The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1919-01-25
ONCE.A.WEEK MAIL SERVICE
GOES INTO EFFECT
But Petition and Protest Tele.
graghed to Washington Is
Expected to Bring EARLY
Relief


Eureka had one mail from Palisade
this week-on Wednesday, the first
since Friday. January II, and the
train brought in five days mail. 1t
was thought there would be consider
able trouble in answering business
and other necessary correspondence
in time to catch the outgoing train
the next morning at 7:30, but the
letter mail was ready for delivery a
little after 6p. M, and as nearly
everybody got busy and cut out
other engagements, prompt replies
to all letters were posted and W
heard of no complaints regarding
the service at this end of the line; in
fact. Postmaster Hoegh was CON-
mended for handling the big mail so
expeditiously. AS the postal law is
rather strict in regard to matter
printed and circulated through the
mails, the SENTINEL will not attempt
to quote the remarks passed regard
ing those blamed for putting the
| once-a-week mail service into effect
here.
Many of our people believe the
Postal Department is trying to put
one over on the railway company
and that it has really no idea of es-
tablishing permanently any reduc-
ton in our tri-weekly service. 1t is
known that the Postal Department
is still continuing semi-weekly and
tri-weekly service to adjacent dis
tricts containing only a handful of
people, and although for some time
Eureka has been receiving blows
under the belt that have helped put
US where we are to-day. it is not
thought the Department has any
idea of singing us out and giving a
Thousand people here a once-a-week
service while furnishing another COM
munityof twenty people a three-times
a-week service.
The trouble in a nutshell is that
the railway company wants more
money for carrying the mail than
the Postal Department will allow
about $500 a year for a three-times-
a-week service. The railway COM
pany, we believe, wants $4,000 for
this service, and the people here are
of accord that this amount is only
reasonable and just, and in the past
have signed petitions asking that
Congress and the Postal Department
arrange for a service on this basis.
The Postal Department opposes on
| the grounds that the local railway
is given the maximum amount
| allowed for railway service. and to
increase this to the local company
would compel it to raise it's rates on
hundreds of the smaller railway lines
throughout the country, and so far
it has successfully opposed the action
of our representatives in Congress
to pass legislation that would permit
the local line to receive the increased
rate.
The Department has for years been
paying the stage company close to
J $4,000 per annum for a tri-weekly
service from Palisade to Eureka. and
it would look like a pretty good
stroke Of business to have the same
service performed by the railway
company for $4,000, with a six-hour
schedule by the latter as against a
33-hour schedule by stage.
To this the Department cites the
postal laws regarding the rates for
service and contends, we understand,
that all people in this country must
be given adequate and just mail SER
vice, and if a railway will not fur
nish satisfactory service at the rate
allowed by law it will obtain this
service over a stage route at the low
est rate obtainable.
D~x:xo- al prota.k