Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-19


The old books will be closed when all the pecuniarv
transactions OF the Department, prior first of July
,as' are brought upon them Statements made from
these books, and other data show the condition of the
Department on that day, have been about as follows
viz: '
Due to Contractors and others $792 1891 90
Due to Banks 272,O0O 90
Whole deb: of the Department al O6a "a, 90
Amount due to the Depart
Weht ................ 81 12S,3l0 90
Deduct for bad and doubt
iul aeDts ............. 13l 1877 SO
Debt esteemed to be good soo6o9I 90
lush on mana 1869 40
Whole available means SlO4O,6Sl SO
Balance of debt available means ON
:. LIST July last ;;..... ........... 90, ZOO 50
Al 'ne suspended allowances be added $4,000 co
1t will make the debt exceed the avail
able means on first July last ...... $50 700 80
nc accounts OF the Posmasters for the quarter end
ing 3Oth September last, have been so far examined No
to show satisfactorily that the increase of gross
over That OF the corresponding quarter Of last year
about twelve per cent The annual saving in the recent
letting OF contracts about $50 900 Predicated on
an average Increase of revenue throughout current
hscai year OF ten per cent and n saving of s25 O0O
when the contracts recently let shall be executed with
necessary alterations, estimate of the gross re venue
and accrung responsibilities for the wear ending 3Otb
June, 1886, indicates the following results viz:
Gross revenue ,la Tor the year ending Both of
c: June, 1876: S3292,6o2 90
tiers, 81 O3o o5a m
Incidental expenses, 10000 90
Transportation OF the mails, 17065O7 90
Total expenditures, asl6A65 ON
Balance in favor of the Department SAG 227 o0
Although the whole of this sum may not be ayaiIabIe
on account of the usual losses and deacations il is not
doubted, that aided by collections of OUTSTANDING bal.
ances 1T will be sufficient pay off the debts of the De-
Partment and leave considerable amount applicable to
an extension of mail accommodations
When the undersigned took charge of this Deo,r,
ment his attention was Immediately called to the condi-
on OF its finances but it found that no salts
factory account OF its debts its means could within
any short period, be obtained from its books IL was on
ly perceived, from current incidents and detached nc
counts hat the unsashed demands OF contractors from
every quarter OF the country, daily accommodating;
tha there was debt Of 5000 900 due TO Banks:
mat the outstanding acceptances of the Treasurer ex
ceedcd 39OOOO that considerable portion of the reve
nue. OF some of the large Offices for the present calender
year, had been anticipated by drafts discounted in
banks which they had been instructed pay maturi
W that additional allowances had been recently author
Ized 10 considerable amount that provide the means
TO meet the demands the Department at Washington
created by the system of acceptances upwards of two
thousand OF the most considerable post Offices had been
directed to depose their income in ba ks and Tint these
means proving insufficient, the Department was subject
ed to continual embarassmcnts in devisna WAYS and
means to meet its engagements Az The same ttne
was believed all hands that the current revenue of
me Department considerably exceeded its current
dure, and that the aggregate OF debt was in
dmInuuon In this state of things it was deemed xpe.
dent TO make effort extrcae the Deunrtment from
us embarrassmens The measures resorcd to for that
purpose, follows viz:
J. suspension of all allowances from the cre
dit Of the contractors
refusal to accept OF pay any drafts drawn on the
department exccptby special arrangement.
o. he application Of the income Of the current quarter
to the payment Of that quarters expenses the surplus
only TO be applied TO the payment of existing claims
a. The inlrodaetlon Of system which should effect
more prompt cole ction and application of the current in
come of the Departments.
The allowances suspended, amounted TO about one
nuhoreu ana hity-seven thousand dollars Without re-
I hat
ought TO be given to other claims in making pavrnents
The discOntinuance of acceptaBees was essential 10
enaOie the Department to command lis means a reye.
nue. arises Wherever the mails carried and it would
seem obviously appropriate as well as convenient that
the services of contractors should be paid for in the see
ions OF country where they rendered "a far a
Praccable, out of the income which they produce But
the pacce Of suffering the contractors to draw for their
pay subjected the Department the Inconvenience of
collecting its funds Com the post Offices throughout The
Union, aud transferring them 70 Washington 10 meet
the drafts The sOwuess and uncertainty Of this opera
uon made 1t an insufficient reliance 10 its accept.
auce, produced the necessity Of looking elsewhere Tor
the and rendered it difficult 10 manage lis finances
with any convenience Regularity.
By paying the expenses Of the quarter at lis
/ close, ana announcing determination 10 pay in like
manner at the close Of each succeeding one aopivnr
believed that the credit Of the Department would i'm
mcdiately be elevated and thenccforward sustained
Orders TO deposit in banks, and drafts on postnaslers
in favor OF contractors constituted the system of coec-
ton found in operation Upwards Of thousand post
offices had orders TO deposit and upwards of eight thou
sand instructed 10 retain their hostages until drawn
upon. Many OF The deposit offices were dilatorv and
dcialcatton among them no; uncommon. Many of
the other Offices were not drawn upon for several quar-.
ers on account OF the smaness Of their income other
circumstances The necessities Of the Department com.
PEELED 70 draw the productive Offices at the end
OF each quarter before their accounts could be adjusted