§ MR. STEADMANI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representting the Postmaster-General, why telegraph messengers are employed in the East Central District Office at 6 a.m., stamping, sorting, etc., at the low wage of messengers, when this work is usually performed by postmen and sorters, receiving a much higher rate of pay, and, as these boys are brought on duty at this early hour, presumably for express letter delivery service, could other arrangements be made to prevent bringing these lads on duty at such an early hour, which must be detrimental to their health; and if the employment of these messengers for postal duties has been put into force in other offices to a very large extent.
§ MR. HANBURYThere are six of the senior telegraph messengers on duty in the Eastern Central District Office from 6 a.m. for express delivery service, 879 and during any intervals in which they are not engaged in such service, they fill up their time by rendering assistance in the more elementary work, such as facing letters. This kind of simple work is occasionally done by messengers elsewhere, but not to any large extent. There seems no objection to the practice, nor is there any reason to think that the employment of messengers at 6 a.m. is in any way detrimental to their health, as they are from sixteen to over eighteen years of age, and are only employed upon the early duty every other week.