Show BIG PINES FOR OR DELAY Of oi NAILS MAILS Penalties Fixed by Government Government Government Govern Govern- ment Result in an Open War With the Postoffice Department CHICAGO July 30 Western Western railroads railroads railroads rail rail- roads are near an open break with the thern department over the transportation transportation trans trans- of the malls mails owing to a number number num num- ber of recent orders The latest cause cauce of grievance is the imposition of heavy fines on nearly all the the- roads for tor delay in delivering the mails maUs To consider the situation a a a. number of ot railroad d' offic officials held an important conference here yes yes- One official declared that the fines levied by the Government against his road in one quarter amounted to A similar condition on the other roads was reported The fines were assessed under a rule which went Into effect in July 1906 The roads are amazed to find that they are in danger of f losing g 16 15 p per cent of t fe fea mall mail pay a u unless t they y revise vI the sched ules and place their mall mail trains upon run ning time which they know they can maintain in all seasons and In all kinds of weather I IThe The new rule the roads claim is oppressive op oppressive op- op and unjust It provides that if it the mails are late ten times on any rout route during a period of ot ninety days the road shall be assessed 15 per cent of ot the pay nay of ot that route for tOr the quarter Under the speed standards as now es established es es- operating men declare It would be a marvel manrel for almost any of ot the big Eastern systems to escape having their important mail mall trains late more moro than ten times Umes in ninety days It was stated In yesterdays yesterday's conference that the Postoffice department is ing in many cases to insist upon one size car westbound and an entirely different car eastbound One of ot the Government inspectors Is is quoted as telling a railroad official this was being done because of ot the knowledge that rather than deadhead cars over their routes the the railroads would in all such cases use the larger car both ways whereas the Government would have to pay for tor the larger size car in only one direction The railroads insist their mail man revenues are so seriously threatened that something some some- thing must be done |