The Greeley tribune., 1906-02-22

To be one of an army of 10000; to
travel by railroa $4,000 miles every
year; to stand in n car forming part
OF Il swaying, rushing train, surround
ed by open-mOuthed sacks and pigeon
holes, shuffling letters and papers at
the rate Of $500 per hour: knowing
that every error goes against your
record; to work sometimes sixteen TO
twenty-four hours at stretch. often
sleepy and hUngry-these are some OF
the daily experiences OF the railway
mail clerks. Then add to these the
constant possibility OF being knocked
into eternity OF crippled for life In q
wreck.
Yet they are a contented lot, these
railway mail clerks, happy only
when ION the road" But it is not
the environment for omestic man,
nor for him who has passed the top
Of the hill of life and is jogging down
into the dark valley beyond. Thus G
majority of the clerks are young men;
these are preferred by the Post Otiice
Department, for they have fewer
cares, are more active, and can work
faster and with greater accuracy.
Uncle Sam is proud Of the person.
every precaution for Their safety and
comfort. Their hours are fixed and
overtime is required only in cases Of
absolute necessity.
A Travelling Postoffice.
A railway mJ.- car is technically an
"R. Z. o." or Railway Post Office. II
runs between stated points, receiving
and Distributing mail through post
offices along the line. 1t is govern
ment post office on wheels, and is
United States territory, though owned
by the railroad. 1t is as well built
and as completely equipped for its
purpose as 4 Pullman. Iron racks for
mail sacks extend along each side,
Above are tiers of open boxes and pig
con holes. Work tables" 81 on
the racks. There is neither plush nor
mahogany. 1t is built for work and
Is the abode of workers.
Let US ina gine that this car is the
ar. p. o." leaving Pittsburg, Pa, for
Cleveland, Ohio, over the fennsylva-
MIA road. The pittSburg city post office
delivers to the car mail for points east
Of Cleveland called local muirD and
Through mail" for Cleveland and
points west. The train rushes out OF
Fittsourg The whistle blows for
station No stop here. A helper"
opens side door. swings out the mail
Catcher" and picks up mail sack
from a crane by the track. Now the
work begins. This sack contains mail
from the station just passed. Some OF
It is for tie next office, some for
Cleveland, some for the Tor west.
The mail is dumped on a taIl6 and
clerk pounces on it like 4 wolf on a
lamb. He tosses letters in all direc-
tions. He throws papers and pack
ages hither and yon, this way and
that. as fast as an expert card player
can distribute deck. But every piece
Of mail finds its mark In particular
sack or box. Tho -"ck~ and boxes are
g. labeled: but the labels are unneces-
sary; his quick eye catches only the
name Of the office, ignoring that Of
the addressee. Though Inc work p-
pears mechanical it calls for a high
degree of training. Note the marvel
lous accura acy-leSs than two per cent
OF errors In the work of the Whole
force for given year.
The whistle blows for another way
station. The door is opened, a sack is
thrown off, and the catcher yanks an
other sack about for distribution. And
20 it goes without cessation. The
whole scheme Is SO arranged tnHt
there Is just time, working wiz the
utmost speed and accuracy, to make
connections.
Skill Needed to Throw Sacks.
Throwing of sacks calls for anoth-
ef kind Of skill. The expert knows
from the weight of sack, speed of
train and pressure Of wind just when
and how to let the sack go. He can
crop it on a mark. If platform be
crowded or Uttered with baggage be
must pick clear spot lest his cannon
ball of leather and mail 1sscm up
against some unsuspect.lg tsayeIer. !
have seen Il mail clerk drop sixty
pound sack from a train going mile
minute, landing it lightly on truck
twenty feet from the track.
OF course there are accidents, and
danger is always present. Yet in ten
years past but 96 clerks have been
killed on the road-an average Of ten
year, with force numbering up to
1000 The legal representative Z
each clerk so killed receives $1,000
from the government. Arrangements
are contemplated for payment Of an
annuity to every clerk permanently
disabled in line Of duty.
The mail car Is usually next the
tender and runs greater risk In ac.
cidents than a passenger car But
the position is sometimes advanta.
Reous. An instance is cited OF pecu-
liar wreck near PoughkeepSie, N. Y.
The train was crossing bridge when