The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-01-26
Post fIicc Depart mept.

The report Of the Postmaster General
shows net increase Of S62 post Offices du-
ring the year ending 3uth of Juue, 1850
the whole number of Offices at that date be
ing i,il0, and on the 3oth of November
3i,770 On the 3Oth OF June last there
were T,033 mail routes, at an estimated
length OF 217 900 miles. The total annual
transportation of mails was 7,4Ol ,lG6
miles, which cost $685. ,23s. Compared
with the service Of the year previous, there
is an increase of 1897 ,G25 miles of trans
portaton, or Of about 81 per cent, and OF
S675, 22l cost, OF about 10 ! 100 per cent
The increase by ra,lread service is 3, ,4S3, 50
miles by modes not specified, $3.50 ,l77
miles-.whilc the transportation by coaches
is less by 3 2,325, CPS miles, and by steamboat
l,335,65G
This change results mainly from the re-
letting Of contracts in many Of the Southern
and Western States and Territories. On the
3Oth Of June last, there were in service 3l9
route agents at compensation Of $2i5,-
l7O.65; 29local agents at $l9,32S; and 9sl
mail messengers ut $l0O,47l.65, making a
total Of 1884, ,970.30 to be added to the cost
Of transportation. This makes the total
amount for the present year 81, S2i, ,oso.3o,
which will probably be increased to six mil
lions by new service and routes The cost
of foreign mail service, not included here,
amounts to $5l i0S. The Postmaster
states that on the Sd of April last he con.
cluded contract with Mr.. James F. Joy to
convey the mails from Cairo to New Orleans
and back, daily, he having full powers to
negotiate such contract on behalf Of the Hi
nois Central Railroad, but though the latter
used every txcrtion to comply with their en-
gagemcnts, they lailed to do SO from the
high price demanded Of them by the owners
OF the boats on the line, and the route was
accordingly advertised for reetting.
The new distribution schemes have been
completed, and each distributing Office has
now alphabetical lists Of all the counties in
all the States except California. In accord.
ance with the late act Of Congress, suitable
measures have been adopted 10 put in opera
ton the rcw system of registering valuable
letters, but il has not been sufficiently long
in operation to be able 10 form a just esti.
mate Of the success Of the plan. The post
master has, however, found abundant
proofs Of its usefulness, and Of the necessity
Of bringing it to perfection.
uc lNN VI l4t Nv Ii' NlAl'hi W.
the last fiscal year amount to s9,9Gs,3 ,3i2,
and the gross revenue derived from postagcs
inland and forcign-are 50, ,Gi9, 1868,
which, adding the annual appropriations
made IN compensation Of mail service to the
Government, by the acts Of 3d March
\ 1879, and 81 March, 1851, amount to ST.,
/ 3i2 1868 Dcducting the balance against
| the United States due to foreign powers iol
/ pos al accounts, from the above, the actua
gross revenues Of the Department for the
year ending 3Oth June, lsjj, will be 81,
335, III.
I The gross revenue Of 1851, after deduct
! ing foreign balances, amounted to $6,slG,
65i o. making diff renee in favor OF 80,
l Of $5ls.jl9lG The excess of cXpcnditur,
for 1850 over that Of 1884 is 81 ,G26, ,2OG. ~
This excess is attributed partly to the in
crease in compensation TO po>tmastcrs anC
c'erks OF Office, and partly To- the increase
Of cxpcnd lures for transportation, owing L
4 the great extension ofrailryad service Tia
! condition Of the Department goes TO shoy
that the rates fixed 10y the act Of 81 March
1861. nW not ,Dobh the department {
sustain ituLf hy rs o,oG rCsoHrco,
Another cause Of thi, Excess Of cXpcndi
ture i. attributed to the letters and docu
merits ratt-rti f for members u
Congress and others, and to the lmmens
amount Of printed matter conveyed at lo'
rates. The expenditure Of the Dcpaitmcn
for 1886 is estimated at SO l99, o2i, and th
means available for the same year, S?,Vln
s13, leaving a deficiency Of 81, lss, ljl to b
provided for
Reference is again made to the fact tha
the Collins line Of steamers receives irot
government Ssjs, 900 for twcnty.slx trip'
while the British government paid the Gu
nard line Ss6G,TuO for iiity-two trip
which, in the opinioa OF the Postmaster n'
neral, is amply sufficient. Measures has
been recently taken to lay before the Mex
can government proposals on the subject
, Postal Convention. The report alludcs ;
some length to the last report Of the Pos
master General OF Great Britain, and col
, cludrs by dcprccatinc the denuncia,ions
, the Departments for mistakes, carelcssnc'
or neglect, instead Of advising it OF Il
wrong committed and leaving it to app
the remedy