The Washington herald., 1915-04-07
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Man Who Promoted the Fast
Mail Service.
Written Expressly for The Washington Herald.
by DIR. T.. j. EDWARDS.

BY DIR. Z. J. EDWARDS.
Il do not want to detract from the
great service which Col. George S.
Bangs rendered when he conceived
and then worked out the plan for a
railway fast-mail service. He is en-
, titled to all the credit for that idea
and for the successful institution of
! the fast-mail service on all the lead
| ing railway lines of the United
States"
This remark was made to me by
the late Charles c. Clarke, who was
for many years vice president of the
New York Central railroad and it's
financial executive officer. Mr.. Clarke
was in intimate personal and after
ward business relations with Col
Bangs and he knew some of the diff
| ticulties which the latter met with
when he undertook to persuade the
-government at Washington to put cars
specially devoted to the carrying OF
mail on railway trains and also when
he undertook to persuade railroad
managers to furnish special facilities
for fast-mail service.
Il presume that l am well within
the truth when l say that perhaps at
first the only valuable aid given to
ter, who for many years was secre-
tary of the Vanderbilt system of rail-
roads. Worcester had wonderfully
equipped mind and was able intui-
lively to perceive all sides of propo-
sition and to make instant judgment
upon its feasibility" continued Mr..
Clarke.
Col. Bangs had a good many con-
versations with Mr.. Worcester in
IinI, ha 1o;r T.; ;,, l1ta
his railway fast-mail plan. He was
delighted to learn that the proposition
instantly appealed to Mr.. Worcester.
While it is true the railways would
get reasonable compensation for that
service, Mr.. Worcester said that the
value of it to the business interests
of the United States would be SO great
as, indirectly at least, to tend to an
increase in railway earnings, for
there would be an increase of BUSH
ness. Mr.. Worcester cordially sup
ported the plan and. / have no doubt,
was able to secure the support of
some of the members of Congress.
who when they understood the propo-
sition were quick to realize the ad-
vantage to the country.
eat last, the government approved
of the plan and Mr.. Worcester. in CO.
operation with Col. Bangs, was ready
10 demonstrate the 1eaSlDll1ty OF
operating a very fast railway train
between New York and Chicago. He
caused special car to be fitted up
and fast schedule time to be ar
ranged. By the way. when the Phila-
delphia people heard what Mr.. Wor-
cester proposed they got very busy,
hoping to secure a like service be-
tween Philadelphia, Washington and
Chicago.
when the train was ready. Mr.
Worcester said 20 Col. Bangs that he
purposed riding in the postal car from
New York as far as Cleveland. A
similar train had been prepared at
Chicago and these two trains would
meet near Cleveland.
do you know that Mr.. Worcester
actually rode on that first postal car
watching the sorting and distributing
of the mail with intense interest I'M
til the train reached Cleveland in al
most record time? There he quilted
the train and, an hour later, he took
the New York-bound postal car and
rode back to New York, not securing
a moments sleep.
when he got back to New York
he said the fast railway mail service
would do as. much as any one thing
to increase business activity in the
United States, for IT meant the saving
of hours in the distribution of mail
That was an accurate prediction"
Copyright ISIS. by 4. J. Edwards. All rights re-
served.D
Tomorrow DIR. Edwards will tell of
The Authors Of the National Bank
ing system"