The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-12-09
BY THE SOUTHERN MAIL.
POSTMAS TER GENERAL'SS
REPORT.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
December Sd, 1912.

for the year preceding the soth June sis il aors me
pleasure to its condition has been improved and the
has been attended with than ordinary sue
whether considered in reference the
of its financial concerns or the regularity and extent Of
its operations.
public service which requires the agency OF 10 7ss
and their clerks s4s contractors their
transportation and extending almost to the door of every
citizen difficulties and be subjected to
occasional Irregularities, not only from the neglect OF
of its numerous agents. but from physcel causes
not in the pewer of this Department TO overcome
When the vast machinery of the General Post Office
the mnueness of its details and the character OF the
jory OF the roads which the mail is transported
contemplated. there should be Of asonishment at
the general regularity OF the service than OF surprise
and discomfort occasional failures Absolute certainty
and unbreen regularity in the arrival and departure Of
the mails 1T all times, cannot and ought be,
pected. And it is with pleasure bear testimony. this
OCCASION the general zeal and fidelity OF those employ
ed in this branch of the public service.
The whole amount of mail transportation for the year
ending June 3oh lSil, 81 996 525 miles, contract
cost Of sal59a7S The wnole amount Of transportation
for the year ending June soth lsl2 was miles,
at contract cost OF ST., 057 1886
The amount of expenditure of the Department, for the
December last OOO The revenue to be derived
from postage sc in the report estimated at S4
not include the due by the Department prior the
3lst March, lst Thus exhibiting probable liability
OF beyond its estimated current receipts Of that
year.
To bring the expenditures within income of the De-
partmen was duty demanded at my hands by regard
for the observ Of the principle upon which to
conduct the administration General Post Office viz:
that while the Department should not be regarded a
revenue to the Government must not bee ONE
an annual charge upon the public treasury.
To effect this object, great labor and minute attention
have been bestowed by all concerned
revision Of posr0ads and post offices, necessary
reduction Of Improbable routes and the dscontinuance
of unpoductve and useless post Offices AMI the
ton OF others at important points, better suited
the public the institution of system for the pre-
servasn and safety of the public property and the reduc
nary portion OF labor and time and its performance could
not fail often to subject the head of the Department
sure and criticism from those who did not feel the necess
y OF the adopted The effect has been sautary
to the public service well in reference to its income
as to its usefulness and cost. refer you the reports
Of the First and Third Assistant Postmasers Gener-
al, which will give in detail the effect which
has been produced by the adopted.
Useless and unproductve routes have been discontinu
cd whilst Others convenient less expensive and
more productive have been substituted In many nstan
ces where the nature and size of the mail did demand
the higher grade OF service the less expensive modes of
transportation have been employed. This may more
satisfactorily illustrated by reference to the service in
ing the States of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri
Kentucky. Tennessee, Alabama Mississippi, Arkansas
and louisiana and the Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa
prior to the LIST July lsa2 and the service under the
cent lettings, The whole number of miles Of mail
vice in these districts annually 1865 costing
ually the of 81 02 045 prior the st July last The
recent contracts require the transportation of the mail in
each year Jas miles at cost of 1857 76s-thus Civ
ing in fact AIS 1853 miles more OF service for less
expense. And do not hazard much when assert that
this saving has been made while the itself has
Of mail bags and
locks greatly reduced Entertaining the opinion
that by proper system Of preservation, and respor
sbiiity imposed upon public agents. the number Of mail
bags on hand equal the wants of the SERVICE and
would be sufficient to meet the demands for several years.
By the report of the Third Assistant will be
that the expenditure for mail bags the year 1887
In 1885, .ss ss 3ss s ss
In $780, SO OS3 IS
la ls40 353}7 %
From LIST April 1884, mp to LIST April 1882, the amount
expended was but 500 so.
From LIST April, 1912, LIST October sa2- six months
manufactured prior to lsil.
important every branch of the public service to
impress upon tho the employment the necessity of
taking Of and preserving public property This
best done by the adoption of appropriate system
and holding to ajust responsibility those charged with
fahsss or neg to appoint others in their places
only the item Of expenditure just enumerated, but
they manifested throughout the results Of the entire
last that the amount received from postage letters
newspapers and fines for the year commencing July
si7 7s '''''''
The arising from the sources for the year
ending Both June, ls42 is $4546 246 49, Thus showing
an increase of the of the Department of $780,
92s 49, over the revenue of the preceding year.
THIS hes not been the result Of an increase of
systematic and vigant execution of the law.
The expenditures of the Department for year,
ending 3Oth june lSi2 far they have been audited
and paid are 81 676 62exceeding the derived
from postage, during the same year, So, 40 40.
1t will be remembered that by the approx ed the 9th
September Isa there appropriated ito ensble the
Post Once Department meet its engagements and pay
its debts the sum Of $4s2 ,657.
OF this there has been expended during the last
fiscal year the of $500 66a 81, in satisfaction of de-
%ands against the prior to the month of April
l94l Thereport of the Chief Clerk upon this subject
No. l. will exhibit more in detail the application of this
fund.-
There remained unexpended of this appropriation on
30h june 1912 $4,000 49, to meet SUI other demands
may be established to be due prior to alst March, sl
This sum of 81 constitutes part of the $4
i6245 3D. given above the for the last
dcrivabe from postage and fines 1t does however
stue part of the Co. the gross expenditures
for that year. and deducted will show the gross ex
pendture for ordinary current service to be S4235
052 IL.
This would present an apparent balance for an excess
of revenue, over expenditure of $3ll, i94 OF.
As is highly probable that there are yet claims unsa-
sfed not having been presented for pay men and claims
which were due prior to that time and whsh prcsen
ted would have been audited ard paid within the year.
and which have been paid since 30h June ls42 and
sequenty will be charged in the EXPENDITURES for the
rent year. it not intended to convey the idea that this
S3ll 94 " is surplus hand, but it ia fact from which
am authorized to state that the income of the Depart.
men. has been equal its current expenditures during
the ending in June 1912 and induces me to hope
that unless the burdens of the service shall too greatly
augmented by the additional rates created by the of
the last session Of Congress- the Department WILL in f-
ture, be enabled to sustain itself cannot anticipate
however, any great extension of the service beyond
present limits and amount unless Congress shall in
mode relieve the Department from the heavy annual de-
maids made upon its income by railroad transportation
ana protect by appropriate legislation against the in
roads upon by private expresses and rival mail establish
ments.
Itafords me great satisfaction to report your Excel.
ency that every legal demand by the contractors pro-
pery vouched upon the Department. for services render
ed since have had the honor of experimenting ts ope-
rasions has been promptly paid
Justice to contractors requires that they have
performed the service they should be paid To enable
the Department to do this punctuay the part post
masters in the payment OF the balances due from them
the end OF each quarter, is all important.
every instance where there failure
part OF such postmasters the drafts Of the General
Pos Once have et duty not to be omitted relieve
such from the burden OF official duty. The knowledge Of
the existence of this rule has banhed defalcaton from
the Department.
is fact worthy of notice, that although the aggre-
gate amount received from postage during the past year
has been greater by the sum stated the receipts the
large Offices for ls42 have been less than in 154l Inc
oftr