Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-08-12
EMSTERN ROADS
AFTER BIG CONTRACT
Santa Fe and Rock island
Would Carry Mail From
Chicago to Western
Points.
A MATTER Of $I,4OO,OOO

The mail contracts comprise an im-
poitant feature In locating the new
union depot at Kanaas City. Il -
now a contest Of long years OF stand.
ing; annually, more money Is In
vOlvod.
Under the ruling OF the poatonice
department the pioneer road gcts the
mali as long as favorable connect
lng schedule is maintained. In short,
this means tnat the burlington road.
having line between Chicago ana
Kansas CITY before the Rock Island
and Santa Pc, gets preference Of mail
weights from Chicago 20 kansaa city.
Not only does this apply 90 knnsHs
City local mail, but u applies to mail
Intended for all points west on the
santa Re and Rock Island. A letter
20 Newton or Guthrie from Chicago.
must come TO Kansas City over the
Burlington and transfer 10 the Santa
Fc here and proceed on Us uestina-
tlon. 4 letter to Marion or VI Reno
from Chicago must come here on the
Burlington and transfer TO the Rock
Island.
The officials of the Rock Island and
Santa Fo insist that n line should han
die the mail 10 De- delivered by u for
all possible mileage. II the Builing'
ton Is late into Kansas City. the
trains west over tho santa Fc aud
Rock Island leave on time. Connec-
tion is not made aud the mail Intend
ed for the west rs delayed In Kansas
City twelve hours, which 10 the husi.
ness man for whom u is intended,
means possibly twcnty.four hours.
Rock Island officials have insisted
that mail out OF Chicago Intended for
points ON their line west OF Kansas
City. should be given 10 the Rock lei.
and at Chicago, that the Rock Island
connects with itself at Kansas city,
and II late into Kansas City, would
reach western points hours earlier
than n connection as missed with the
Burlington. Tho same argument is
put up by the Santa re. hut so far u
has never appealed TO the postoiIice
department
The weight period comes once In
four years, and lasts about n month
From this an estimate Is made for pay
for a term OF four years. In that time
the Burlington sees that its trains
are not late into Kansas city; that
connection is made. II gets the vol.
ume OF mail and pay on that basis.
As soon as the weight period Is over.
the schedule on the Burlington may
not be made 50 scrupulously on time.
and mail may not make connection
with the Santa Fe and Rock Island.
But the pay for the full four years
time goes TO the Burlington and the
other roads are forced 10 do the work
by the department or they get no pay.
This game has beCa worked for
years, and under the ruling OF the dc.
partmont there Ia no end 90 H. II is
matter OF Si.00O00O annually now.
10 the Rock Island and Santa Re. II
means more as the country develops
aud the volume of mail Increases
This Is worth fighting for. and there Is
lght for Il.
II the Santa Fo had q depot In Kan.
sas City separate from the Burlington
then that road would get the mall Il
claims, for the government could not
make the wagon transfer from the
burlington depot 10 the santa Fe de.
pot. II the Rock Island could get n
depot and keep the burlington out
OF II, then that line would force the
department To change the plan, This
. t'lHAtN W N'A' ANNANN 4 " NNNNfNWN MNNNe
ally now and $500 600 10 the Rock
Island, and IL will be more every year.
II is safe 10 say that the Rock Isl.
End and Santa Fo would be- able 20
so into the union depot plan with
more willingness II they could got tho
mail out OF Chicago. So far. the Bur.
llngton has shown no disposition TO
give up its cinch, and wants 20 De- with
the Rock Island and santa Fo In
some depot by way OF holding the mail.
In the absence Of negotiations ar
ranging for division of the mail. two
dop0ts may result. should the Santa
Fe determine TO protect lts mail bust.
ness, and locate a depot on the Belt
line, q would see 10 lt that the Bur.
llngton does not get into that depot.
IIhis would mean two depots. n
would also mean throe dopOts n tho
Rock Island should follow this policy
of hghung for its own In the same
fashion.
n
.lnaa 80. -