The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-12-20
REroRT OF THE rosTMAsTER
GENERAL.

The annual rcport Of the Postmaster Gem
cral u a longnnd able document Il gives a
clear idea 1.-THE vast extent OF the Post Onicc
operations Of this country, suggests SOME ion
portant improvements, aud abounds IN useful
statements
II appeals that a. actual increase Of 1895
per Gent occurred during the past fiscal yeaB
ia American pOs,ages, while the apparent in.
crease on American and foreign payments 60
the Department, amounts 10 100 per cent
Or,in figures, the receipts from American
aud Foreign postagos for the fiscal year, ex-
cccdcd those Of the preceding year S909 ,22s.-
IS Int excluding the balances according 20
the Britih Post Office, in order 20 indicnte
the Increase of our own posiagos the amount
reaches SG97,Gl0 20. During the last quar-
Ger Of the fiscal year, sensible reduction
took place in domestic postage, attributable
TO the near approach Of that period to the
time fixed by the act OF March Cd, 1850, 60
rstnbiisha cheaper rate Of postage, A con-
Hcquent delay IN correspondence was n nRtu-
raj result. A similar reduction was obserys
al upon the adoption orthe reduced rates un-
der the act 1888. Tho claims of the Frank
ing privilege by certain members of the pres
cnt Congress also contributed 10 this rcduc-
! ton.
The report contains formidable array Of
! figures relating To the business az the Depart
ment during the year of which the import
hnt poinu aro as follows, liz:
! Number Of Mail Routes, ,.. CLIO
! Length OF Mail Routes, 100, 200
I Number of Contractors employed, 5.5lf
| Annual Transp't. OF Mails, miles 81, 272, 252
| Annual cos, OF transportation, S8,42l.s 54
Miles Of Railroad transportation, S,5Gs, 707
Miles of Steamboat Transportation, G,45I, 9s2
I Number OF fostruHsters appointed q. a3p
/ Nuutlor al Post pfIigs. lima I tQaV "a gun
Gross Receipts Of the Department, 6,7s6, f9s
Total Letter Postage, .-.,.-- . 5,960, 2I9
Newspapers, Pamphlets Postage, 81 ,o35I3l
Ordinary Revenues OF the year, SB,55Ig7s
Increase over those Of last year, 5000 0oe
Expenditures Of the year, S625S,4oq
Ordinary Expenditures, SG,o2I,5G7
Al the close Of the half century, the Post.
muster tiEHITyt= acknowledgements -E..r Il
the origin, history aud progress of the Pos
Office Department. This portion of the re-
port possesses n peculiar interest and vnlur.
Within the last two ycars the COS, of Mai
transportation has largely increased. NiN
contracts for the north-w estcrnl ard soN;l
Western sections involved m i+,crcase uf -,
per ccntIin aggregate cost, ,dRd OF 1914 pc,
, cent in service; whftc other contracts in ia,
\ southern section, the extension aud openin.
Of the Erie Railroad, increased mail f.cilitie.
"a the routes leading from the Atlantic sit
4 les TO important points in the West, and up
on the Western Rivers added to the placing
OF two steamers, the Franklin and the Hum
bolt, ON the New York and IIavre line, hav,
AL contributed 20 entail burdens on the rev
cuuv- of the Department The report refer
in this connection, to the subject OF compen
sating Postmastcrs, aud suggests the proprie
y OF making liberal provision for this pur
pose. ss.
The question of cheap postage is discussed
ut considerable length. The Postmaster Cen
eral compares the results of the systeu, II
Great Britain with the reduced rates of III,
United States, and believes that we are adj
monished by tho comparison not 10 attempt l
further reduction, until il shall be iustife,
by the revenues. Ne suggests that the rate
OF postage on -alF printed matter can be rem
dered more uniform and less complex by Tia,
adoption of suitable rates without diminish
ing the revenue very materially.
The Special Agents of the Departmon
have been actively employed. Mr. Hobbi,
was despatched 20 Cuba and Panama 10 efTec
suitable Mail arrangements for the West In
dies, South America, and points on the Gulf
of Mexico. These objects were tempornril,
attained, but the increase of correspondence,
will soon render more perfect Arrangement
aesirables Asto California aud Oregon, con
tracts have been executed for the residue of
thc contract term, To end ON the 30th of Jim,
1854. The report also refers TO the opening
of the route now in operation by way OF Lake
Nicaragua. .@e
The contracts with the Cunard and Collin.
steamships tho subject of postal communica
ton between the United States and Mexico
by line OF steamers running from New Or.
leans 20 Vera Cruz via Tampico; the con
veyance Of letters hi,her from foreign port.
without delivery at the Post Office; the ne
cessi'y of guarding the Mails from robbery
and the increasing abuses Of the Fraukinr
privilcge--are scverally dweltupon and rec.
concentrations are made, in relation thereto
which will attract attention. ..... '.ft
Certain Improvements in the organization
Of tho department. is suggested and the re
ports conclude with recommendation for d
4 thorough revision of the laws which cfFec
the government and the officers ofthe Gene
/ raj Post Office. ta.... MIA
49, 'HI 49,
PoRK.-Our townsmaD,E. G. LOOMS. ESQ.
uf-Puarf Street, has fas- the past sexen year.
slain couple OF pigs year, whose uriited
weight may fairly challenge comparison
In each year, excepting this, the twin pig,
a ha q, - = y