The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-12-11
Report OF the Postmaster General.
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT !
December 2, IS43.
SIR: 1t is of satisfaction TO the underslgn-
ed in submitting to you statement OF the con-
dition of the Post Office Department and its opera
tons for the past year, that he is enabled to say,
for the two years he has had the honor OF superin
tending its affairs, the annual current expenses have
been met by its annual revenue that an extension
of the service has been made, commensurate to
the growth and spread of our population.
The idea of making the Post Office Department
source OF revenue to the government has not been
entertained by any one charged with its manage
ment since the termination OF the last war during
a short period of which an increase of fifty per
cent upon the then rates OF postage was imposed
for revenue purposes. Nevertheless the principle
upon which it was originally notwithstanding its
expenditures should be limited by its income-has
been distinctly engratted upon all the legislative en-
actments concerning Its organization and prescrlD-
ing the duties OF those charged with their admins
| traton.
/ have thought this principle upon which the
Department has been established, sound and safe
one for the government, and am opposed TO Its
| abandonment Ii, however, the expenditures OF
the Department were fixed by law, and appropria-
| tons from the general Treasury annually made to
meet them much of that labor and responsibility
in the supervision of the service, which now rest
upon its Chief, would be removed.
is small task to say nothing Of the responsibility,
adjust the mail service of the United States as to
time to produce by its own operations the revenue to
meet its expenditures This reflection suggests to
who have been associated with in this Department. by
a frank acknowledgment of the able assistance which
they have given by their constant and Jealous labos
thus enabling to give to the country the best service
which the means of the Department would allow
The amount of annual transportation Of the mail
ceraned the 30th June 1912 "a 99l miles the
cost Of which was So, 1888.
The Of annual transportation the aoth June,
ls43 was 1920, sos miles the cost OF which was
will be observed that the cost of transportation for
last year was less by $s4 400 than was for the pre-
vious year, whist transportation throughout the
| year was greater by 46,sl4 miles.
The number of Post Offices supplied in 1872 was 1888:
and the number supplied in is4s was issi4; =, ,,,
tion reductions in the service in sections and an
extension increase in other portions OF the Union were
The aggregate these reductions S34 253 and the
amount Of additional and new service was S9s sos For
more detailed statement of service refer your Excel
ency to the report of the first assistant Postmaster Gene
| raj, No. l.
For similar reasons it became necessary discontinue
in the year preceding LIST July ls43 400 Post Offices and
| t., establish during the same period, 4Sl.
The total expenditures OF the Department for the fiscal
year. ending the 30h June 1912 stated in the report OF
this Department the House of Representatives under
date of the 2sth of February lsa3 were Si5s7o A. In
of the special appropriation at the extra session.
The total expenditures Of the service for the year end
ing soth June Is4s were S4,s74,is IS, including pay
ments account of debts due by the Department for
which the appropriation above was made.
The amount OF gross revenue for the year ending the
| cember, 1912, was S4,379,3l7 rs. That of ls42 was
| S4,546, 246 49,
The of ls43 so far as the returns exhibit the
amount for the year ending 30th June 92t 49,
considerable portion OF the current revenue Of the De-
parmen for the years 1912 and ls43 has been absorbed
in the payment Of demands claimed by Deputy Postmas
for expenditures in previous years. by the allowance
of credits therefor in the settlement of their accounts
which credits allowed have been charged to the expen
dtures of those years the probable amount of which is
| not less than $4,000.
will at once occur to the impartial mind that pub
service complicated and extensive that Of the &C.
neral Post Office requiring the harmonious cooperation
twenty thousand agents officers scattered over the
vast extent Of territory must be subjected to
sonal not vexaous, Interruptions by the nfdelity Of
of its agents. and often by which exertio
can overcome or foresight avoid.
is the duty of the head of this Department under the
regulations and restrictions of law to provide by contract
for the transportation and regular delivery Of the
great divisions of the Union and from time to time as the
public exgencies require Bonds with schedules for the ar
rival and departure of every mail taken to the Govern
ment provide for the continuous travel OF the
mail in unbroken connection by the division of time and
gular delivery of the mails arising from negligence OF
Contractors their Agents take place. the law is rigidy
enforced by fines and deductions from their and when
that found inefficient to produce strict performance OF
the contract the higher and only given to the Post
master General of annulling the contract exerted
When the extent of territory and the condition and
nature of the public highways and channels OF ntercom
muncation considered there is for admir-
alton Of the general regularity OF the system, than reason
| Of just complaint at occasional failures.
Upon two of the great mail routes-the one from Wash
ington city to New Orleans the other from Baltimore
Cncnnat-there have been experienced within the last
few months Irregularities in the services which have 81
rise complaints manifested through the public press
The of these failures have been investigated and
where they have been found to arise from neglect mat
enon the part of Contractors the proper and only
| corrective has been applied.
Many of the failures however these lines have
been caused by obstacles wholly beyond the competency
of the most vigant Contractors to overcome The mail
and steamboats, from Washington city to New Orleans
with the exception Of the distance between Madison in
Georgia, and Mobile in Alabama Between these points
4 is transported in post coaches daily. The whole time
allowed is days eight and half hours; in winter
| twenty-four hours more are allowed.
That portion of the route between Mobile and New Or
leans, and between Charleston and Wilmington which is
performed by steamboats,, is dicult often DISTRACTED by
high winds dense fogs If failure occurs, from any
cause, between Washington city and Madison, Georgia
where the stage line commences double mail is thereby
thrown upon the stage service which is often too large
be transported in single stage portion thereof is nece
ssarly left for the time which produces confusion and r
regularity IN the Mobile sna New r Orleans O
irregularities and failures have taken place ON the grea
| western route
The service between Baltimore and Cincinnati is or
railroad to Cumberland and double line Of daily four
horse post coaches to Cincinnati
This mail in the fall and winter season, though it il
transported from Cumberland to Wheeling the noun
tahs at m speed Of seven miles per hour canno
DC oougn 20 the phio river before dark Here Difficult
Contractors have been unable to overcome The nronrie
tor the ferry river cannot be 10 en-
counter the dangers Of crossing the mail stages in tn,
night, In winter and in great portion OF the spring
Jim; me IL data;ea Sor,he reason above some ter
or twelve hours
II is matter of regret that, while the General Govern
ment expending much money in consructing thai
great line Of communicaon-th Cumberland Road-eas
and west of the Ohio river il omitted to construct bridge
over that stream The public mail will ever be liable &c
detention and interruption at this point until such bridge
shall be erected Whetheri shall be built by the
Government and paid for out of the same fund which
constructed the Cumberland Road must be left to the de
cson Of that Department of the Government which has
the legislative control Of the fund
have thought due to the President of the United
States who cannot be Indifferent to portion of the
public service and whose attention has been arrested by
the complaints to which have alluded to furnish him
with this somewhat tedious and perhaps unnecessary
PLANTATION.
am gratifed however in being able to state that the