Evening journal., 1915-10-15
newark RID. MAIL
Service NOW Farce
Consolidation of Routes De-
moralizes System, While
Letters Pile Up
TOO MUCH WORK
FOR THE CARRIERS
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
NEWARK, Oct. l5.-Unless some re-
lief is furnished soon by the govern
ment the entire mail service of New
ark will be farce. Since the
postofiice Department two weeks ago
made the radical changes in the rural
mail service here conditions have been
going from bad to worse, until now the
entire service is being effected Com
plants by the hundreds are being made
daily, but with no apparent result. To
make matters worse the local Office is
without a regular postmaster. Post.
master John w. Brown died suddenly
last Saturday, and his successor has not
been named. In the meantime Deputy
William Lyman is acting postmaster.
Until the first Of October, Newark;
had four rural mail routes from the
local Office. The department at Wash.
ington made a radical change which
turned the four routes into two motor
routes. This change resulted in Mr.
Gutherie and Mr.. Coverdale. two ofsthe
old rural carriers. losing their positions
Under the change II was of course nee.
essary 70 greatly increase the mileage
Of the two routes that were TO take
the place OF four. Mr., Lewis continued
as one of the motor car carriers with n
total mileage Of about 25 miles. That
the re-rnuting Of the districts had been
done in 2 haphazard way is evident from
the fact that Robert Crow. one of the
old carriers, who was re-appointed "a
cover the second motor route. was given
about 81 miles. Under the old system
each carrier had about 20 miles. Bnd
this as thought sufficient when the bac
weather was taken into consideration.
After receiving his appointment for
the 81 mile route, Mr. Crow tried sew
eral days to cover the route. but
claimed II was impossible even with
an automobile, and resigned. He CON
tended that he could not get over the
distance even IN good weather in
reasonable time. Il being more thar
twice as large as his original route
In the winter months, when Il woui,
be necessary 10 use a horse AM
wagon, II would be impossible Il
cover more than one-half such
route IN one dar
Following Mr.. Crows resignation
Elmer Morrison was named carrie
for that route. Mr. Morrison mad
the attempt two days 10 cover IN
route and then he also resigned. n
! claimed the route could not be GOV
. cred by one carrier in one day.
AS a result Of these condition
brought out by the changes made b
Tho DrcfoHpro rfr,r,t tbo
local Office is practically demoralized
With the exception Of a few mile
added Mr. Lewis still has his orr
/ ginal route which he has been serv
/ ing every day This, however, leave
| practically three Of the old routes
without any serice. BY the severa
attempts that we're made some Of tn,
4 patrons on these routes were served
j several days. but there are Others
who have received no mail under tht
rural mail service for two weeks
Thousands Of pieces Of mail are
piled up at the local Office for these
three routes undelivered. This is
especially true as TO newspapers
There are Wilmington and Philadel-
phia newspapers Of early last week
! for patrons Of the three routes that
are still at the local office because
/ there has been no way to deliver
/ them Rural patrons are fiockine
into the Newark Office after their mai
and IT takes much time Of the clerks
to get it because Of the great bull
Of mail there undelivered. This take:
up so much time of the clerks
that other patrons are often required
to wait from 10 to Is minutes before
| they can be waited on.