Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-06
CONTEST FOR MAIL CONTRACT
Railroads 60 After This Lucrative Job for
the Government.
BURLINGTON EXPECTS TO WIN AGAIN
After Twenty Years of Undisturbsd
Service Hin OmciaIs Believe
They VIII Reoapturs
the Prise.

For the contract to carry Uncle Sans
mail from Omaha to Chicago and from
Chicago TO Omaha the railroads are again
about to engage in a merry war. For the
last twenty years the Burlington has been
recognized as the mail carrying road for
the government and has been able TO
hold the contract against all contsstants-
To hold this contract the Burlington now
runs four exclusive mail trains between
Omaha and Chicago each day, TIVE each
way, and these carry the bulk Of the
transcontlnental mail. other roads have
looked with envious eyes on this business,
which carries with 1t prestige and revenue.
Fast trains have been put on the North
western and Rock Island in former years
70 try for the contract, but all to no avail,
Cor the Burlington stu continues as the
road for the transcontinental mail.
The time is again approaching for new
contracts to be made and the other roads
have again entered the field. The Reck
Island sometime ago put on q new exclusive
mail train, which left Chicago earlier than
the Burlington and saved an hours time
by picking up the mail from several eastern
connections at Englewoed, q small con-
Meeting point In the outskirts Of Chicago.
This saved the time Of carrying the mail
into Chicago and back again to Englewood,
and also the time lost in carrying the mail
across Chicago in wagons, which also took
considerable time With this great saving
the Rock Island officials figured they had
chance at the coveted contract
Effort of Northwestern.
The Northwestern also has some fast
trains on its double track road and a new
time card is out, effective Sunday, stating
that No. 10 would leave Omaha each even
ting at 6:55, instead Of at s:2S, as formerly.
This is taken as an indication that the
Northwestern is after the big bunch Of
mail to the east which leaves Omaha al
that time. The Burlington has been get
ting that mail on its exclusive fast mai
train which leaves Council BLUFFS at p
m. A change has been made by the Unior
Pacific by which that read now brings II
most Of the mail from the west on No
10. which is q counterpart of the noted
No. which carries the mall west eacf
day. No. 10 arrives at Omaha at p. m
the same as formerly, but leaves San Fran
cisco three hours later than before, ana
carries the bulk of the mail which hsi
been coming through on the Overland Lin
tted. The Northwestern - evidently sfte
q share of this mail.
Burlington officials claim they do ne
fear the competition OF the other roads
as they can run their trains as fast a
little has been said on the subject, tn
Burlington has been busy double tracking
Ats Chicsge-omaha line until at present
has a double track all the way. except 70
about twenty miles. With the prestige o
having successfully and satisfactorily car
ried the mail for twenty years, Burlinsto
officials claim they have no fear.
Although the time card is out with tn
Northwestern's new train, a runner wa
Afioat Saturday noon that the officials ha
changed their minds and decided not I
sphange the running time OF No. 10.
Scheme to Omit Omaha.
The Northwestern also has another PROF
osition by which 1t proposes TO shorten. tn
running distance OF the fast mall train
from Chicago to the Pacific coast That
60 leave Omaha of the route and run II
fast mail train from Missouri Valley direC
20 Fremont to connect with the Union Pt
ciho and thus save thirty-four miles
running. The distance from Missouri Va
ley to Omaha is twenty-five miles an
from Omaha to Fremont Is fOrty-six mile
making q total OF seventy-one miles, TT
distance from Missouri Valley to FremoI
e thirty-seven miles, making a saving
thirfv-four unflea