South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-30

ton he stated that he was not ia
miliar enough with the mail and
passenger service 10 know what or
how much control the government
had in that respect. Mr.. Parks
pressed other phases Of his ques-
tions and at one point used the
slang word bunk" in describing the
attitude sometimes assumed by
some people when they wanted TO
evade answering a question Mr.
Browns ire was aroused by the in
ference and for a moment il ap-
peared that a heated controversy
was about to ensue. Mayor Gaylor
poured oil on the waters by inter-
posing question and the incident
was passed without further HOSTILE
ties. Mr.. Mcneil. however. briefly
defended himself with regard to
making reports TO his company
about alleged violations of the city
speed ordinance of % miles for
railway trains, and before adjourn
ment Of the meeting all three gem
tlemen briefly apologized and
asked that no Offense be taken by
the other.
Postmaster Herzog stated that he
had had much correspondence with
the officials of the New York Cen
trail Co and the postoffice depart
ment at Washington on the situa-
ton regarding the mail service. but
that no good had been accom-
plished in remeding the condition
He stated that he had even made
a trip 10 Washington for that pur-
pose with the same result. lie was
informed by Washington officials
that the difficulty was a local ques-
ton and not one of government in
reference and that it should be
settled here. A recent response by
letter from the railway company. he
said, was that by stopping addition
al trains at Mishawaka would
jeopardize the entire train service
If this division of the road He
said that much of the Chicago mail
for Mishawaka is carried on through
TO Toledo, O., and sent back here
on another train that is scheduled
TO stop here The service, he said,
was fairly good from the east, but
lamentably bad from the west. In
speaking Of the mutilation Of
pouches as they are thrown from
trains or taken on, Mr. Herzog
stated that most cases are due 10 the
small pouches now being used by
the local office, pouches that are
known in the service as sun fish"
pouches, which are not easily caught
by a mail crane. During 1915, the
postmaster said mail for his office
had been missed being delivered or
had been damaged by falling back
under the train.
Mr.. Brown was called on TO make
statement. replying that it was
hard at this time for his company to
defend itself for what il did or did
not do. He assured those present
that his company had at no time
Disseminated against Mishawaka
regarding train or mail service and
that the company was only too glad
to improve conditions if they could
consistently do so and at the same
time maintain satisfactory service
along other points on their line. He
stated that Gary, South Chicago
and Indiana HarbOr had no more
train stops on their line than Mish-
awake. Regarding the damage 10
mail sacks. he stated that the com
pany was not responsible or had
anything to do with the handling of
mail except to fulfill their contract
with the government, and that
chief mail clerk on a train was com
petent of judging the speed of a
train and was responsible for any
damage that might result to a
pouch if it is not thrown off or re-
ceived by a moving train properly.
The meeting was adjourned at 10
o'clock after it was agreed that a
committee Of five or six, including
Mayor GaylOr and Attys. Bingham
and Parks. be appointed by the may
or later in the week TO draft a
statement containing reasonable de-
mands upon the New York Central
for the improvement of the above
named conditions.