Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-12-23
The Report of the Postmaster General.

We take the following abstract of the Post
master Generals report from the New York
Courier 4 Enquirer.
The whole number of the post Offices in the
United States at the close of the last official
year, June 30, 1888, was 22.320. At the
present date, the total number is - ,6Ss
On the Both of June last, there were in
operation within the InitLd STATES { COZ mail
routes Their aggregate length was 2l1 ,14S
miles. and o,3S3 contractors were employed
thereon. The annual transportation of the
mails on those routes was I'll ,S92 .5I2 miles
the cost thereof, 81 ,495 ,9Gs being about
cents . mills per mile. The annual transpor-
tation in California, included in the fore
going estimate; was 5S5 500 miles, at a cost
of Sl43,2l4
The annual transportation in Oregon at the
close Of the fiscal year was los ,274 miles, at
an annual cost of $40 ,j222, or about ~ cents
per mile
Difficulty has always existed in determining
the prices to be paid to Railroad Companies
for carrying the mails and in view of the cX-
orbitant demands which have been made, it is
recommended that Congress shall, after giving
the companies an opportunity to be heard,
fix the sums which they shall respectively re-
ccivc.
On the 30th of September last, there were
in operation within the United States, 202
Railroad routes; their aggregate length was
l3.4l0i miles; and the cost Of mail transpOr-
tation thereon 81 ,G45, ,432 33.-being ut the
rat" Of Sl20 26 40 per mile.
The average cost of steamboat service is
:S34 Is per mile coach service, SD ~ per
mile and Of modes not Specified 81 81 per
mile.
In accordance with an Act of Congress, Of
1852, the Postmaster General has contracted
for daily mail each way between Louisville
and New Orleans, and for additional daily
way lines between Louisville and Evansville,
Evansville and Cairo, andSt FranccsNille and
New Orleans, at n compensation OF S29I 30
per annum. This contract commenced on the
lst inst. and will expire on the 3Oth June
1857. Also for Il daily line between st.
Louis and Cairo, for Il similar period at Il
cost Of $40 900 per unnum.
The cost of the Pacific mail service greatly
exceeds the revenue. On account OF its
eXigcncies the Report recommends the ap-
pointmcnt Of an Assistant Postmaster Gene
raj who shall receive salary equal to those
received by officers Of similar grade IN Cali
iurna.
In consequence of the Congrcssionalappro-
priation of $50 ,0C0 for special mail agents,
eighteen have been appointed and distributed
among the different States. 1t j. reclm-
wended that the number be Increased.
The expenditure of the department during
the last fiscal year, rs stated by the Auditor,
amounted to 81 ,9S2, ,756 50. viz; The gross
revenue of the year from all sources amounted
to S5,940,72i 20.
The commissions allowed to deputy Post
masters have proved insufficient. Some of
this class of offices have been brought in debt
for expenses absolutely necessary to be incur
red in the public service. 1t is recommended
that the Postmaster General be authorized,
when requisite, to allow to Postmastcrs AT
distributing offices such sum, as will he nee
essary tn deiray reasonable eXpences, in ad-
dition t. the commissions now allowed 10y law.
Complaint is made that great abuses have
been practiced upon the Department. by the
passage of printed letters through the mails
at postage of one cent. and also recommends
some plan he adopted for checking frauds in
Post Office accounts.
The amount of postage stamps sold during
the year ending June 30, 1852, was Sl,3l6.-
563 30, and the sales during the year ending
June 80, 1888, amounted to : ,O29 ,2G2 -,
| leaving in the hands of PustmaStrrs unsod
Sl9S .60j Il; stamped envelopes were issued
to the amount of S243 ,292 60 1t is estima-
ted that the expenses of the current fiscal
year will amount to SS,7lG, ,60l. Tie means
of the Department for that period are csti-
mated at X ,557 500 20.
The cost of the service for mail steamship
lines ard for transportation across the sth-
mus for the last fiscal year amounted to 81
965, ,O57 33, The net revenue derived from
the same lines was SGl3 ,232 Ii,
Tho number of letters conveyed between
the United States and Europe during the year
was BY the Cunard line, 2,774 ,423 do
Collins, l,0lS ,345 do. Bremen, 4l2, III do,
ilayre, 40G, l26. Total 4,6ll OIL.