Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1908-10-22
POSTAL CLERKS

O0u4uSS: 0Au -0VNl0A NSSVpIAOu
Extended to Pres. Schardt
of 1, th Division.
Mon. evening at 10 O'Clock the post :
al clerks of the railway mail service
making Jamestown headquarters,
met at the Capital hotel and tender
ed a banquet and reception to P. J.
Schardt Of Saukville, Wis, who is
the president of the 10th division Of
postal clerks and also vice-president
of the national association. The
dining room of the hotel was the
scene of very pleasant banquet, fol-
lowing an informal reception and
greeting Of Mr.. Schardt in the par:
lors Of the hotel. There we're num-
ber Of fSoutside guests invited to par
ticipate.
The mrnu wasan appetizing one,
consisting of oyster cock tails, con-
somme, turkey, assorted meats, sweet
potatoes, fruit and lobster salads,
ice cream, fruit, and cigars.
After regaling the inner man there
were toasts and the guest of the
evening vas made welcome to the
icitysssin a few remarks by Mayor
Pierce Blewett.
Mr.. Schardt responded happily and
for the benefit of those not members
of the service, as well as for those in
the service, he discussed some mat
tiers of great interest to the clerks.
A bill was introduced in the United
States senate some time since which
passed that body and was hung up in
the house, on the grounds of de-
6cit In the postoff1ce department.
The bill was a measure to equalize
the pay of the railway postal clerks
whose expense in the western part Of
the country were greater than the
road expenses Of clerks in the eastern
states. All clerks of the various
classesSin the service draw the same
salary, but the necessary living ex-
pensesswhile on duty OF the clerks In
the nast; IS copsid derably higher. than
fdhab Of clerks In other parts Of the
country, ana IN effortsis being made
to equalize this by increasing the
salaries to cover the extra expenses
of living.
Mr.. Schardt stated that it was a
well determined fact that the plea Of
postoffice deficiency was not correct,
| IF the matter that is sent thru the
mails free, was taken into consider
ation. While the department is not
expected to be a source of revenue to
the government yet If the mail that
| is sent free were paid for under the
present volume of business, the de-
partment would be practically self
sustaining. -
Mr.. Schardt spoke for the clerks
who ere not able to secure the at
tention Of Congress that other classes
of government employees were. as
they had no political pulls, were en-
gagged in confined occupation, and
| there were many conditions sur.
| rounding them that made their posi-
tions warrant higher salary. The
| earning age of the average postal
clerk is ten years shorter than that
Of other clerks. The dangers of the
service were pointed out. The last
available statistics for the year end
ing 1907 shows there were 40 rail-
road wrecks In which one out OF
every 1s clerks on duty was killed OF
injured. That in the last five years
the casualty list in the service had
been extremely large. He urged q
more careful consideration Of the re.
quests of the postal clerks and spoke
/ in their interest to the people whom
the clerks so faithfully served.
Mr.. Schardt left for Grand Forks
Tues. where he will meet postal
4
clerks running to that city and con.
I fer with them on matters Of mutual
Interest. He expressed himself as
highly pleased with the attention
given his visit here by his fellow
. clerks, and by those not in the ser
sgy.ce who were present at the ban.
.:hl.quet. During the evening Mr.. Thorpe
I. X and Mr.. Burgster and others present
/, were also called upon and responded
In a happy vein. Al q
HELD SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS
Congressman Gronna, Z. ,. Hams
and G. "A. johnson have been making
. speaking campaign in the northern
1 and eastern part OF the state. TheJ