New-York tribune., 1905-04-09
OU r PO S 7 AL
SERVICE
Continued from rage q


York would come into almost universal
use If our citizens only felt that it could
be relied upon. We pay ten cents for
the privilege of talking to friend over
the telephone; but II IS hardly satisfactory
for many business or social require
ments.
Above all, this special service must es-
tablish a reputation for promptitude
4 When 1t does that, 1t can be made the
/ largest money-earner IN the postal bust
ness One hundred thousand specials"
a day would not be an exaggerated esti-
mate. Think what a revenue that would
producel 1t would equal the income of a
metropolitan daily newspaper.
The first step in the direction of an
awakening to these possibilities should
be taken by the Government Instead
OF the blue ten-cent stamp, the Govern
nent should sell envelops OF some bright
and distinctive color, with a twelve-cent
stamp thereon. Envelop and stamp
should be sold for the one price-I mean
there should not be any such stamps
except upon envelops OF red or purple or
green. These letters could be detected
by the sleepiest clerks at the sorting
tables and at once started on the final
relay Of their journey. Always the Eng
lish thought: The letter must be kept
rnovingl When not IN transit, by boat,
train or messenger, the letter should be
in the hands OF the person to whom It is
directed It never should lie idle, any
wherel
Simple as IS the idea OF the Govern
ment envelop OF a distinct color, I really
I believe that Il viii be a great step toward
|expediting the special-delivery service,
which ! expect 10 live TO see grow into
the revenue-producing feature Of the
/ Post-Office Department. ! cannot make
any claim Tor originality about this col
ored envelop, because at least two OF
the metropolitan journals have had all
their letters from abroad for many years
mailed in gaudv-hued wrappers. There
lore. l make this suggestion without per-
sonal vanity: bat l am confident OF its
practicability. At present, the "spe-
Gals are designated by peculiar form,
not color, of wrapper. They are mixed
with carloads of ordinary mail-matter,
and sometimes are not accessible for a
long period of time. As a matter OF fact,
specials" should be sent IN a separate
receptacle-a distinctive bag-on trains
and wagons, seized the moment they
arrive anywhere and everywhere, and
given instant despatch, whether II be IN
transit or at the final stage.
The postal-railway service IN the United
States Is admirable l DO not know how
i can be improved. if the high grade OF
the men employed IS maintained faith
fully. Therein we excel the English.
. Their cars do not lend themselves to the
possibilities OF efficient workmen, while
trains are rushing toward the destina-
ton Of the letters. In this part OF the
United States postal-service common
sense methods have been applied IN every
phase. with the result OF what IS, prac-
ticallv, earthly perfection. The present
railwav-mal service began under Mont
f gomerv Blair. The excitement OF the
Civil War precluded its general recog-
milton by the citizens OF the country.
Indeed, the people Of the North had
something else on their minds. In 1874
the first special mail-trains We're put on
between New-York and Chicago. The
first car was b11ilt by the late II. q.