The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-12-12
THE NATIONAL ERA.
REPORTS OF THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS
POSTMASTER GENERAL.
lABEIpGED.

POSTMASTER GENERAL,
The number Of mail routes within the United
States, at the close of the fiscal year ending on
the 3Oth of June last, was $500; the aggregate
length Of such routes was 1852 miles and
the number of contractors employed thereon,
400 q
The annual transportation of the mails on these
routes WAS 46,5il,42 miles, at an annual cost Of
s2,72I APO, making the average cost about FIVE
cents and eight and a half mills per mile.
The increase in the number of inland mail
routes during the year was Gao; the increase in
the length Of mail routes was l09G9 miles; aud
the annual transportation OF the year exceeded
that of the previous year by 907 1854 miles at an
increased cost Of S3i2 ii0.
The mail service in California and Oregon,
having been irregular in its performance, and
imperfectly reported to the Department has not
been embraced in the foregoing statements.
There were, on the 3Oth of June last, five for
eign mail routes Of the aggregate length of ; 079
miles, and the annual price OF the transportation
thereon, payable by this Department, was
500 being an increase of IS Sl4 on the cost
Of the preceding year.
There should be added to the cost of transporta-
ton, as above stated the expense of mail messen-
gers aud local and route agents, (which expense
is chargeable to the transportation fund and
which for the last fiscal year amounted to
penses of the mail messengers and local and route
agents, for the preceding year
The increase of our mail service for the last
fiscal year, over the year preceding was about
40 per cent and the increase in the total cost
was about ~ 40 per cent.
The extent and cost Of such service for the last
year, its division among the States and Terrific
ries and it's comparison with that Of the preceding
year, will more fully appear by the accompanying
8 a.. a. - agfn
raj.
The number Of postmasters appointed during
the year ending June 30, 1850, was G,3lS. or
that number, ? 600 were appointed to MI Vacan-
cies occasoned by designations 233 to NIL vacan-
cies oecasoned by the decease Of the previous in
cumhents 2G2 on n change Of the sites of the
offices for which they were appointed; l,141 on
the removal Of their predecessors; and $40 were
appointed on the establishment Of new Offices
The whole number of post Offices in the United
States at the end Of that year, WAS lS,ll7. There
were A. post Offices established, and 3O9 discon-
4 tinued dhriDg the year - -r-- 49,, u
The postmasters and other agents Of the De-
partment have, with few exceptions, performed
their duties with fidelity and promplness, and
maintained the credit of the Department for eff
cheney ana usItnnesse
The failures Of connection which have from
time 10 time occurred on some OF the routes, have
hoped however, that the renewed requirement Of
the returns Of weekly and monthly registers of
the arrivals and departures, by the pos:mas,ers,
at the ends of each route, which now regularly
made to the Department, and the efficient action
of the increased number Of special agents, will
render these irregularities less frequent.
The gross revenue Of the Department for the
year ending June 30, 1850, was S55j2,97l 1S
The expenditures Of the year were 52l2,95343
Leaving az the excess Of the gross
revenue over the expenditures Of
the year, the sum of 3iO,OlsO5
For more detailed statement Of the fiscal con-
dition and affairs Of the Department you are re-
specially referred to the report Of the Auditor,
hereto annexed.
The new contracts for mail transpOrtion In the
northern section, composed Of the States of Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, and ew York made in the
spring of 1919, showed an increase of annual CON-
pensation of S9G,9sl being an increase of more
than eighteen per cent upon the previous cost Of
that section
The new contracts made under the lettings Of
last spring for the western section Of the Union,
embracing the States Of Michigan, Indiana, Hi
nois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisi-
ana, and Texas and the Territories, exhibit still
greater increase in the annual cost of transporta-
ton in that section.
This increase is estimated in the Contract Office
Mt $500 coo per annum being about % per cent
advance upon the annual cost Of that section
der the contracts in force up TO the eu Of the last
fiscal year. OF this about 10 and four-hfths per
cent ia attributable TO the increase Of service in
that section, and about II and oneffth per cent
to the increased rate of compensation provided for
in the late contracts.
The estimates upon this item and that of the
additional service yet to be ordered, are made
upon very uncertain data. Indeed, the extent
and cost of the mail service, rs well az the reve-
nues of this Department, are subject to constant
fluctuations and the best considered and most
careful estimates can furnish only reasonable
approximation to the actual results
The expenditures for the current year are es-
timated at SG0l9,S09.00
To meet these expenditures, the Department
must rely on the receipts of postages the annual
APPROXIMATION of 100000 under the 18th section
of the act of 1917 which has been before referred
to- and the trining appropriation made Mt the last
session Of Congress as n compensation for the
transportation of the matter sent free through the
mails under the act for taking the seventh census
Before giving an estimate of the revenue of
the current year, it is proper to remark that no
reliable estimate Of the receipts from postage can
be made The increase for the year ending June
30, 1917, was / 27-lO0 per cent. for the year
ending June 80, lSlS only 1900 per cent ;
and for the year ending June 30, 1919, II 20-l00
per cent; being an average for the three years
Of 10 9G-l0 per cent and the increase for the
year ending June 80 1880, excluding the balances
in favor of Great Britain was II IS per cent
1t is believed that the hostages of
the current year will show an
increase over those of the last
year Of at least II per cent,
and amount to SCO09, GlG2s
Deduct British hostages, estimat-
ed at $4,000 90
5,95IGlG2S
Add the appropriations for the
franked matter of the Depart
ment and the appropriation for
the postage of census matter PIP, 10000
Making estimated revenues 6lGG,GlG2S
From which deduct estimated eX-
penditurcs GOl9 500 90
Sli6.S06 IS
The conveyance Of correspondence between
this and foreign countries and between the At
lantic and Pacific portions of the United States,
has become large and important branch of cur
mail service. The means provided for this con-
yeyance consis, Of sixteen steamships now IN act
ual service, with four more to be added under
the existing contracts. Connected with this SER
vice is the land service across the lsthmus of Pa
mama, which is performed by the Government of
New Granada, under n treaty providing stipu-
lated compensation, according to the weight of the
mails. t4
The whole duty Of the Government in regard
to our correspondence with foreign countries is
not discharged by simply providing and super
yising the means of conveyance. Arrangements
should be made with the countries to which our
steamship lines extend, to specify and secure mu-
Lnnl Inr,ns for the inIerchanQe of