Testimony Taken by the Commission to Investigate the Postal Service; Second-Class Mail Matter, Pneumatic-Tube Service, Etc (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1900. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... POSTAL SERVICE. Boston, Mass., July 20, 1898. MORNING SESSION. Present, Hon. E. F. Loud (chairman), Hon. W. E. Chandler, Hon. W. H. Moody. STATEMENT OF HENRY A. THOMAS. Henry A. Thomas, postmaster of the city of Boston, Mass., testified as follows: By the Chairman: Q. How do you find your office, as to efficiency of your clerical force? I refer particularly to superannuated employees; have you any number of them?--A. We have a few--not very many--not troubled in that way very much. It is growing more and more, however, every year. Of course, they can not do the work of the younger men, but we haven't a man in the office who can not stand up and do a day's work. We have a man who has been here for fifty-five years, who can throw in as many papers as almost anybody, because he is at it all of the time. Q. Then you don't think you are troubled with senility?--A. Not at the present time, but they are giowii'g more and more--many of the carriers and many of the clerko. You can not 3end a' man out on the road who is laid up with weakness nd ag.v We have two or three on leaves of absence...... Q. I think you had better furnish u-, with a list of your employees over 60 years of age, what they are dhvg, ud the salaries they are receiving? By Mr. Chandler: Q. Of course, when you are doing that, show how long a man has been here.--A. The men whom we depend upon for executive work, for the directing of other men--we have the best material in that class, who came in before the civil service went into effect. You could pick out men who had some executive ability then. I am a thorough believer in civil service; but the men who come to us from commercial classes don't furnish the material to make foremen, cashiers, heads of divisions, etc. Once in a while you find th...