Omaha daily bee., 1910-12-24
PAY FOR MAILS
Postoffioe Departments New Order
Results in Considerable Saving,
TOLL ON LINES OF CLERKS
Year Just Closed Breaks Record I'm
Number of Injuries Sustained by
Men on the ROad-Ocenn
Mail.

WASHINGTON. Dec 2S.-Conditions Of
railway and ocean mail service are dis
oussed fully in the annual report of Joseph
Stewart second assistant postmaster gen
eral submitted today to Postmaster Genera
Hitchcock.
A considerable saving was effected dur
ing the year by the bureau Of the second
assistant. which is charged with the au-
thorization and direction of the transporta-
tion of both domestic and foreign maiis'
The aggregate cost of the transportation
Of domestic malls during the year was
Ss1 200. 4ss 6s: while the cost of foreign mails
was $s.112. 800 46. Notwithstanding the in
creased amount Of mail handled the per-
centage of increase in the cost was only
115 per cent.
During the year SS75 mail routes were IN
operation, covering distance OF 22OiW
miles The distanoeEtraveled by uaeepqail
OF the United States was 426sFZS, 1850 iniies'
The amount Of money necessary for rall-
road transportation for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1912, is SiS9SS.0OO, being SO
per cent more than the appropriation for
the current fiscal year.
order Affects Railroads.
In every instance possible the policy OF
euualizing the rate OF pay for the transpof-
tation of mail by railroad routes on the
basis Of lowest cost has been followed
The department has saved S12,2744SS by the
operation Of the new method Of adjusting
pay, to and including the present fiscal
year. sixteen railroad companies have
filed suit against the United States at
tacling the validity Of the order OF the
postmaster general in readjusting the rate
OF pay.
Particular diligence has been manifested
by the department in It's inquiry into the
cost to railroad companies Of carrying the
mail.
The need for improved ocean mail service
again is called to the attention of the con-
gress The passage of an act to authorize
the postmaster general to pay for ocean
mail service in vessels of the second-class
on routes to South America, the Philippines,
Japan. China and Australasia at rate per
mile not exceeding the rate applicable to
vessels Of the first-cass provided In the
act Of May g. 1891, will, II is believed, en-
able the department to secure contract
service to these parts of the world.
Postal Clerks KILLED.
During the. year there were 446 railroad
accidents in which postal clerks were
either killed or injured in which mail
matter was lost or damaged. Twenty
clerks four substitutes and three man
weighers were killed, ninety-eight seriously
and SIT slightly injured. The year was more
disastrous in the number Of clerks killed on
the railroads than any in the history Of
the service.
Among the recommendations MADE by MT
Stewart are the following;
That the department be enabled to read
! lust the compensation for the transporta-
tion Of mail on railroad routes during the
four years term.
That the postmaster general be authorized
! a. pay for the services of vessels Of the
second class in carrying the mails to var
ious ports in South America and the far
east.
That salaries Of supervisory Officers OF
the railway mail service be increased
That authority Of law be given for grant
ing further leave during periods Of dis
ability. not exceeding twelve additional
months with pay at 50 per cent OF his
regular salary TO a railway postal clerS
/ who Is so seriously injured as not to be
abb 10 resume duty at the expiration Of
/ tw I've months.
That thirty days annual leave OF absence
be granted to railway postal clerks.
Tbat provision he made for the retiremen,
Of incapacltated or superannuated railway
postal clerks.