Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-06-20
Twenty-third Congrcss.--Ist scss
REPORT UPON TIE POST OFFICE
In Senate of the United Sfofrs T,,,e a 1924

Ia Senate IF the United States June o, 1884.
Mr. Ewing from the Committee on the Post Office and
Post Roads, made the following Report:
The Committee the Pos, Office Post Roads, in obc-
aencs to the resolution Of the Senate OF the 29h Of
March, A. d. 1884 proceeded TO inquire into the condi
hon oil the Post Office Department., an, having made
progress in their investigation. now Report
That your Committee, at an early day after they were
invested with authority SO TO do, called Tor statement OF
the available claims due from Pos,masiers and others to
the Department. and OF the funds hand, and also the
amount oil lis debts la TO this inquiry they
informed that IL would be the work OF several months
with all the dspossbe foc OF the Department. 10 pre-
pare the statement; the shortest time named as possible
extending much beyond the probable adjournment Of Con
gres State ments, therefore, sad be accurate were
obtained wherever 1t was practicable; and when such
were not 10 be had your committee received coue
estimates, sworn 10 by the heads Of the appropriate Blu.
reaux. -
BY these II appears that the Department is iarpeiy
nsoent and that since some time in the year 1882 the
Postmaster General has, ihout warrant of law bor-
fow.d IRON the banks large sums OF money interest
Tor the purpose OF sustaining it, The interest account
exhibited herewith, shows the of those loans were
made during the last session Of Congress- and within
short time after the date Of the annual report of the
Postmaster General which states that there ia sp ayas.
bic surpusund on hand OF 202SlI 40 aud which con-
ains no inmsiion OF any probable deficit present
lure. IL Is aIso norhy OF remark that his last annual
report is wholly silent the SUBJECT these loans But
the Postmaster General has since the OF
aid from the Treasury is ecessary to enable him TO
carry on the operations Of the Department and he has
stated that 49ooo0 dollars is the smallest that will
serve that purpose.
The sums borrowed and overdrawn on banks TO the
I'm April, 1884. and then existing debt against
department, stated by the officers to be S4sS 600
And they state the amount due TO contract-
ors oil The ls, OF April, 1894, 635 900
Making the aggregate OF its debts 81 l23 600
They also state that there was on the Hi, of Apn
1884, balance OF depoes in banks in favor of the De-
par'ment oil $4,000 90 "a
which have failed 5455 OF
Leaving 10 the credit account, funds in
hank, April ilth 1884, available S3I, 545 SO s A
ihey also reported as conjecfurnl estimate, that
sre was due IRON pos'maslers Tor posagcs accruing
prior TO January lst, 1884, $300,00O.
The books from which this estimate was drawn have
been examined by the Committee the result of that
examinations leaves that the amount of this Gre
dit is greatly exaggerated.
IL appears that the receipts of the department for the
las, quarter oil the year 1893, according the hes, cs
mate that be formed he and accounts not hav
ing been made up as they should have been,)
70 $i67. ll9
tiers In banks, during said quarter, Tor the use
OF the department 332 9O4
Leaving an apparent balance outstanding in the
hands oil pO'"asiers' Of sls4 545
But il is understood that considerable sums u.,. re-
ceived from Postmasiers exclusive oil the deposes in
banks, which estimated reduce amount i'm h,ir
hands for receipts, during The last quarter of 1888 10
$os,tZo which sum, resulting from the several data TO
which we have is fixed upon the nearest an.
proxmaon TO the truth, aI,anabe within the limited
me which was In our power devote this part OF
The investigation We believe how ever that any person
acquainted with the books, and the course of business of
TIE department. and whose ate ntion should
devoted 10 me SUBJECT could in little lime estimate the
amount OF debts due TO The departmen t with very near
approach to accuracy; aud that the officers OF depart
ment can, at any time within few days, make abstract
statement Of its fiscal the termination of any
quarter sufficiently for the ordinary purposes Of
general information or legislation.
The officers OF the department also. estimated the
amount due from Posmssers for postage, accrung with
III the LIST quarter OF the year 1884, at $500 600
Your committee examined, as far practicable the
data upon which this estimate made and they have
reason to believe that this sum is also much above the
true amount.
Ii estimated by the chief clerk OF the department, tbo,
the receipts tor hostages in the FIRST quarter of 1888
:, VIII amount TO $500 600
deposited in banks for the use Of the department
Within that quarter, and prior TO the LIST day of
April $a147o4
Which will leave of the receipts OF tina, quar-
ter, In The hands OF posimasers, on that
day $2O5, 7O4
considerable portion Of this sum, probably was re-
ceived by the department in drafts Posfmasers bur IN
what amount your committee have Of ascertain
ing They therefore, take the above as the amount
due Tor that quarter on the Let of April 1884,
1h- estimate OF The due and outstanding will .u
appear large, we compare il with the amount Of similsr
claims under former administrations; al time too when
the department not involved in debt and had no mar
cuar to press its coec with peculiar ur
gency appears by the first report Of present Post
master General made on the 24'h Of November, 1929
that, on the lsday Of July OF that year. the hole amount
due and outstanding in the hands Of postuiasers and
others, was $ofAOo 2i and we good reason
WY VI snOuiu nave been suffered
rise TO $2S9l29, much less TO The enormous sum OF $500
OOO az is estimated by the chief clerk especially at
Time when Tire department is nsoIveni ard borrowing
from banks and overdawng its deposiies daily and even
descending TO ask The credit III individuals 10 sustain il i'm
IFS most necessary functions.
But, admitting the estimated by Vour committees
TO be due rom postmasters, the credits the department
will stand thus:
Amount OF available debts for hostages accrunc iin IN
quarter ending be Isl day OF Jan. 1884 sss 725
DO. do. foe posiages accrung in the
quarter ending the LIST day OF Apr 1891 2O5 7oi
., unos deposited IN solvent banks 81 5I6
m"kins the aggregate Of credits considered avsil. 49,
s sTe' $500 975
ofhcers OF the department, was SI l2e 6o0
Balance dgains, the department ON n,l CO ~ ali
US soconn would be- except old bslsnces prior 70 The Isl
Of Oct 1888, ,sooo ~.
The above estimate Of the sums due from Tic dc,,a,r
men IS taken entirely upon Ie credit of tbe officer. Of
inc bureaux 70 which the snperinfc ndence OF those
counts properly belong They probes have given them
with al practicable accuracy and your committee bav
ing no particular reason TO doub, their have
not gone INTO an investigation with view 10 test nco,
With respect 10 The credit and Outstanding claims ot
the Department, your Committee could no, place n,e
same reliance Oh The general esinaie presented TO ITEM
The amount was much drger than ihcv lad rsason In
suppose was correct from their knowledge Of de general
course OF business IN The Department; and their nvest
CATION has satisfied them that The error vas even larger
man tHey AZ hrs anrcpated amounting, has been sl
ready shown, 10 upwards Of 500 600
Your Committee have also made and here oresen, -,
estimate OF The revenue aud expenditures Of tie Depsff
ment Tor the last quarter Of the year 1893 Nv inch II
will be That, without real and substantial reor
w the management Of lis concerns, there is little
ihat VIII extficae itself from the present cmbarrass
/ Ia IL. Il. -