Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-03-17
,rDa., dat. Of MAYS. 1000. Mr. Beaver, replies as

follows: ,,
"Hon. A. G. Dayton. House OF Representatives,,
'.Sir: Replying to your letter of the 79th ulhmo'
beg 10 advise YOU that it has been decided to make
a lease with Mrs. Ida NJ. Chaplne. owner OF Postoi-
fee premises at Shepherdstown, WA IL the mat
ter Of details can be satisfactorily arranged II has
been decided allow her $40 for present premises
including heat. light. complete equipment etc Inns
is very liberal allowance for office OF this grade
and would request that you advise Mrs ChaPlne
that she accept above terms She has also ocen
written the subject
First Assistant Postmaster-General."
Following this correspondence. lease was drawn
up for fve years from Jrly L. 1909, at $40 year
The new postmaster made several complaints as 10
this building. and investigation made by Assistant
Superintendent Wood April 7. 1908. would indicate
that the complaints were well founded.
The report as follows:
"Pittsburg, Pa. April 7, 1908.
"Hon Charles NJ. Waters.
Acting General Superintendent OF Salaries and
Allowances, Postoitice Department
''Sir: Replying TO Department letter OF December
a. 1909. initials "A d. have visited Shepherds
town. w. Va. and find. stated by the postmaster
that the present poStofhcc room at that place IS
wholly inadequate. 1t is far small for the proper
accommodation of the office IS poorly lighted ana
in bad repair. and the OUTFIT is insufficient IN all re-
spects There are. for instance, but "a lock-ooNes'
when at least 100 are required. The postmaster de-
sires to move the office 10 much larger room about
90 feet from the present location. and TO provide
modern and complete equipment At ms own expense;
recommend that the present lease be Cancelled. ana
that upon the expiration OF the notice the postmaster
be authorized move the oice As stated ABOVE inc
allowance for heat light and fuel TO be the same As
now paid under the lease W,
Assistant Superintendent"
In pursuance Of this recommendation the lease was
csneeled 10 take effect July 81. 1893.
We do not see anything discredlt-
able to Mr.. Dayton in his desire to
have the government pay big rent
to the widow Of Postmaster Chapllne,
who was q staunch Re ublicsn all his
life and most efficient public servant,
especially when it is remembered that
she was an applicant for the Office and
was refused. AS to the ethics that
permitted the government to cancel a
fve-year lease at the end of a year,
without any really good cause-that
is another story and one that probably
doesn t affect the gang that has been
running the Po.tofics Department to
get all out of it that could be gotten
We do not know just what induce
ments were held out TO Assistant Super
intendent Wood to cause him to con-
denim the old postofice quarters, which
were entirely satisfactory totbe public
and which had been considered quite
suitable by as good postmaster as
the town has ever had, but he proba-
bly, wasn't botheriDg himself about
unsuitable reasons for his recommen-
dations. HIS efficiency as careful
and conscientious employee of the
government may be gagged by the
fact that be recommended rent OF
$340 year for a room in Postmaster
Mundey's own building when ordi-
narily 1t would be rented for per-
haps a third of that sum. If this in
spector bad inquired he could have
ascertained that the best business
rooms in the town, in the best build
ings and most desirable locations,
bring only little more than halt as
much as he helped to exact from the
government.
The fact is, the Postoffce Depart
ment has been filled with a gang Of
boodler. and grafters who have cor
rupted the whole service and encour-
aged dishonesty in almost every branch
of the postal business M.chen, now
under sentence to the penitentiary,
Beavers, under indictment, Perry
Heath, escaped by the skin OF his
teeth, are fair samples Of the corrupt
gang who have been swindling the
government by Wholesale and retail.
And the half ha. not been told.