Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-12-07
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT, }

...&....- Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT
.ta.. t. November 30th, 1850.
SIR The number of mail routes within the United
States the close of the fiscal year ending the 3Oh of
June last $780, the aggregate length of such routes
was 1852 miles; and the number of contractors
ployed thereon, AGO -" ...., ....2 ."
The annual transportation of the mails on these routes
1854 423 miles, at annual cost Of ST. ,426
making the average cost about five cents and eight and
half mills per mile ....
The increase in the number of inland mail during
the year 649 the in the length mail
l0,969 miles; and the annual transportation of the
year exceeded that of the previous year by 1897 miles,
at increased cost of S342,440. .a. ...'
The mail service in California and Oregon, having been
irregular in its performance and mperfecty reported
the Department has been embraced in the foregoing
statements ~. .......... .'
There were on the 30th of June last five foreign mail
routes of the aggregate length of l5O79 miles, and the
annual price of the transportation thereon payable by this
Department 1884, O6 being increase of 1854
on the cost of the preceding year. ...
There should be added the cost of transportation,
above stated the expense Of mail messengers and local and
route agents (Which expense is chageabe to the trans
poration fund.- and which for the last fiscal year amounted
to SlO7 042 being of the expenses
the mail messengers and local and route agents. for the
preceding year. ...
The increase Of our mail service for the last fiscal
the year preceding about 40 cent? and the
increase in the total cost was about IL 7-lO per cent
The and of such service for the last year. its
division among the States and Territories and its compare
with that of the preceding will more fully appear
by the accompanying Report OF the First Assistant Post-
master General. 'er. ..@.@ .E>
The number of postmasers appointed during the year
ending June So $780, 65ls. OF that number, $500
were appointed fill vacancies occasoned by designations
23 to fill occasoned by the decease of the prev
a chang he ate Of
for which they appointed ,444 on the removal OF
their predecessors and 1879 appointed on the estah
lishment of new offices. .-. 49,.
The whole number of post offices in the United States
the end of that year. was ls4l7 There 1879 post
Offices established, and 800 discontinued during the year
The postmasters and other agents Of the Department
have, with few exceptions, performed their duties with
fidelity and promptness, and maintained the credit OF the
Department for efficiency and usefulness.
The failures of connection which have from time to time
occurred of the routes have caused much nconVe-
nience and 1t is hoped however, that the re-
newed requirement of the of weekly and monthly
registers of the arrivals and departures by the postmasers
the ends of each which regularly made to
the Department. and the efficient action OF the increased
number of special agents. will render these irregularities
less frequent ssa.#. .,." ...H "#..
The gross the Department for the year ending
June 80 1850, 5552s7l A. derived from the follow
ing sources: .. i-#. #as-..
From postage including foreign postage and stamps
sold a.l S4,575663 Sc
From newspaper and pamphlet postage, 9l94S5 "a
From fines, 80 90
From miscellaneous items 304s &c
From receipts on account Of dead letters l,74s 40
S5499,9s4 sc
From the appropriation made by the 18th .. =.
section of the act Of Sd March, lS47, for ....
the ranked matter Of the Departments, 100000 90
......... S569s,ss4 sc
From this sum should be deducted the
amount received during the year for
British postages which payable to
that Government, under the postal con-
vention Of December ls4s, l47,Ol3 IS
Leaving gross of the year, S555c9 Is
The expenditures Of the year were as follows
For the transportation of the mails S2965,7s6 81
Ship steamboat, and way letters, 40,5i3 4
Compensation TO postmasters l,5i9,376 !
" Wrapping paper, %l,433 8
Office furniture 6,o59 q
Advertising, I@,o33 D
Mail bags, SLIGO
4" Blanks, |uo59
% Mail IocLs Levs and s,anns 9392 9
Mail depredatons and special agents, 2972o
Clerks for Offices Offices Of postmas-
tersN 3JT335 D