The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-02-19
way mail cars by railway mail ilsclerks

with one error to each Is, 900 pieces
handled, and many Of these errors mean
but few minutes, or possibly no delay,
to the letter or paper. The examina-
tions of these men show an average of
nearly SO per cent. correct all over the
country, and in some divisions they
have not been below that figure in the
last fifteen years, and this has called for
an examination upward Of 5000 post
offices annually, also upon the postal
laws and regulations.
There is some hazard connectedIwith
the service. During the last fiscal year
there was one out Of every eighteen
killed or injured, and the records of the
postoffice department show that for the
five-year period ending: with the fiscal
year 1908, 2, $40 mail Glerks were killed
or injuredin other. words, during the
last five years one clerk out of every
five has either been killed or injured, a
larger per cent. than the army will show
in times Of war. Congress makes some
provision for this, however, in that the
family of a clerk killed while on duty
receives 81 900, and clerk injured
while on duty, where his own careless
ness is not responsible, receives his reg
uIar salary during continuation of the
injury up 10 one year. This hazard,
however, Is incidental to the occupa-
ton, and is not considered in the ac-
|ceptance or filling of position in the
service. But constant efforts are being
made for good cars and appliances in
order to reduce the mortality to as low
point as possible The department
officials are continually insisting upon
strong cass, and with some success; but
many railroads are slow in furnishing
the best equipment, Notwithstanding
they receive in annual rental and mail
y
very liberal pay. First-class postage
pays 7S per cent. of the postal revenues
of this country, consequently the bust
ness men, who pay most of this, should
be intensely interested in the railway
mail service, which handles copper cent.
of their MALL but as a matter of fact
they are not interested, which is shown
by the lack of information they exhibit
on the subject. From the fact that the
business man or bank is enabled to re-
ceive his mail in his postoffice box with
in three minutes after mail pouch is
opened in the local postoffice is due to
the high grade of efficiency that exists
and is demanded in this service, as this
mail has been assorted to the proper box
section of this office during the mid
night hours on swiftly moving trains by
the railway mail clerk who has special
charge of the city distribution; that the
people in the residence districts are en-
abled to receive their mail handed in by
the city carrier from six to ten hours
earlier than would ordinarily be the
case is due to the same cause where
this railway mail clerk knows the route
number of every city carrier and what
street numbers he handles, and sorts it
to its proper carrier, SO that upon ar
rival it is Immediately started out to
its destination without waiting at the
postoffice to be assorted, causing de-
lay for the carriers next trip.
BUSINESS COMMUNITY INTERESTED.
There should be a strong bond of in
terest between the business community
and the railway mail service, SO
that they may understand each other
better, that they may recognize the
splendid service they are getting, and
will continue to receive, and that they
will insist on the efficiency of that servs
ice being maintained. Railway postal
clerks are divided into five classes, with
annual salaries ranging from $500 to
81, 900, but there are very few clerks Of
the latter salary; the majority receive
81, 200 or less, and the average salary is
at present 81, ,152. They are required
to pay out of this amount their ex-
penses on the road, which, economic
as they may, amounts to about $3.50
leaving net salary of about
81, 900. 1t is maintained that this
amount is less, very much less, than is
earned, and efforts have been made for
some time to have Congress make an
allowance for actual expenses while
away from home terminals on duty.