The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1910-03-02
RAILWAY MAIL PAY.

Only the clerks on the cars.
What do they 90
Post Office work.
What's thatY
Same as in Post Offices. Postal cars
are Post Offices on wheels.
Does U. 5. pay clerks fares?
MOI
How much does their travel foot up2
In 1908, the equal of one man
riding 629, 773, 443 miles.
At &c per mile that would be how
much?
$l2,5es, 56s,66
These men must weigh something?
At 100 pounds average, their haul
would be equal to 5O,3S2,27s tons one
mile.
Does U. S. require the railroads to
furnish anything else free of chargeP
Yes:-Ohice facilities at railroad
junction and ermiJals;-dellvery of
mail to post Offices which are within a
quarter of mile of station; and free
annual passes for about 900 postal Off
Gals on all railways carrying mail.
What revenue does the U. S. receive
per pound for mail?
An average Of about 1888 cents per
pound rendered by the public.
What does U. S. pay the railwaysP
About J cents per pound for every
pound of matter rendered the railroad.
That is, out of every dollar received
the Government pays the railroads 20
cents?
Yes.
Does the Rural Free Delivery cost
much as yet?
U S. spent u cents for R. r. d. in
the limited territory thus served, for
every 81 90 paid the railroads for their
entire hauling in the year 1903.
How is the service rendered by the
railroad ascertained9
BY actually weighing the mail matter
carried.
Weighing every parcel carried for a
year?
Oh no. Weighing for 105 consecutive
days only once every four years and
finding the average for one day over
the whole length of route.
Is this the weight U. S. pays for
during the entire four years following a
weighing?
Yes.
Why only every four years9
A law requires weighing not less often
than once in four years.
Then weighing oftener is not pro-
hibited?
No.
Would the railways prefer weighing,
say, once yeal?
Yes.
Why?
Mail increases regularly with growth
of country. Each four years means a
large increase in weight, and as the pay
is based on the smallest weight carried
at the beginning of the period, the
increases each year are carried with
no pay whatever.
Why are yearly weighings not made?
The p. O. officials interpret the law
to mean they don't have to, and they
don't do it, as it is not to their interest.
Is that fair TO the railways9
1t is not, as they are deprived of
amounts TO about 10 per cent of the
total revenue received for mail trans
portion. During last ten years the
weight increased 80 per cent, an average
of 80 per cent each four years.
Has the pay increased 80 per cent?
No. Only about 40 per cent.
VIII 2
Because of Acts of Congress, and
orders of Post Master General arbitrarily
cutting rates of pay; automatic re-
auctions of rates prescribed by law
with increased tonnage.
Can you name some2
Yes. March 2-07, u. S. reduced the
pound rate 31s per cent and the rental
rates of post cars l6 per cent Total
81, 6z6,4 6S 90 per year.
Was this because it cost the railways
less to do the work?
No. It cost the railways more.
What other acts?
June 26-17, it decreed empty mail bags
shall be returned, and certain supplies
forwarded by freight or express Former
ly they were handled with and as part
of the mail. The estimated loss to the
railroads by this change is 81 900, 900, OC
a year.