Probably the worst job / ever had
TO tackle was when a retiring senate!
franked home a safe. In his committee
room at the capitol he had a fine anc
large safe, which had been purchased
for the use of his committee. but which
had been condemned and sold 10 him a
an inhnitesimal price. II weighed
nearly 1000 pounds. All the senator die
was TO place an address and franz
upon it and notify the officers Of th'
senate postoffice TO come in and get il
They got it all right. but the gettinl
was accomplished by much swearing
What the clerks in the postOfiice wher'
it was shipped said when il landed,
have never heard. I think il was no
delivered by a letter carrier.
1--WE have had some queer request
in regard TO shipping Of franked mat
ter. Just few days ago representa-
tive from a western state brought
handsome fox terrier TO the ofnee
which he wished to frank 10 his home
We persuaded him the dog might suffe
from inattention en- route and he sen
IL by express. There is a member o
the senate who was once accused, &C
cording 10 the public press, OF frankini
home his horses and carriages. I an
not saying whether this Is true or mol
but the hullabaIoo which was raise'
by the publication Of the charge pre-
vented a repetition OF the abuses Of IN
franking privilege since the passage o
the new law. More than 1000 bOxe
have already been shipped 10 differen
parts of the country. together wit
more than this number OF bags Of pub
lie documents, which will be distribute
by the members during the summe
season. Their total weight viii b
about 100000 pounds and the shipmer
will average 1000 pounds. or ten ton
per day. AS il costs Z cents a pound o
the average you can see that the post
Office department eXpends a consider
able sum every year in moving the ef
fects of the members Of congress"
I How is IL that no complaint
nade2 IL would seem that the en-
ployes or some Of the department OF
Gals would call attention Of congres
TO this situation"
You see, it's this way. Congress
makes the law and congress apprOpr
ates the money 10 run this depart
ment Now. il is a matter OF sma
concern TO me. to any other employ
OF the department, or TO the postmast'
; general. IL congressman wants 70 shi
, a house under a frank. while IL is a
, | important matter that congress shOu
, +. be satisfied with the administration
) the postOffice department. Suppose
! should complain that congressma
2 I Blank is using his frank improper
4 and the complaint reaches the ears {
r the congressman. He might ciscov'
: that the department could do witnol
my efficient services. and night