The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-11

ton in the United States were I53,Sls miles in extent
and the annual transportation of the mails them
3s,ss7,s miles, as follows
On railroads l.l7o.4o3 miles, at cost OF $5o7,475
On steamboats,. 39l4,5l9 60 2l6,74
IN coaches, lo,209,0O5 g 9l2,i62
n u11 or'Js 593,972 650,lo6
$2,i06,S
The increase in the extent OF the routes since the OF
july lsl5, 9,S7S miles, and OF transportation 1888 $3.50
miles.
Since the LIST of July last new routes have been put
operation $3.50 miles IN extent at an additional cost OF
$42 ,9a3 per annum.
The number OF mil contractors in the service, during
the last year. was $685. OF route agents, local agents,
and mail messengers connected with the mail service
! railroads and steamboats,, 1885,
AT the lettings in the southern section during the last
spring. IN the States OF Virginia North and South Caro-
lima, Georgia. and Florida, the service was taken
greatly reduced prices There will be saved in that
ton about S0s 697 per annuma reduction OF about 10
per cent from the former prices This result has been
reefs that the lowest bidder shall be accepted, without
regard to the former contractor the stock which he
may have had employed upon the road. The service
in that section has been increased.
detail OF this branch OF the service will be found in
the tables OF the First Assistant Postmaster General
WHICH accompany this report, marked and B to T.
The number of post offices in the United States the
LIST OF July last was l5,ll6 showing increase, since
the lst OF July, 1915, OF 963. The number established
during the year was 500, and 2Si discontinued
The changes of postnasers during the year 1850
VI TINS plumber, 253 were appointed in consequence OF
the death resignation of the former postmaslers 249
in consequence OF changing the of the Offices $50
by the establishment OF Offices PIG removed ;
and OF whose terms OF service had EXPIRED the
sions were not renewed The report OF the Second AS
slstant Postmaster General, marked c. accompanies this
designations have been less frequent since the passage
of the act of the 1s of March, ls47, which directed
allowance of increased of commissions and restored
to the postmasters the smaller Offices the franking
privilege although the actual increase of compensation
is not great expected or probably inendei By
Congress, al the time of lis passage, the increased
han
would have justified.
The nth section of the act of 1925 authorized the
allowance OF commissions, not exceeding the rates
therein specified, son The amount receiued IN any
quarter The act of ls47 directed their allowance
" on the amount recpped any year. at the higher
rates This change, in the mode of computing the
commissions has had the effect of slightly increasing
the compensation of the postmasters whose Offices
yielded less than 1873 %, the increase being gradual
whilst there is gradual decrease from that OF about
u per cent, until the sum of 81 1888 % is aaned and
upon offices yielding that sum- the compensation 10 post
masters, under both laws, is the same
In the offices yielding from the of $ll33 % to
Sl,5ll 25 the compensation allowed by the act of 1925
exceeds that allowed by the late law making gradual
decrease until the of 400 reached when the loss
OF compensation amounts to $95 The loss of compen-
sation gradually diminished until the Of 4,51l 25
IS reached and at that point the compensation under
the compensation to the postmasers is regularly increased
Al per cent.
Ii is believed that if the mode of computing the com
bad been retained in the act OF 1S47 the increased rates
would have been satisfactory and would not have afford
ed larger compensation than the additional duties Of the
postmastes the increased business in their offices
would require. II the commissions We're computed by
the quarter, the increase OF compensation to the posmas
tiers in offices yielding $40 would be 81 90
100 :" 90
1000 % %
10000 SIT 90
10000 1927 90
From the best estimates which can be made the number
of letters and papers passing through the United States
mail during the last year may be stated as follows
Paid and unpaid single rates Of cents 3e,15o55o
Do &c &C 60 of 10 cents 1851, 532
Ship and steamboat letters at 6 cents 1880
Ship and steamboat letters forwarded in the
mails from foreign countries, cents add
ed TO the regular postage S509so
Dropped letters S65,30S
Printed circular letters 1,O25, 30i
52,l73, $50
The free letters by persons entitled to the frank
ing privilege and those sent free TO the army cannot be
asceralned with any degree OF accuracy, but is be-
lieved would not fall short of 100000
The newspapers passing through the mails annually
estimated al 55,00o0)0; pamphlets and magazines
at 100000 The number of transient newspapers pay
cy the postage is returned with that letters The
dead letters passing through the Offices and returned to
the department, nearly be ascertaned, number
annually about 500 900; which, calculated at an inter-
mediate point between the two rates of postage, would
make annual loss to the department of l35o0o The
newspapers, circulars advertisements, and other printed
snees sent 10 the oCe anu hOt aken out nor returned
to the department. will not probably fall short OF the
number of dead letters returned.
The great labor required OF posnasters in the recep
ton and distribution of such a number of letters and
newspapers, addition 10 the before assigned
would make it just and proper that the former mode of
computing their commissions should be restored.
The of the department for the year ending the
Both of June last, including $65 $50 IS due from the
United States treasury for the hostages OF the government
appropriated by the 18th section of the act of the 81 OF
March, s7 and not drawn from the treasury amounted
to 1893 81 exceeding those of the preceding year
by the sum OF f5S,693 90 being increase OF the last
the preceding year, OF LIS per cent and falling
short of the annual average of the nine years
preceding the LIST July, 1915, by the of $751;
OF this sum, there derived from letter postage, in
GLIDING the yet due from the treasury for the gov
ernment postages the sum of $3,25l,52 0S, which
ceeds the amount OF letter postage of the preceding
x372,sl5 "a making an increase of IL so per cent
whilst it falls short of the annual average revenues |
from the for the years preceding the
LIST OF July, 1sia, by the SUN of S553i79 o.
In the time there derived from the hostages
on ewspaPers, pamphlets, &C., $6i3 100 3d. making
increase the preceding year OF SSl,Os 10, and an
increase the annual average OF the nine preceding
years of Slli,lsl 6 This statement includes the su
of $4,000 % paid by the British government for the
OF her closed mails from Boston to Can
ada, part of which properly belongs to the of
preceding years, but not paid until within the last
year.
The returns for the quarter ending the 3oh September
last have not been received and adjusted the Auditors
office, to enable TO make precise statement of
It's revenues comparison OF the returns from a mum.
her of the larger offices with those from the offices
for the corresponding quarter of the preceding year, nd
Gates an increase OF about per cent The expenses In
CURED IN conducting the smaller Offices much
than in the larger ones, in proportion to their revenues
hlf Tho pulo h. ,tn1