From Rick B
Friday, January 27, 2006
"The South Bend Weekly Tribune", Saturday, October 2, 1897, page 1
WHY THEY HAD EXTRA PAY.
Mailcarriers Worked Hard and Overtime and Government Recognized Service.
Some interest has been created by the recent publication of The Tribune of the
amounts just allowed to South Bend mail-carriers for overtime and there are some who do
not understand fully the attendant circumstances. The South Bend postoffice to-day has a
larger force of help than it did several years ago although the income of the office is
less than it was only a few years since.
During the administration of Postmaster Elmer Crockett he succeeded in getting two
extra carriers and one extra clerk. The income of the office when he went in was less
than $30,000 but the volume of business was so great that it was all the employes could do
to handle it. The janitor, contrary to law, carried a route to help out and one of the
extra carriers took the janitor's place as carrier and the other additional carrier
took additional territory. During the first three years the income of the office doubled
and yet the government would allow no extra help and a law had been passed cutting the
carriers' time to eight hours a day. But they were willing to do the work and
consequently put in much overtime.
Certain postoffices' carriers had put in claims for overtime pay and the
government taking up the matter employed attorneys to visit those offices and collect
testimony. Among the attorneys was L. G. Carpenter, of this city. This testimony after
being put in proper shape was taken before the court of claims and a decision was reached
which favored the claims of the carriers. South Bend carriers put in claims and it is
these that have just been paid by the government.
Postmaster Crockett was allowed $5,000 for clerk hire aside from the hire of an
assistant postmaster. The allowance now is $7,200 or $2,000 more and the income of the
office to-day is less. Two carriers and two clerks have been added to the force so that
the clerk and carrier hire today is about $3,500 more than during the previous
administration.