The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-12-08
POSTMASTER GENERALS REPORT.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

| To the President Of the United Stales-
| SIR: In presenting to your consideration report
of the condition and operations Of the Post Office De-
partment for the year preceding the 30th June, s42
it affords pleasure to say, its condition has been
improved and the service has been attended with
more than ordinary success, whether considered in
reference to the management of its financial con-
cerns or the regularity and extent of its operations
A public service, which requires the agency of
1888 posmasters and their clerks, 2,343 contrac-
tors and their agents; covering, during the year,
81, 1896, 99l miles of transportation and extending
almost to the door of every citizen, must encounter
difficulties and be subjected to occasional rregula-
rites, not only from the neglect of Of its hume
rous agents, but from physical causes, not in the
power of this Department to overcome.
When the vast machinery of the General Post
Office, the mnuteness of its details, and the charac-
ter of the majority of the roads over which the mail
is transported, contemplated there should be
more of establishment at the general regularity of
the service than Of surprise and discomfort at
sional failures. Absolute certainty and unbroken
regularity in the arrival and departure Of the mails
at all times, cannot and ought not to be, expected.
And it is with pleasure bear testimony, this oc
casion to the general zeal and fidelity of those en-
poyed in this branch Of the public service.
The whole amount of mail transportation for the
year ending June 3Oth lS4l a. 996, 525 miles, at
a contract cost of S3,l59,375. The whole amount
of transportation for the year ending June 80, 1912
was 34S35 99l miles, at a contract st OF $685.,
1876.
The amount Of expenditure Of the Department, for
the year ending June, 1912, estimated, in my re-
port of December lat, at Si,49O,00O The revenue
to be derived from postage, SIC. in the report
was estimated at S4,38O,00O. The amount estimated
for the expenditure did not include the due by
the Department prior to the 3Ist March, lS4l.-
Thus exhibiting probable liability of $4,000, be-
You'd its estimated current receipts of that year.
To bring the expenditures within the income of the
Department was duty demanded at my hands by a
regard for the observance of the principle upon
which desire to conduct the administration of the
General Post Office, viz that, while the Department
should not be regarded source Of revenue to the
Government, it must not become an annual charge
upon the public treasury.
To effect this object great labor and minute atten-
ton have been bestowed by all concerned
revision of post-roads and post offices, necessary
to reduction of Improbable routes, and the discon-
the substitution of others at more important points
better suited to the public wants the institution of
system for the preservation and safety of the public
property, and the reduction of useless expenditures
task requiring no ordinary portion of labor
and time and its performance could not fail often
TO subject the head Of the Department to censure
and criticism from those who did not feel the neces
sty of the measures adopted. The effect has been
salutary TO the public service well in reference to
its income as its usefulness and cost refer you
TO the reports of the LIST and Sd Assistant Posmasters
General, which will give more in detail the effect
which has been produced by the measures adopted
Useless and unproductive routes have been dscon-
tnued whilst others, more convenient, less expen-
sve and more productive have been substituted In
many instances, where the nature and size Of the
mail did not demand the higher grade of service the
less expensive modes of transportation have been
ployed. This may be more satisfactorily illustrated
by reference to the service in the Northwestern and
Southwestern Districts comprising the States Of Mi
chigan, Indiana Illinois, Missouri Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Lousi-
ana and the Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa. pri-
or to the LIST july 1872 and the service under the
cent lettings. The whole number of miles of mail
service in these districts annually III ,005, S65,
costing annually the of ST. 100, 045 prior to the
ls July last The recent contracts require the trans
portation of the mail in each year. ,424 1913 miles
at cost of 1857, 768thus giving, in fact, 4l6,263
miles more of service for Sl44277 less expense And
| do not hazard much when assert that this saving
has been made while the service Itself has been, in
| the aggregate, greatly improved.
The heretofore heavy expenditure of mail bags
| and locks has been greatly reduced. Entertaining
the opinion tibet by proper system of preservation,
and Just responsibility imposed upon public agents,
the number OF mail bags on hand was equal to the
wants Of the service, and would be sufficient to meet
its demands for several years, have, in effect,
dered their manufacture to cease.
| BY the report of the Third Assistant, it will be
seen that the expenditure for mail bags was in the
year 1897, $50, 100 %
In 1898, 3S,737 SO
In 1899, 36,0>2 46
! In 1910, 81, 1897 90
From 1st April, 194l, to lst April, 1872 the
amount expended was but Sl3566 80.
From LIST April, 1912, TO LIST October, 1S42-six
months-S7 GAO SO. large proportion of which
was the mail bags manufactured prior to 1871.
1t is important in every branch of the public SER
vice, TO impress those in its employment the
cessity of taking Of, and preserving the public
property This is best done by the adoption of an
appropriate SYSTEM and holding to just responsible
ity those charged with administrative duties and,
when they prove themselves fathess negligent, TO
appoint Others IN their places.
he good effects OF this rule strictly illustrated,
not only in the item of expenditure just enumerated,
but they manifested throughout the results of the
entire years service.
1t will be SEEM by reference to my report Of De-
cember last that the amount received from postage
on letters and newspapers, and fines, for the year
, commencing lst July, lS4o, and ending 30th June
, ls4l was stated to be s4,379,3l7 10.
sHThe amount arising from the same sources for the
year ending 3Oth june lS42, is s4,5462 46 49, Thus
showing an increase of the revenue of the Depart
ment Of $780, 2S IS, the Of the prece-
ding year.
This increase has not been the resell ofan increase
G of mail matter am persuaded but has arisen from
a more systematic and vigilant execution Of the law
The gross expenditures of the Department for the
year. ending 30th June 1912 so far they have beer
: audited and paid, are si,627,7l6 62-exceeding the
: amount derived from postage, during the same year
!, SSl ,470 40.