The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-02-08
FALSE DIVISOR
USED BY ROADS
In Weighing Mail Carried BY Them
for Uncle Sam.
GREAT SUM Topped OFF
Congress is Ordered to Make Change
in Tactics Used and Railways VIII
Loose Sum of $12,00O,0OO.

A Washington special says: 1t is
estimated that $12,OOO,O00 will be cut
from the annual mail pay of the rail-
roads by the action Of the postoftice
committee Saturday. Seven millions
of this is saved by the reduced rates
OF mail on account of the new method
of computation which rcckons Sun
day as a working day. Formerly the
mail was weighed only six days in
the week, and computation made ON
this basis Representative Victor Muf-
dock, of Kansas, started the agitation
against this system last December, de-
claring it has cost the government
S50,OOO,OG0 in ten years.
Representative Murdoch said that
the department was using false "di-
visor" in that it weighed mail for
seven days and divided the amount
by six to ascertain the amount, On
which to base the compensation Of
roads. The provision agreed upon re-
quires that weighing shall be done for
seven days and the amount divided
by seven.
Railroads which have a contract
with the government for carrying the
mails will be required to make tina
schedule time Of their mail trains reg
ularly, or pay. heavy penalty pro-
vided the bill decided upon today in
vided the bill decided upon is enacted
into law.
The postofice department now i'm
poses a small penalty for delays in
the time of their mail by railroads.
but the congressional committee pro-
poses to give them wider authority
in order to force compliance with con-
tracts in keeping advertised sched-
ules.
It was also decided to reduce tho
present mail pay 5 per cent where
the average each day per mile is from
5000 to $4,000 pounds Where the
average is under 5000 pounds no re-
duction is contemplated.
The bill will carry total Of $780,
1S0,561. This is the largest amount
over carried for the expenditures Of
the postal service. The total recon-
n1ended in the bill is more than SO;
100000 in excess of the amount estt
mated for the department and is in
increase of $17509,562 over the cur
rent appropriation.
The salaries of postal clerks and
of both city and rural carriers are in-
creased to a total Of $7000,O0O. A pro-
vision is inserted in the bill for the.
classification of postal clerks, and the
positions of clerks and carriers are
made interchangeable
There are various provisions in the
bill intended TO reduce the pay of
railroads for carrying the mails. Tue
bill cuts off all pay to roads for haul
ing empty mail sacks, which is esti-
mated will save between $3,000,00O
and $4,00O,O00 a year.
Postmaster General Cortelyou satur-
Jay reported 10 congress the record
from July 7 to December 81 1906, OF
all second class mail matter receiv-
ed for free distribution at the one.
ccrt-pound rate, in compliance with
a provision in the current appropria-
ticn act 1t was found that mora
than 80 per cent Of all second class
matter originated in 429 cities. The
total weight Of this class Of mail for
the period was 37Q,OO8,915 pounds.
The weight Of the daily newspapers
was 141,12S,S56 pounds, all Of which
was carried an average of 255 miles;
weekly and other than daily newgpa-
pers carried weighed 77,73G,648, haul
ed 440 miles.