Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-28
S2,40G,646


s., 4OG, s4s
The increase in the extent oil the routes, since
the I.t OF July. lS45 is 9S7S miles, and OF trans
poHalon 1888 $50 miles.
Since the Isl Of July last, new routes have been
put liz operation S239 niles in extent, al an addi
lional Cost Of 429ii5 dollars per anuum.
The number Of mail contractors in ihe,servce
during the last year, was $685. OF route agents
local agents, and mail messengers connected will
The mail service on railroads and slea mboais lob
A, The lettings in the Southern section during
the last Spring. in the States OF Virginia, North
and Souln Carolina, Georgia and FlUri1a, the
service was taken a; greatly reduced prices
There will be saved in that section about Joe, o9I
dollars per annum-a reduction o. about 10 pei
cent. from ihe former prices. This result has
been produced by that provision CT the act oil le4J
which directs that the lowest bidder shall BE- ac-
copied, without regard H. The former contractor OF
The stock which he may have had employed npon
the road. The service in that section has been
| increased.
A detail Of this branch of the service will be
found in The tables cl The First Assistant Post
master General. which accompany this report,
marked A and B lo7.
The numbs. Of post off :es in the United Stltes,
On The Ist Of July last was il. i6 showing an IN
crease, since the 1T OF July, 1915 OF 963 The
number established during the year, was S29,
and 2Si discontinued.
The changes Of pOs,mastcTs during The year
were 3 $50. or this number, 2, SO were appoint
ed in const Quence OF the death resignation OF the
former posimas.efs; 243 IT, consequence OF chang
ing The. sites O he nfiicrs 800 ny The establishment
o! new eff :es: 2l5 were removed; and OF whose
terms Of service had expired, the commission,
were not renewed. The report OF The Second As
sistanl Pos master General marked &, accom-
| psnies this. esigna,iOns have been less lie
Guenr slnce the passage OF The ACT Of the l>' q
Ia:ch, 1877, which Girccrd an allowance OF in
creased rates of commissions and restored 10 The
posmas:ers IN The smaller Offices lhe ranking
privilege, although the actual increase OF COM
pensaiioc is not 20 great as was expected or pro-
baby intended BY Congress, at The time o. lis
passage or as the increased business OF the otll-
GERS, under the reduced rates nj postage, would
| have justified.
The liih section Of ;hc aci Of 1925 authorized
the allowance Of COMMISSIONS, NO, exceeding tie
rates therein specified, ''Os &c 0m"M recsired IN
aay me guarisr" The act OF ISi7 directed their
ALLOW ance "oil The amount rsceirsd al AM enc year.
Al the higher rates. This change ii the mode vi
computing Inc commissions has had The effect OF
slightly increasing the compensation Of the post
masters whose Offices yielded less than II l33 25
the increased being gradual up 10 5000, and on
that sum the increase is only $40, whilst there is
gradual decrease from that sum If about ]! Per
cent. until the sum Of 81 l33 25 is attained and
upon Offices yielding thai sum. he compensation
! 10 pos,m2 sieIs under beth laws is The same.
In The offices yielding from The SUM oi 81 l33
% tC ;s45ll %, the Compensation allowed by The
| act Of le25 exceeds that allowed by the late law
| making q gradual decrease until the cum o. e.,
400 is reached, when the loss OF cumpeE,aiu ion
amounts 10 s95 The loss Of compensation is
gradual; diminished until The sum Ol 81 81 81
is reached AID, at that point, The compensation
II der both laws i, the same. Al Offices yielding
over that sun, the compensation 10 The post
masters is regularly increased Al per cent.
IL is :cieved that, if he mode Of computing The
commissions ~ the quarter. as prescribed by IN,
act OF 1925, mad bsea relaiae IN the act Of lS41
he Increased rates would have been Satisfactory
AMI YOU'D rot have afforded larger cuInpenSa
non than The additional duties of the postmaster:
or The increased business in their Offices would
require. II ihe commissions were computed b.
The Quarter, the increase Of compensation TO tn
ros'mas,els in offices yielding 81 would be Il OF
L. those Welding 600 would be 9 CT
!.0N0 o. o.
10 900 ST. on
4j0G0 921 u
From he best estimates which can be made, III,
ariahrr o! l=.!ers and papers passing through TN
Un:,-d Sla'es mali during Inc last year may bt
stated as follows:
Paid and unpaid single rates Of s
cents S6,l5255t
cents 1851 SO:
Ship and steamboat letters a, 6 cents 427SOi
Ship and Steamboat letters forwarded
in the nails rom foreign Countries,
> cents added 10 The regular pgslage, s5G9S(
D,opped letters S65 30s
Printed circular letters l,02j.3O1
4S(
The free letters sent By persons entitled 10 lht
Thanking privilege, and these Sent free 10 The army
cannot be asccEaincd with any degree OF accura
cy. but il is believed would not fall Short Of $500,
900
The newspapers passing through the mails an
nualIy are estimated AT $1,000, 600; pamphlet:
and magazines at go. COO. The NUMBER OF tran
sient newspapers, paying ) cents each cannot bt
ascerraiBed with any accuracy, AS the postage i,
returned with that on letters The dead letter:
passing through the Offices and returned 10 The
department, as nearly as can be ascer aimed
number annually atou, | 500 0G0; which, caicu
lated 4, an Intermediate point between The lTt
rates of postage, would make an annual loss Il
The department ci 5l35 GOO The newspapers
circulars, advertisements and Other printed sheet:
>enl TO he Offices, and 10; taken ont nor reurGet
to The department, will not probably tail short o.
the number o, dead letters returned.
The great laho: feqnicd OF posl;nasters ir the
recepiioD and distribution OF such d number o
lei,ers and pers, in addition 10 the reasons
before assigned, would maze il just ami proFeI
thai the former mode Of computing their com
missions should be restored.
The revenues OF the department for the yea
erding he Both ofJune last, including sos 555 81
due from the Uni.ed States Treasury for the post
ages o! The government appropriated BY The l2lf
section Of he act OF the II Ct March, 1917, ant
rot drawn from The treasury, ANNOUNCED 10 SIS,
9i5 500 81; exceeding those OF the preceding
year by HE sum oi SASS .693 9G-being an in
crease vi The last, over The preceding ear OF l3
per cent, and falling short OF the annual average
revenues OF The nine Yeas preceding the Isl July
1875 By the san Of s4lS,73i 81.
OF sum, tnere was derived from letter post
age, including the sum yeI due from The treasury
iof The government posases, The sum Of SO 254,
5I2 90, which exceeds the amount OF letter p0s'
age OF the preceding year 1872 Sl5 "a, making
an increase OF ~ SO per cent, whilst tails sho
OF The annual average revenues from the samt
source, ior niae years preceding The Isl OF July
lS4o, by the sum o. S553 179 81.
In inc same time there was derived from hi
posIases on newspapers, pamphlets &c. S643, l6(
81, MAKING all increase over me preceding Sedi v
ISL OILS 10, and an increase over the annual ave
rage Of the nine preceding Yeas OF STA ISL 81
This statement includes me sim Of COG q
pal. hy The Brish government for The lfanspor
tatcn o: her closed mails tom Bosom 10 Cana
da, pag. oil which prUpe " Belongs 10 Inc Ieve
nues of preceding years. but was nc. paid Unit
within The last year.
The returns Tor The quarter ending the Bot
September las; have hot been received and ad
us,ed in The Auditors Office, So as 10 enable M
: 10 make precise statement OF lis Teve
!, nues. A comparison CT the returns from
. number of The larger Offices with those ton
{ The same offices for The corresponding guar
ter Of the preceding year, indicates an increas
OF abou, II per cent. The expenses incurre
in conducting The smaller Offices are SO muc
1 mere han in the larger ones, il proportion !
their revenues, that the increase should not be es
: ,iniaied a. more than IL or 10 per cent; nc
, would il be sale 10 estimate the revenues OF IN
o curren, fiscal year b. those OF The first quaT:e
: they depend so much upon the activity in III
S trade and business OF our citizens, which is a