The DeLand weekly news. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1887-190?, 1906-04-13

To BE- one Of an army 81 iOooo; n
travel by rliifCT @i.Ulo miles every
year: % stand On n ear forming part
Of q swayif., rushing train, surround
ed by CTsrr-mOuthtd sacks and pigeon
holes. shutting letters and Tapprs at
the rate Of 2rp1 pr hour; moving
that every error gOes against your
record O. work sometimes sixteen 20
twenty four hours a. stretch, often
sleepy aud hunrry-thcEe are some o.
ase daily experiences q tie railway
mail clerks. Then add 20 these The
constant possibility % being Knocked
into etsrnity or crippled for lie IN a
wreck.
Yet they are n contentcd iot, these
railway mail clerks happy Ouy
when "on the road" But 10 u not
tie environment for a oucstc man.
nor for him who has passed tie top
of the hill OF lie and i jogging down
into the dark valley beyond. Thus q
majority 81 the Clerks arr young ucu;
tbsse are preferred by tlc Post Otice
Department. for they have fewer
ears. are more active. and can Work
faster and with greater accuracy.
Uncle sam s. proud ~ the person
nj Of this expert fore and takes
every preca utiOn for the4r safety and
comfort. Their hours are EXed. ano
overtime T. rcquIrcl emily Ia eases o.
absolute Necessity.
TraveIlng POstOffies.
A railway NJ car r. technically an
az. T.. O." or Railway Post Once. IL
runs between stated points. receiving
ard distributing mail through u.-t
oiHces along the line. II g. a govern
meut post office on wheels and u
United states territory, Though owned
b. the railroad. u + rs well built
and 80 completely equipped Tor IL
purpOse as a pullmau. Iron racks TOT
mail sacks extend along each side.
Above are tiers Of open boxes and pc.
con holes Work tables" 81 on
ne racks Their Is neither plush nor
mahogany. 10 Is built Tor work and
q the abode q WORKERS
Let Us imagine that tbs car Is the
=R. =. o." leaving Pit;sburg. IA, for
Cleveland. Ohio. over tie Icuusy IVA
eta road Tie Pittsburg city poi Office
delivers % the car mall for points east
% Cleveland lCailed local mail.1 and
Through mali for Cleveland and
POINTS west. The train PUSHES cut o.
fittsbuut The whistle blows for a
station. No stop here. 4 helper"
0peus a side door. swings cut TIE mail
Catcher" and picks up a mail slcE
fsom a crane Nv the track. Now TIE
WOrk begins. This sack contains mall
from tie station just passed. Some ~
a e for tie next OlLCe, some Tor
cievelan nd. some for the fur west
me nail Is dumped on O t7'l6 and q
esRrk pounCes on Il like a wolf On q
hmb. He tosses letters IN al dirCc-
ions. He throws papers and pack
ages lither and Jon, this way and
ekAt as fast rs an expert Sard player
can distribute q deck. But every piece
q NAH finds ST. marx IN a particular
nck or box. ] e.ck' and boxes are
Abeled: tut thc labe4s rrs Uuugces-
aary; bis Qgick yye C. cAeS Culy tie
came O. lie olHce. Ignoring that %
tie addressee. Though 10 work D.
pears mechanical Il calls TOT a hlEhI
esgree % training. Note TIE marvel-
aus accuracy-iess than two per cent.
Of errors IN the work o. the Whole
sCrce for a given year.
The whistle blows for another way
station The door IS opened, n sack IL
thrown OF. and The catcher yauks an
gther sack about for distribution. And
% u eoes without cessation Tie
whole scheme e. 80 arranged tratI
there Is Just time, working wiz TIE
atnOst speed and accuracy. 70 make
connections.
skill Needed 20 Throw Sacks.
Throwing OF sacks calls for anoth-
20 kind % skill Tie expert knOws
ron TIE weight q sack. speed %
tain and pressure Of w'~d Just when
and how 90 Yet tie sack 80. re can
crop Il 90 a marx. IL platform BE-
crowded OF Uttered with harrage be
must pick a clear spot lest his cannon
ball % leather and mail reOn Up
AGAINST some unsuspect.ng J-4yCier. i
have sen n mall CLERK drop q sixty
pound sack from n train going nile
. minute. landing Il lightly on q tru"k
twenty feet from the track
o. course there are accidents. ana
aanger n always present Yet In ten
Yesrs past but s. clerks have been
Killed on the road-an average OF ten
= year. with q force numbering up 70
tiIOOO. The legal rcpr, sentative Z
each CLERK 50 Killed receives 5000
fruu the government Arraneemcnts
are contemplated for payment OF an
annuity 20 every cierk pertnanenuy
easabled A line % duty.
The mali car r. usuahy next The
erndef and runs 4 greater risk N &C.
Vtdsnqs than q passenger ear. But
- uosition u sometimes ndvanta-
Spoua An instance T. cited % pecc-
At wreck near POughkeepsle, y. u.
a. train vas crossing . bridge When