The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1913-01-04
NO MAIL HERE SINCE
LAST TUESDAY NIGHT
Contractor Kellogg Quits and Teams and
Rigs Not Allowed to Move Mail
R. ]. McKinnen Starts Teams Today.

Burns has been without mail
from outside points since last
Tuesday night and prospects are
that none will arrive here before
| Monday as it was not until this
morning chat even temporary
arrangements were made to get
the mail out of Burns and the
same team will bring back what
mail there is on its arrival at
Prairie.
While it had been intimated
that Kellogg would quit on the
first of the year on account Of
the parcel post law going into
effect, it was not definitely stated
by Mr.. Kellogg and no provision
was made to take care Of the
mail. The two local lines from
this place to Venator and Dia-
mond were looked after by the
bondsmen but the Burns-Vale
and Burns-Prairie lines. which
were covered by surety bonds
have been tied up.
Perhaps this is the first time
such a thing ever happened
where contractor voluntarily
quit the business without previous
warning and it is the longest
period that Burns has been with
out mail since the beginning Of a
daily service. Just what will be
the outcome is speculative. A
government inspector is out at
Vale and has stated over the
phone that he will start the mail
in from that point but the people
of this section care little about
that route as very little Of our
mail comes in that way. The in
spector intimates that some one
is likely to get into trouble over
the matter but he doesn't say
who. Mr.. Kellogg has simply
! quit and states he cannot fill his
contract under the circumstan-
! ces. We understand he has
, turned over his property to his
creditors.
X. J. McKinnon arranged with
Post Master Logan to go out
, temporarily with the mails this
morning, starting one team Ia
Canyon and another toward Vale,
no arrangements have bean made
for permanent service however.
! The situation is unusual, Or
: dinarily the bondsmen Of the
contractor would have to make
good, but the parcel post law go
: ing into effect puts a different
light on the situation and there
is a question whether the bond
ing house can be made to pay OF
not.
Some who have been consider
3 ing the proposition are Of the
impression that we will not get q
: renewal of the contract from
! Prairie as there is only a small
territory, so far as population is
concerned, between here and
Canyon to serve. and no con-
, tractor will take it for anything
+: like what has been paid in the
! past. The falling off of traffic
r through the invasion Of automo-
biles and auto trucks has made a
material difference in the reve-
nue. of a stage line compared to
former years and it is likely the
, government will not pay the price
asked for mail route. The logi-
cal conclusion under such circum-
stances is that a contract cover
ing perhaps two years will be let
for a daily service from Vale,
conditional to conform to the ad-
vancement of the railroad from
that point toward the interior.
The Times-Herald is informed
that Mr.. Kellogg was one Of the
biggest star route contractor in
the United States and it is likely
that this is the largest territory
in the country to be deprived Of
mail service at present. 1t is a
serious matter that should have
had quicker relief, but with the
usual dilatory movements that
has always been the policy Of the
post office department we are
deprived for an indefinite period.
The local post master is not TO
blame as he had no authority to