Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-12-15
CoNGREss--sa session
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES REPORT
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
December 3D. 1912

POSTMASTER GENERALs REPORT
Posr OFFICE DEPARTaENr,
December Sd, 1872
To tie President Of the United States:-
Sir: In presenting TO your consideration report OF
the condition and operations of the Post Oce Depart
ment for the year preceding the Both June, 1872 af
fords pleasure to say, its condition has been I'm
Proved and the service has been attended with E'ore
than ordinary success whether considered in reference
to the management of its financial concerns or Tie re-
gularity and extent of its operations.
public service, which requires the aCeDay OF ,I3.
posnasters and their clerks 343 contractors and their
agents; covering, during the year "a .o35,99l mics Of
transportation, and extending almost to the door Of
every citizen, must encounter difficulties aud he sub
ected to occasional gnlartes not only from The
gect of some of its numerous agents, but from phys
cal causes, not in the power of this Department TO over
come.
When the vast machinery of the General Post Office
the inuteness Of its Details aud the character Of the
minority of The roads over which the mail is transported
are contemplated there should be Of ss.onshmen
at the general regularity Of the service than OF surprise
and dsconen, occasional fixtures. Absolute certain
" and unbroken regularity in the arrival and departure
Of the mails at all tines cannot and ought not TO be
eypected And i. is with pleasure bear testimony
this OCCASION to the general zeal and fidelity Of those
emooycd in this branch Of the public service.
The whole amount of mail transportation for the
year ending June Both, leil 81 525 miles, al
contract cost of S3,Io9.375 The whole amount
was 81 $50 ,99 miles, at contract cost of $3,Oc7,796
/ The amount of expenditure of the Department, fol
the year ending June, lS42, estimated, in my
port of December last, at S4490000. The revenue tc
be derived from postage, NC, in the same report, was
estimated at 81 100000. The estimated for the
expenditure did not include the sums due by the De-
partment prior to the 3st March, lsil. Thus exhibit
ing probable liability Of 81 O00 beyond its estimated
current receipts of that year.
To bring the expenditures within the income Of the
| Department, 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, that, while The Department, should not
be regarded Of revenue TO the Government
it must not become annual charge upon the public
Treasury.
To effect this object great labor and minute attention
| have been bestowed By all concerned
revision of post roads and post offices, necessary to
reduction Of Improbable routes, and the dIscontnu'
Of unproduc;ve and useless post Offices and the
substitution Of others al 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, WIS task
recurring ordinary portion CT labor and me and It's
performance could not fail often to subject the head Of
The Department TO censure end criticism from those
who did not feel the necessity Of the adopted
The efcc, has been sauary to the public service as
well in reference 10 its income, to its usefulness and
cost refer you The reports Of the 10, and Sd Assist
ant Pos,masers. General, which will give moe IN
detail the effect which has been produced by the mea-
sures nd opted.
Useless and unprodnctve routes have been dlscon.
nued; whilst others, more convenient. less expensive
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 heea employed. THIS
NAV be more satisfactorily illustrated by reference To
the services in the Northwestern and Southwestern
Districts comprising the States of Michigan, Indiana
| Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama
Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, and the Terrific
res of Wisconsin and Iowa, prior TO the LIST July, lol2
and the service under The recent lettings The whole
number of miles of mail service in these districts annu-
ally was II 0C5 600, costing annually The sum OF ST.
!U2 0I5, prior to the Is, July last The recent con
tracts reqnire the transportation Of the mail, in enc
year ,42i l2S miles ut cost OF SJ37, IoS-thus CIV
ing in fact II 2G3 miles Of service for Slii 277
less expensive And d. not hazard much when
assert that this saving Inns 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 OPT
MON, that by proper system o. preservation, and
Just responsibility imposed upon public agents, the
number of mail bags hand, was equal 10 The wants
of the SERVICE and would be sufficient 10 meet lis de
mands for several years. have effect, ordered tciE
manufacture 20 cease.
By the Repor, OF the Third Assistant, will be
that the expenditure fer mail bags was, in the year
1887 S56,7C2 2S
In 1888, 3s,737 81
In 1889, 30,co2 ~
| In 1910. o5,5P7 81
From tAfrii, ls4l, TO Is, April 1872 the amount
expended was bu, sll,5G6 30.
From lst April, 1912, to lst October, 1Sl2-slx
mon,hs-$7 $40 SO. large proportion of which
was the mail bags manufactured, prior to 1871
II important in every branch Of the public service
10 impress upon those in lis employment the necessity
of taking Of, and preserving the public property
This is best done by the adoption of an appropriate sys
tenn and holding 10 just responsibility those charged
with administrative duties ana, when they prove them
selves fathless or negligent to appoint others in their
places.
The GOOD effects Of this rule are strictly illustrated
not only in the item of expenditure just enumerated,
but they manifested throughout the results of The
entire year s service.
1t will be seer, BY reference 10 my report of Deem
Der last that the amount received from postage on let
tiers and newspapers ard fines, for the year, cnmnenc.
ing st July, 1s4O, and ending 39h June, lS4l, was
stated 10 be ;s4,379,3!7 75.
The amount arising from the same sources for The
year ending 30h June, ic12, is 81 J4G,2i6 IL; thus
showing increase Of The revenue of the Department
of 92S IS over the OF the preceding year
This increase has not been the result of an increase
of mail natter am persuaded, bat has arisen from q
mere systematic and vigant execution of the law
The gross expenditures of the Department for the
year ending Both June, 1912 far NJ they have been
audited and paid, are S4,627,7l6 62-exceeding the
amount derived from postage, during the same year,
Sol, 40 40.
1t will be RENE mbcred that by the act approved the
OH September s4I, there was appropriated, ITO ena
BE the Post Office Depar to meet its engagements
and pay its debts, the sum of Sdc2 COZ.
OF this sum- there has been expended, during the last
fiscal year, the of s39sGSi 81 in satisfaction Of
demands gainst the Department prior TO the month oil
April, 1871. The report of the Chief Clerk upon this
subject, No. j. will cxhibi. more in detail the appca
lion of this fund.
There remained unexPended of this appropriation o."
Both June, 1872 $50 92 40, TO meet such other de.
mands as may be established 10 be due prior to 3is'
March, leil.
The sum Of $685. 5i 81 constitutes no part OF the
81 2i6 10, given above the revenue for The last
year dervabe from postage and fines II does, how
ever, constitute part Of The Si,627 ZIG 62, the gross
expenditure for shat year. and if deducted, will show
the gross expenditure for ordinary curen. service, to
be 81 ,235 .G52 H.
This would present an apparent balance, far an excess
Of revenue over expenditure Of $3lI l:i "
As it highly probable The, there are yet CLAIMS un
satisfied not having been presented for payment, and