ROUTE AGENTS.
This is the designation of a very useful and indispensable class of
officials, who were hardly known to the service in this country
previous to the year 1839. Their introduction appears to have been
contemporaneous with the employment of railroads for the
transportation of the U. S. mails, and a necessary consequence of the
adoption of this mode of conveyance.
The number of these Agents has been progressively increased in
proportion with the extension of railroads, and they are now employed
upon nearly all these roads in this country, as well as upon many of
the steamboats which carry the mails.
Since 1847, they have increased as follows:--
In 1848 there were 47
1849 " " 61
1850 " " 100
1851 " " 127
1862 " " 209
1864 " " 260
1856 " " 295
By the terms of contract with each railroad company, it is required to
furnish a suitable car for the use of the mail or Route Agent when so
requested by the Department. The Agent occupies this traveling
post-office, or mail car, receives and delivers mails along the route;
assorts, and gives the proper direction to all mail matter passing
through his hands; mails such letters, pre-paid _by stamps_, as are
handed him, and accompanies the mails in their transit between the
post-office and the railroad station or steamboat, at the terminus of
the route.
It is too often the case that persons of influence, in proposing a
candidate for this responsible post, greatly undervalue the nature and
importance of the duties to be performed, supposing that they involve
merely the mechanical labor of delivering mail bags at the different
post-office stations upon the route. The fact is, that the successful
working of our postal machinery depends in no small degree upon the
active, faithful, and intelligent discharge of the Route Agents'
duties. In New England especially, and perhaps in some other sections
of the country, a very large proportion of the correspondence passes
through the hands of these officials, at some stage in its progress.
Much care, and a thorough knowledge of the topography of the sections
of the country through which the route lies, as well as that of more
distant portions, are therefore required for giving letter and other
packages a direction by which they will reach their destination in the
shortest possible time. And that essential preliminary, the
ascertaining where a given package is to go, is a matter not always
easy of accomplishment. For the most skilful interpreters of the
species of chirography known as "quail tracks," are often taxed to
their utmost capacity of learning and experience, in the endeavor to
decipher the outside addresses of packages which they are required to
"distribute" without loss of time.
Furthermore, in consequence of the improvements constantly progressing
in many parts of the country, and the frequent changes in railroad,
steamboat, and stage connections, resulting from that and other
causes, what would be correct "distribution" one day, might not be so
the next. The old adage, "The longest way round is the shortest way
home," is often literally true in the sending of mail matter, for
steam occupies less time in accomplishing a circuitous route of a
hundred miles, than horses in passing over a direct one of twenty.
On the other hand, it sometimes happens that a long route by stage
should be adopted, instead of a short one by railroad, owing to a want
of the proper railroad connections.
When all these demands upon the vigilance and ability of the Route
Agent are exercised, it will be obvious that it would be difficult to
estimate the amount of injury that the public might receive from the
employment of a careless, inefficient, or illiterate person in this
position.
Among the Post Master General's instructions to Route Agents is one
requiring them to receive and mail all letters written after the
closing of the mail at the places where the writers reside, and before
its departure. This privilege--intended solely for the accommodation
of those who are prevented by unavoidable circumstances from
depositing their letters in the post-office--has of late been used, or
rather abused, to a degree never dreamed of by the Department. This
abuse, in many cases, has proceeded to an extent which would seem to
warrant the withholding of the privilege.
Tardy and indolent correspondents, who can save a few steps by taking
their letters to a mail car or steamboat, instead of to the proper
place of deposit, a post-office, find the hard-worked Route Agent an
invention admirably calculated to facilitate the indulgence of their
lazy habits, and do not scruple to avail themselves of the opportunity
to the utmost extent.
There is also a numerous class who entertain feelings of hostility
toward their post master for various reasons; not unfrequently from
the failure of their own attempts or those of their friends to obtain
the office which he holds. These persons show their resentment by
withholding their mail matter from the post-office, and thus cheating
the incumbent out of his lawful commissions. In carrying out this
plan, they make the Route Agent an innocent accessory, by placing all
their correspondence in his car just before the departure of the
train, thus unnecessarily increasing his labor for the sake of
gratifying their own malice.
Another class, fully persuaded of the truth of the principle that
"seeing is believing," and unwilling to trust in anything less
reliable than their own eyes, deposit their letters with the Agent
rather than in the post-office, in order to avoid the innumerable
perils which might beset them in their passage from the custody of the
post master to that of the Agent! These cautious persons are not
satisfied without ocular demonstration of the departure of their
letters, so that if the letters should fail to reach their
destination, they would still have the pleasing consciousness that
they had done all in _their_ power to avoid such a catastrophe.
Still another class confide their letters to the Route Agent, from a
belief that letters, especially valuable ones, will thus go forward
more safely and expeditiously. But this is an incorrect idea, for in
the first place the pressure of other indispensable duties, such as
receiving, assorting, and delivering mails, may occupy so much of the
Agent's time that he will find it impossible to mail all the letters
handed him, in which case they would often suffer at least a day's
delay. And as to the supposed additional safety of money-letters, when
sent in this way, it may be remarked that in case of a serious
collision happening to the train while the letters were still loose,
the chances of their loss from destruction or theft, would be much
greater than if they were properly secured in a locked mail-pouch.
Important losses have occurred in this way, and of course they may
happen at any time.
In behalf of the Route Agents, whose duties, at best, are sufficiently
arduous, the public are earnestly requested to exercise the privilege
referred to only in accordance with its original intention, namely, in
reference to letters which _cannot_ with due diligence be mailed in
the ordinary way.
Another important regulation contained in the Route Agents'
instructions, is that which forbids the admission within the mail car
of any one except those officially connected with the Department. The
strict enforcement of this rule is well for all concerned, and should
be cheerfully acquiesced in by the railroad companies and the public
at large.
Nor should its application in individual cases be construed, as has
sometimes been done, into a distrust of the honor or honesty of the
person refused admittance. It is done simply in pursuance of a
wholesome and reasonable requirement, and with the view to confine
responsibility to those upon whom it is placed by the Department, and
to guard against hindrances to the faithful and accurate discharge of
their duty.
The faithfulness of one of the Route Agents, in respect to a
compliance with Instructions, was a few years since tested by the Post
Master General in person, who happened to be travelling _incog._, so
far as those on that train were concerned.
Just as the cars were about to leave one of the stations, JUDGE HALL,
then Post Master General, presented himself at the door of the mail
apartment, when the following conversation occurred:--
_Post Master General._--Good morning, sir; I would like a seat in your
car to avoid the dust.
_Agent._--Well, I would like to accommodate you, but you see what my
Instructions say, (at the same time pointing to the printed Circular
posted up in the car, with the signature of "N. K. Hall" attached.)
_P. M. General._--Yes, that is all well enough, but Mr. Hall probably
did not mean to exclude honorable gentlemen who would not interfere
with the mails, or annoy you with conversation.
_Agent._--(Scanning the person of his unknown visitor pretty
closely)--Suppose he didn't, what evidence have I that you are an
honorable gentleman? Besides, I am a strict constructionist, and the
order says no person is allowed here except those connected with the
Department.
Judge Hall insisted upon staying, however, and deliberately took a
seat in the only chair on the premises. Whereupon the Agent proceeded
to call the baggage-master to assist in forcibly ejecting this
persevering customer; and he certainly would have _gone out_, had he
not without loss of time presented his card to the incensed Agent,
just in time to prevent so ludicrous a denouement.
He was warmly commended for his faithfulness, and highly enjoyed the
visit of his distinguished guest during the remainder of his stay.