The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-07-21
WILL INVESTIGATE
MAIL SERVICE.
Complaints of Local
Army Men Followed
by Order for Inquiry
DELIVERY IS SLOW

Investigation into the mail service in
San Francisco has been ordered by the
Postof11ce Department at request of
Secretary of War Taft as a result of a
complaint from army officers about the
irregular delivery of their mail. This
complaint has been quite general at
the Preside for some time. officers de-
clare that the delay in delivery of let
ters sent by them to the commanding
general has caused the senders to re-
sort to wiring to headquarters.
Recently a written complaint was
prepared at the headquarters of Cen
eral Funston and sent to General
Greedy for his approval. After a care
full investigation into the matter. Gen
eral Greedy signed the complaint and
sent it on to Washington, where Secre-
tary Taft gave 1t his official approval.
Speaking of the affair yesterday Gen
eral Greedy said: TT is not for me to
criticise Federal officers. and I have
nothing to say except that the COM
plant came to me officially through
military channels and 1 simply added
my Endorsement and forwarded 1t on.
Every one knows that the postal SER
vice is bad, and many complaints have
been made by the officers of the army,
and think by the majority Of the busi-
ness men Of the city. Knowing these
conditions have existed here for months
I have said nothing until the subject
was officially brought to my notice, and
then 1 simply Endorsed the complaint
and forwarded it. What the postal
authorities will do do not know, but
I sincerely hope there will be a radical
change for the better"
Postoffice officials are both surprised
and indignant because General A. w.
Greedy has preferred charges at Wash
ington to the effect that there had been
unwarranted delay in the delivery Of
mail matter to the military authorities
here. The generals complaint is prac-
tically that the San Francisco postal
delivery service is as slow and uncer-
tain as an OK team at the end OF a long
weeks drive.
Postmaster Fisk is in Los Angeles
and In his absence Assistant Postmas-
ter Hull McCloughry consented to make
statement in explanation of the COM
plants. He says:
With reference to the twenty-five
envelopes mentioned, all I have to say
is that they were not addressed to San
Francisco, but to some other place, and
we are not responsible for them. Gen
eral Greedy has sent US this envelope,
and delayed by us two weeks. The
envelope bears the following address
&c. N. Greeley, San Francisco, Califor-
MIA"
"A W." and not &c. NJ" and his name
is spelled without the "e" before, the
W So that the letter by no means
could be construed as being addressed
to him. In the postoffice directory
there are nine "Greelys" and ten Gree
legs" and none with the initials &c. N"
So the letter was placed in the general
delivery and not having been called
for was sent out to the different Gree
leys and Greelys until it reached the
general. who found that it was for him.
We received a complaint from the
military authorities some time ago that
mail matter intended for the Govern
ment steamer Mcdowell did not reach
the dock until after the steamer
sailed. Upon investigation we round
that the schedule of the departure OF
the Mcdowell furnished to this office
by the military authorities was
changed without notifying us.