Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-10
OMAHA LEADS IN MAIL CARS
Inspector Tells How This City Has
outstripped Others.
ONLY TEN CITIES so FAVORED
Inspector Jack" Mnstin Visits City
and Explains How It is Better
Equipped for Mail Dispatch
ing Than Larger cities.

Postoffice Inspector Jack" Mastin, at
present in Omaha, is enthusiastic over the
remarkable success that is attending the
inauguration Of the street railway mail
cars in Omaha. And this city, by the way,
is one OF but ten or twelve In the whole
country that Is enjoying the benefit of
these cars
We are securing vastly improved
service at practically the same cost as
under the old and much slower system OF
gathering and forwarding the mails in
Omaha" said Inspector Mastin, I'm Kan
sas City, for instance, there are but two
cars and they run only to the union depot,
while here we have five cars, covering
every part OF Omaha, South Omaha, Ben
son and Forence. These cars make forty
Trips day through the territory, and
thirty Of these trips are made so fast and
with such regularity that we gain an hour
at least in getting mail to the postoffioe
ana out on the trains. BY the system Of
relay mail boxes in the wholesale and re-
tan business district, we bring the mall
IN TO the main office much oftener and
nlueh more rapidly than was the case with
the wagons.
Quick Mail Service.
We have here In Omaha eighteen SUBJ
stauons and five carrier stations, from
"hIch men so out The mail cars reach
t"ehty-one OF these stations, and by their
qulck service every person mailing matter
oA any Kind gains many hours in its dis
patch' rake the outlying mail boxes, where
letters mailed late in the afternoon would
remain until next morning, probably. Now,
through the mail car service such letters
are at their destination IN distant cities
ABOUT the time they used to get to the CEN
tral office here. South Omaha, too. gets
great benefit, especially on business mail.
ana now every piece of such mail is brought
IN so fast and frequently that it catches
the very first available train. This is de-
cldediy important in the case OF registered
mail ana urgent busienss communications
On each car Is mail clerk, under whose
olrection the runs are made. stopping wher-
ever ne olrects Tor the taking up Of mail.
Aheh' whlle the car is proceeding on its
way the clerk is making up the mail in a
proper manner to enable its immediate dis
patch on arrival at the postofflce. Every
night cleanup is made of ali mai A.
posted and by midnight 1t is on the trains
and going forward to its destination In
TACT, the possibilities of the new system
are hardly realized by anyone not HAVING
occasion to make a personal investigation. -
New Service Not Costly.
! The cost per year to gather The mail IN
Omaha under the old plan was approxl-
mately sSl,OOO. 1t is not any more, IL as
much, under the new plan, even allowing
for the $3.50 2. year rent me government
will pay for the new railroad postal station
which is to open in November. With tha,
station in operation. In connection with the
mail cars, Omaha will be ,ar In advance
as TO gathering and forwarding OF mail .,
cities like Milwaukee, st. Paul. Minnean,
oils, Detroit and many other municipalitie,
OF that class, which have not yet secured
the mail cars.
And this greatly improved condition ha,
been brought about under some difficul
ties" said Inspector Mastln, for workmer
are still engaged on the changes made nee.
essary at the rear Of the postoffice by tn,
installation OF the track for the cars. Tn,
service will be even better when thar VOL
is finished