The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-04-16
Postal Regulations Affecting Westminster,
The ADVOCATE has received the following
letter from Postmaster Baughman:

The ADVOCATE has received the following
letter from Postmaster Baughman:
WESTMINSTER. Nd, April Il, 1894.
GESTLEMEN:-By order Of the Hon Fourth Assist
ant Postmaster General, the services OF all suosti
tute carriers this Office will be discontinued April
IS 1884. This will necessitste arrangement of
the carrier routes and 1t viii be necessary to reduce
the deliveries in some sections TO two daily The
East End 10 O'Clock delivery will be discontinued
and probably the collection for the 9.09 a. NJ train.
except that the carriers will open each collection
box they pass while making their delivery The
county apers will have TO be delivered by the reg
ular carriers as will also the Western Maryland
College mail This large extra work thrown on the
regular carriers neceSsiates the reduction in dev
cries. A schedule will be prepared sud sent
you in time for publication next week Very re-
spectiully, GEORGE E BAUGHNAN, Postmaster
The above directions to DIR. Baughmau, if
not recalled, and if the recommendations Of
the postoffice inspectors recently here to sbol
ish the Wagon service, are carried cut, the
whole rural free delivery system in Carroll
may as well be abolished, and the old system,
with private letter carriers, paid by the PEG
pie. and the old star routes reeSlablished.
If we are to have but two deliveries aud
two collections, II hours apart, the former
way of having private mail carriers would be
far preferable.
The Postofice Department has been en-
forcing regulations in Carroll that amount 20
annoyance TO the people. The newspaper
publishers are required TO sort their papers
aud thus made TO perform a service that post
Office clerks are paid to do. For thirty years
the publishers in Westminster paid their post
age every three months. This was allowed
by the pustmas,ers, who Of course made them
selves responsible 10 the government, fov the
postage. Now they are required to pay every
week before the papers are sent ont To
avoid bother about the matter the publishers
deposit with the postmaster a sum Of money
to pay some weeks IN advance.
II letter is dropped in letter box, and
later its sending Is found not to be necessary,
the carrier cannot hand the letter back. even
# the person put It ia the box should see the
carrier when he was collecting mai from the
box AMI ask for it. The Garner will bring the
letter back from the postothce At the next de
livery, but the stamp viii be Cancelled.
case of this kind happened this week. The
carrier was asked for letter, but said he Nas
required TO take oil letters in the box 20 the
postofice. lie brought the letter back At The
next delivery, but the stamp WAS cancelled.
In this case the government performed no ser
vice except 10 rob the person dropping the
letter in the box of a Two cent stamp.
Such regulations are very proper IN cities.
but in places like Westminster, where the car
rieTs personallc know every person, some l1
tie discretion should be allosed.
II person has package 10 mail. unless A.
rangemenl can be made with Garner % pay
the postage. the package must be carried 20
the postofiice where il can be weighed. 1t
carriers were supplied wi,h scales, much tToa
BILE could be avoided.
The Posioshce Department seems 10 over
look the fact that that department IS the only
branch Of ihe government that comes ia close
touch With the people. aud the very best ser
vice that can BE- gwen i their due. LIBERAL
", not nigEardne<z. should be pracnced IN
collecting and delivering G. mails. Public
convenience should always be considered. not
rules and regulations that yeK aud annoy,
Expense Is not To be cousiderrd-ouy the
promp; delivery and collection Of mails should
receive attention. There i no demand for
uiggardness in handling mails; not even for
close economy. Millions ol dollars are wasted
in other direetious-in high salaries. pensions
to civilians. public baildlngs. improving in
significant waters ways, on the army aaj navy.
&c
Within n year after the free rural delivery
system and city delivery were established, iAe
mail service in this section was near periec-
ton. In some Instances. since Department reg
ulAtionS have been enforced anuoysnces have
occurred, and the lales, orders TO the p0s,mAs
ter here and the taking of Of the mail wagons
will reduce the mail service 20 standard Tow
err than existed before the present system.
In the spirit Of economy the telephones
have been removed from the Westminster
postoffice, aud quick communication upon
| postal matters cni of.
In conclusion, We believe that II some OF
the alterations and changes are to be made,
aud certain regulations are no, placed within
the discretion Of the Westminster posi master,
| il would be better to 90 back TO the old system.