Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-12-06
HEAVY FINES BEING
LEVIED ON RAILROADS
For Their Failure to Deliver
Mail On Schedule Time.
TIoiSTS ON BETTER SERVICE


- '''0 : 0S'"' '>0'''0' '''0S- >10''e'
al Shallenberger Says Fines Pro-
vidad NV a.. Ara Rainn aviad
Washing on, d. c., Dee. 5.-Sen-
stCr A. S. Clay has taken up active
ly with the pOstoftice department the
problem of reforming the demOralized
Jrain service in Georgia and through
cut he south.
Al d len8,a conference with Sec
oEu Assistant Postmaster General
GEalIenberger, he inquired particular
ly Wnat tne department was doing to
remedy the trCuDle, ald went over
the whole situaIJn exhuastiveIy.
L propose, said Senator Clay, TO
relieve he trouble brought about by
de eaved mail ana passenger service
and | wish to see ne legitimate de-
mards of the mr5lic fuIIv satisfied
while at the same time working no
Injustice to the railroads. The people
are entitled to the service which the
railroads are being paid to nprform
and / believe this can be secured
Without visiting anv hardship on the
railroads." ."
General ShaIlenbprger second As
sistant postmaster general declared
tha. the post office deDartment was
following ont s1ricrIv the law pro-
viding for fines and penalties TO be
levied against railroads for non-per-
forming dutv in carryino the mails
The act mal,ino annronriationo for
4ho noeta1 sa,,vtce for tho foco1 roor
ending June 20. 1907. provides that
the postmaster general shall reouira
all railroads carving the mails nm
der contract to comnIy with the
terms Of said contract as to time Of
arrival and deDarture of said mails
and it shall be his duty to imDose
and collect reasonable fines for delav
when such delav is not caused bv nm
ayOidable accidents or conditions.
It is declared that these fines have
been reguIarIv imnosed No figures
| were available for the past quarter
| from July 10 September 30 and will
NOT he annOuncnd until Ianuarv
| General ShaI1nnbnroor dncIarnd that
these fines. the amount of which are
in the discretion of the nostmasser
general. are being vigOrousIv resisted
| bv the railroads against whom lew
led.
# train is thirty or moro min
utes late ten times during p ouarter
it is subject to this fine. General
| ShaIIeberger announced that under
the law he now has the right to fine
| all trains carving the mails. when
| schedules are DELAYED This general
| law did not go into effect until Julv
l of this year, and he now has evil
| dence of all ayOidable DELAYS and in
each case suitahln nnna1tioc will no
inflicted and he homes bv nu-tino, in
operation the general law put in the
postofice appropriations bill at the
last session of congress- to relieve
the public from serious trouble in fu-
rure.
1t is evident that if this law now
ON the statuta hooks ebouId fail 70
| give relief. the postofice aDDronria :
TtCns cOmmitte will take the subject
uD with the view of fixing heavy
penalty and making it definite and
also to empower .he postmaster GEN
eral 10 approve the schedules Of
| trains carving the mails
Adyices were received at tho most
Office Jepartme9t that the Southern
railway would Voluntarily roIinonicb
the subsidy if has been recnivina fo,
carving the mails
Bv appropriation of CONGRESS- for The
mast several veare tho snn, of 60
'-6.' 20 mas oeen annually apprOpri-
| GtP6 for This CprVicn ODlJ- O,,o y n or