The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-11
NO PROTEST MADE
 AGAINST ALLGOOD Civil Service Commission Ex- plain Mail Carrier Matter PATRONS DIDN'T COMPLAIN Under the Rules the Inspector Has to Make Report as to Whether Will
 Be Acceptable, and This
 He Did.
PATRONS DIDN'T COMPLAIN

Washington, May 1O.-The civil service commission today made the following explanation of the circumstances attend ing the appointment to his position Of John C. Allgood, the Tennessee rural freq delivery letter carrier, who has been pre- vented from performing the uu.ies of his office by the patrons of his route:
 There are five rural free delivery routes which start at Gallatin, Tenn. There were fifteen applicants for positions as rural letter carriers on these routes. Eight of these applicants have been of fered appointment of whom five accepted and three declined. For route No. Allen S. billiard, white man, made the highest average and was appointed Feb ruary 16, 1903 to begin work on March g. On February 25 notice was received that billiard had declined. The next man on the register was John c. Allgood, the colored carrier, who recently was com pelled to abandon his route In his re- port the examiner stated that Allgood would make a very acceptable carrier.
 Based on investigations
 His judgment was based on his investi- cations as to the wishes of the patrons of the route under section of the regu- lations, which provided the ''the exami- nation shall further consist of careful inquiry and report by the special agent or the route inspector, to each competi- tors acquaintance with the patrons of the route and the extent to which he has their confidence, his general character isties, suitability and fitness for the posi- tion, and his character and reputation. When billiard declined Allgood was ap- pointed. There is nothing in the record to show that he is a colored man, nor could this fact have been considered if the record had shown it.
 No protests were filed by any persons prior to the date of his appointment. He was appointed on February 26, the day after the notice was received of the de- clination of Dillard Allgood began work on March l. the date the service of his route started Allgood and Dillard had made about equal averages, so far as the scholastic test is concerned, and billiard got the benefit of the first certification, mostly on account of the result of the ex- aminers' investigation, which showed that he would be satisfactory to more patrons than would Allgood.
 Patrons Have Ample Opportunity.
 Section g of the regulations gives the patrons ample opportunity to select their man, inasmuch as the applicant must be a person who has a good Iepn- tation in the community. Protests from patrons in any case are always consid- cred and investigated by the central board of examiners. When no protests are received. however it is, of course, un- derstood that the applicants are satisfac- tory to the patrons of the route.
 For rural route No. ?, which starts at .Gallatin, Tenn, William H. Franklin re- ceived the highest rating. Franklin also is a colored man and there never has been any complaint whatever as to his accept ability to the patrons of his route. Frank alin is Spanish war veteran with an ex- ,cellent record as shown by the copy of his discharge on file with his papers In his case the examiner said that in his opinion no one could find fault with him, and the postmaster stated that he was fully competent
 In the case of Allgood, the examination and investigation were made by a special agent whose home Is in Tennessee, and who Is familiar with the conditions there. The agent states that while he gave pre- ference to billiard in his report, he thought Allgood would make very satisfactory man in case billiard should not accept the appointment The examination for these routes was made early as May 16, 1902. No protests have been received in the cases of either Franklin or of All- good