The National tribune., 1903-01-15

when they return. The only thing neces-
sary Is to draw an order payable at their
home to themselves. The orders are good
for one year only, and If they are not
paid within that time claim must be
made through the Auditor. The system
has its advantages for those who are trav-
cling. even though one must pay for the
order instead Of getting interest on the
money. 1t is doubtless thought preferable
to savings banks in its protection against
fire. water or thieving officials, for the
Government must pay the order even II
the Postma sters have stolen the money. In
the New York Post-office it is said more
than $4,000 is paid yearly to those who
have drawn orders payable to themselves
in this way.
In addition to all the other numerous
branches of q complicated service, the
Auditor for the Post-office Department
keeps accounts and makes settlements
with the following different classes of con-
tractors engaged in Transporting the mails;
The foreign mail service; the ocean mail
routes; steamboat mail routes; railroad
mail routes; mail messenger routes which
run from railroad stations to adj acent post
offices; regulation wagon routes. carrying
mail in large cities between the main Office
and the postal stations and railroad de-
pots; screen wagon routes, similar SER
vice III SI1dileT citleS, SpeClAi TOuieS. WHICH
are not under contract but are established
for the temporary supply Of new post
offices. and "star routes" which regularly
supply post-offices in the rural districts
which are not on railroad or steamboat
lines. Each of these classes has its own
basis and form Of contract, and is paid
under laws and regulations differing from
all others.
The advocates Of postal savings banks.
postal telegraph, ETC.. are still insisterf.
but the revelations Of defects in those
institutions where they are established
under much more favorable auspices than
would he possible here must be somewhat
discouraging. 1t is a seductive thought
that the opera ton OF a telegraph under
National auspices would bring cheap ser
vice largely because any losses through
Encouragement instead Of running stock
holders would he paid out of an inexhaust-
ible fund raised by taxation. But the rates
in Great Britain are little lower than those
prevailing in this country for equal cis-
tances. since both address and signature
are charged for under their regulations.
Yet. contracted and compact as the tight
little island is. the postal telegraph expert
ment has proved VIGOROUSLY unprofta BILE.
The position of a carrier Of mail in
cities is not sinecure. In heat and in
cold, in the most inclement weather, the
mail must be delivered. No excuse justi-
fies a failure to perform the work. The
Government is an inexorable task-master.
The carrier must shoulder his burden and
go through snow and sleet and enervating
heats and deliver mail to residents on his
route No work is more faithfully done.
Complaints against carriers are few. Effic-
lent, courteous, and faithful, they are a
credit to the service and to the Govern
ment
In a wreck on the Southern Railroad
near Charlottesville, Va, March %, 1902.
nine railway mail clerks working in two
postal cars. were severely injured-an ex-
public servants in discharging their duty.
One Of the survivors tells his story thus:
I'VE had just finished our work for the
night We had made every connection
and had a very heavy mail on board. The
two cars must have contained Eve or six
tens Of matter, and a great deal Of it was
registered. We were about to change our
clothes when the crash came. and for a
short time we couldn't tell what had hap
pened. There was a succession Of deafen-
ing crashes. and while We realized that we
were in a wreck. we could not determine
whether we were out of danger until we
had crawled out from under the wreckage
and saw that it was all over. 1t was dark.
and the effect of the scene was heightened
by the flames which broke out in the mail
cars almost Immediately. There wasn't a
piece of either car left as large as this
bed I'm lying on and how we ever got out
Of that wreckage without being killed
can not see. Our escape with our lives
was little short of miraculous"
So complete are the postal arrangements
of London that there is not a house more
than 200 yards from letter-box or 400
from a post-office and money-order Office.
There are over 10000 boxes. which are
cleared every hour from 10 in the morn
ing till in the evening and there are IL
deliveries day in the city. About POO
Of the chief sub-Offices receive letters and
parcels to be delivered in London and its
suburbs by special messenger at charge
Of two pence mile.
After the postal savings bank had been
in operation in Sweden Is years COM
parison between the business done the first
year and the last, showed an increase in
the number Of new dep,0itors of 147 per
| cent, and an increase in the amount OF
the years deposits of LBS per cent.
The reasons why large proportion OF
the smaller post-Offices are intrusted to
the management Of women are numerous
In the first place. the work is light and
| well suited to women whose health would
not permit more active efforts. The man
| agement Of a post-office in a small town
may often be combined with a genera
Very often the pay of small Postmaster
ship is not sufficient to entice masculine
candidates. but occasionally prospective
POstmistresS encounters rival of thu