The Washington herald., 1911-03-05

to him shortly. Finally The marander
did show some consideration, for he Sc
cured the duor with q rope In such a
way tEat the c.erk could receive air
and also Iooscac,, the cords by which the
ether clerks Eaais we're bound. A short
time before tbe t=aiu reached It's desti-
nation. the rehber Iespej from the car.
carrying his grit. filed with registered
nan matter and MADE his escape
However. II is Eut the desperate that
the mail clerks fear the most but the
shock ard noise Of brea hing glass and
timber that sigraiize q wreck. The rec
ord Of casualties for the men travel
ing IN the postal cars Ia startling. The
Eostofice authorities. by having the cara
. made along tie most advanced Inca
do al that is possible to avert these
dfsaBter1- Uucie Sam also makes ororE-
sion for the disabled clerk during the per
iod Of hiS incapac1y-hut for not lonzer
than year.
In spite OF the efforts Of the govern
nent The casualty column eoutfnues n
great rate. The mother who kisses her
boy goodby on his departure for his
run Is nearly as apprehenstve for his
safe return as the mother who sends her
boy o6 to hSht for his couutry. In com
partSon with the A,Iny, postal CLERK. are
in action every Gay they are on duty
while soldiers often serve lifetime with
out going into action. IL is said. on the
best authority. that the percentage cf
mail CLERKS annually killed snd wounded
In the service is greater than that Of the
United States Army In the Mexican War.
and double that OF the Spanish-American
War.
The passenger seated comfortably In
his pullman chair. is somewhat shaken
up by the sudden jar, resulting from the
contact Of his train and another, as K
comes to 4 standstill In the station. But
10 the mail clerk. whose car Is generally
next to the engine the incideRt Is more
selious, for he is often thrown violently
to the side of the car and not iI.fre-
qusntly receives a slight injury. In fact,
1t II this position OF the mail car that
makes II q death trap when the train
Is wrecked In a collision the wooden
postal cars, which sre gradually being re-
placed By steel ones. are crushed TO kind
ling wood between the powerful engine
and the heavier passenger coaches
The life Of the railway NAH clerk In
strenuous and wneH he Is on duty be
devotes every minute uf his time to the
work BCt for Lis comfort II leisure
moments he tnds In most large cities q
place Of rest and amusement. where for
a small sum Of ,ooGey be receives a
nights lodging ard access 10 the reading
room. A greet d"I Of the clerks time
Is spent awny from home and he must
pay his own expenses while on his run"
The salary Of The postal clerk varies from
$500 to 81 800. which seems very small
when one considers that II must support
4 family and the additional cost Of his
own living while on tie road
The heaviest and longest runs are
worked by men who are 0H duty sFI days
and OF for SIX days rest apd reerea ton
Another class IS OF dirty two weeks and
on for one week. their runs heing about
medium. The third class IS made up OF
clerks who are shorter and lighter
runs and every day except Sunday means
work for them. But as a result Of hard
work. and despite the sacrifices and
losses that all too frequently bring suf-
fering to many individuals and Gesolation
to many happy homes. Uncle Sam has the
best railway postal system on earth