Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-25
AUTOS TO CARRY THE NAIL
Houk Hsrss, Nay Yet Solve the Problem Of
Local Delivery serviOS
PALMER PROPOSES IT TO UNCLE san
Meanwhile He Prefers street Oars 60
Wagons and Trolley Company
Says No, Thank
You.

Postmaster Palmer has applied to the
government for the restoration OF the
street car delivery service between Omaha
and the substations and South Omaha, and
at the same time the street car company
has notified Uncle Sam that Il does not
want his contract, that It has had all the
work Of that sort Il cares for.
Mr. Palmer objects to retrogression
which is involved in the return to the
screen wagon system. He is hoping that
some day Omaha may have automobiles
for this work and has even gone so far as
to propose this to the government.
John NJ. MRsten OF Washington, assistant
superintendent Of the railway mail service
and special agent Of the Postofice depart
ment, and Albert P. Kuck. superintendent
Of mails at Brooklyn. N. Y. are in Omaha
comforting with Postmaster Palmer relative
to a more efficient mail delivery service 20
the substations. Both Of the visiting off,
cials are agreeably impressed with the
postofhce equipment Of Omaha and are Of
the opinion nothing is too good for the
Omaha service
Occasion of the visit.
The visit Of these officials is the result
Of the agitation incident to the abandon
ment Of the electric mail service from the
Omaha main once to the outlying substa-
turning to the old-time and tedious pro-
cess Of screen wagon delivery. 1t appears
the rate paid for street car delivery is In
excess Of the contract rate existing be-
tween the Postofice department and the
railways, though the government was not
called upon to pay the excess, that being
paid by the contractor. This practice has
prevailed in Omaha for a number Of years
The Postofice department a week or ten
days ago ordered the practice discontinued
and required an actual fulfllment Of the
terms of the contract and that all mails
should be delivered by screen wagon serv-
ice. The result has been a delay Of from
twenty-five to forty minutes in the deIiv-
cry of the mails to the substations and
much complaint from the patrons Of the
substations.
Speaking Of this matter. Captain Palmer
said;
Immediately following the Issuance of
the order requiring us to go back to the
screen wagon service 1 wrote to Assistant
Postmaster General McCreary fully ex-
planning the situation and strongly urged
a return to the street car delivery system
for the sub-stations. In my letter 1 showed
that Of Omaha's 10000 population about
5000 were served from the main ONCE
and the remainder from the three sub
stations. The visit OF Assistant superin-
tendent Masten is. I infer. the result OF
that letter. Both Mr. Masten Of Washing
ton and Mr.. Kuck Of Brooklyn Joined me
today in a visit over the city, whereby I
was enabled to show them our needs and I
think they were favorably impressed and
I am in hopes that a restoration TO the
former conditions will speedily follow. II
they are not very materially improved.
Motor Mail Service.
Relative to the possibility Of introducing
motor mail service in Omaha, have
taken this matter up with the department.
but at present the motor mail service is In
its experimental stage and prevails only
| in few OF the largest cities. This is a
matter, however. for future consideration.
What we are trying to do now is get the
street car service restored, and 1 believe
II will be done.
| Regarding the use OF the street railways
by the letter carriers, this matter has not