The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-29
NEW POSTAL METHODS.
Burned Mail Now Advertised by the
Department..

Department
Washington Letter in Boston Transcript
Four days after a recent accident on a
railroad in the middle West. the Daily Bull
letin issued by the PostofAce Department
for the information OF the postal service
and the public contained notice describ-
ing the train. giving the date and place OF
the disaster. and adding:
The postal car was destroyed by fire. In
volving the loss of all the mail excepting
a portion OF the second. third and fourth
class matter
This mail originated principally in Mis-
souri,. Indiana and Ohio. and was destined
for points in the Eastern and Northern
states District OF Columbia, Maryland.
Virginia, Canada and foreign mail via New
York. y. Y"
Some years ago the people at large would
have been left 10 fird out such particulars
for themselves as best they could Capt
James E. White. the general superintendent
of the railway mail service. however. de-
cided that 1t would be a good plan TO ad-
vertise matters Of that sort as widely as
possible since business men have now be-
come accustomed TO keep track Of their
mail of any value. either sent by them
They can tell pretty well by reference 10
their files. for instance, when letter was
posted; and from their general knowledge
of the mail-carrying business, or through
clerks who make il their business 10 know,
they can Judge with some accuracy OF the
route ii would naturally travel and the
length OF time IT ought TO take TO reach It's
destination. Thus equipped, the news OF
the destruction OF a car, with some in
cidental account of the probable sources
and direction OF its contents, settles tor
them the reason Of its Dondelivery into the
hands of the addressee IL nothing is heard
from il after an accident
Meanwhile, the department will have lost
no time in clearing up its share OF the
wreck. The burning of car does not nee
essariy mean the loss OF everything IN IL.
Every railway mail car is supplied with nre
eXtingushing apparatus, axes, etc, IN the
use of which the clerks are instructed. so
that the best practicable headWay Is MADE
against a fire, and time IL often gained at
least for throwing out that mail which Is IN
such shape to be handled in bulk OF
what is injured by the fire, part is, or
course ruined past all hope OF identinca-
ton, if il does not actually go up IN smoke
Letters which are so charred as 10 De READY
to drop apart but are still legible are put,
envelopes and all, into fresh wrappers,
sealed and forwarded 10 their addresses, so
marked as 10 indicate what has happened
to them The fragments OF those whicn
are too nearly destroyed 10 be capable OF
treating in that way are gathered up and
sent either to the Dead Letter ONCE In
Washington or to the nearest inspector OF
] the depredatiOns division. The inspectors
! are scattered all over the country. having
! certain districts of territory under their
| jurisdiction, and IL is their business 10 know
\ their districts very thoroughly. Some re-
markable rescues Of letters so badly burned
as to battle all ordinary ingenuity have
been made by these men. Burned remnants
/ are preferably sent to them. other things
/ being equal. because sending TO the Dead
| Letter Office involves the loss of all the
/ time of journey TO Washington and back.
/ to say nothing OF the delay in the office
here where the work is always more or less
1 congested. But where wrecked car con-
/ tains mail for very wide section or coun-
try. and the contents are so confused that
there are no probabilities TO proceed on as
! a basis nothing Is left but TO send the
burnt pieces here and let them take their
| chances.
When it is finally settled in the mind OF
| the writer Of a letter that II has been de-
| stroyed, il depends on a good many circum-
! stances whether he can set any redress.
| If the destruction OF the car was due 10
culpable negligence on the part Of the rail-
! way company, the latter is liable. OF old,
the contracts between the government and
| a company for mail-carTiage used 10 stipu-
! late that the company should be RESPONSE
| BILE for losses under certain conditions.
Later this was made part of the general
law so as TO do away with the necessity OF
| a clause in the contracts. The difhculty IN
most cases lies in producing legal proof OF
/ the loss itself, the question Of culpability
| being decided by the regular inquiry INTO
the causes Of the disaster. Even in these
days of universal postal conveniences not
a few men of large affairs are still willing
TO take risks with the mails which they
would not think for moment Of taking with
anything else. They will inclose consid-
cradle sum OF money. i'm the form Of gov
eminent notes or bank notes loose In let
ter, without so much as telling friend OF
il. drop the letter into post-box and trust
the rest to luck. OF course, nothing but
luck can ever restore the money TO them IL
il is lost in transit Registered mail is rea-
sonably safe. If not of too high a value.
for ont a1ar hos IN
the patrons Of its registry service against
at least a part OF their losses, and the reg
istry office receipt is Drima facie evidence
that something of value was in the pack
age which has not reached its destination:
the rest of the case consists OF bringing
satisfactory evidence Of what that thing OF
value was Safest OF all the means OF pro-
lection provided is the money order; for
its documentary evidence is spread over
four surfaces-the order itself. the letter OF
advice to the paying postoffice, the receipt
| and the entry the books OF the issuing
postOffice. and any three Of the four may
be destroyed and the government has still
something from Which 10 recognize It's ia
bility
Where railway mail clerk had beer
| simply careless, without any indication OF
criminal intent, and responsibility for the
loss of any article Of value is fixed upor
him, he il required 10 make IL good. This
he has got TO do or quit the service, no mat
ter what IL may mean 10 him TO accept
either alternative. II he decides 10 resign
| he incurs a further risk in the fact that his
resignation may be interpreted as sigr
that for bad reasons he is not DESTROYS 81
/ making restitution, and the government
may conclude TO prosecute him. II is usu
| ally the clerks choice TO face the music
! and try 10 make UP the loss. A large OBJ
LEGATION assumed in this way is liable q
bankrupt a man who depends on modes
! salary for his living, and the support o.
his family; so his superiors, II convinced
that he is honest IN intent. endeavOr e
shape the burden TO his shoulders. while
still leaving il heavy enough 10 serve tn
wholesome purposes of discipline. He 4
permitted to pay off his debt by install
| ments. Not infrequently these periOdica
payments will extend over several months
or a year.
Autis nj Outs.