The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-08
tn. r..,ma.,.r.o...r.,,. report.

The Report Tor this yesr exhibits very
healthy financial condition Of the Post
Ofioe Department, and shows ii TO be
thoroughly imprcgnsted with the spirit Of
Improvement The efficiency of the ser
vice has been maintained at the highest
point accom- panied BY great diminution
of x cnditures. The gross revenue OF
the Department for this fiscal year, in
! GLIDING the standing Treasury credit
for free mail matter, and small amount
appropriated for the relief of individuals,
was 9,0l2 $40 Sc. Tie expenditures
for the same year amounted I" 81 l25,-
364 Is. The regular postal revenue for
1869 is only $40, 40 SO less than it was
for the fiscal year 1861, during large
part of which year revenue was paid in
from all the States of the Union. This
fact shows large increase in the cor
respondence of the loyal States. Will.
the revenues have been 20 nearly sustain
cd ut the highest standard, the expenses
have been largely reduced. For the pre-
seding year the expenditures we're IS, 48l,-
394 90 greater than last year. The fol-
lowing comparisons of figures are inter
esting:
Expenditures for 1860 for service in
oil the States, e14,874, TIE 80; revenue
for the same year, s9,2le, 067 40; def
cheney e5, $3.50, 705 ~ Expenditures for
1861 service interrupted in 1861, sl3.-
COG, 759 IL; gross revenues for 1851:
service interrupted in 1861, %, O49, ESQ.
40; deficiency sl,557. 462 IL Expendi-
lures for 1892. sii, LES. 364 IS. revenues
for 1862, sy,Ul2, 549 ST: deficiency, ST.
ll2,oI4 81. Reduction of expenditures
compared With 1860, e3,749, 4OS 90, re-
duction of expenditures as compared with
1861, Sc. 48l 1894.
The Department has not been for many
years. 80 nearly understanding. This
result Is largely oMing-io the suspension
OF postal txpeditnres in the South, which
were greatly in excess of postal receipts
but nn, al.,ue To that A revision OF all
| discretionary expenses has been made,
and large reductions ordered. The pay
Of agents has been regarded and equal
lied. Economy has been re-established
in the large Offices, where waste was
found. Ineompetency, wherever found
in official position, has been removed,
and an effort made to adopt q standard
of merit and of administrative efficiency,
in lieu of other and inferior motives for
appointment. The Postmaster-G General
expresses his determination to adhere TO
this course.
The number Of postage stamps issued
to postmasters during the year WAS I :
e18. lss. The value OF letter envelopes
Was $733.255 so. The value ofstamped
newspaper wrapl ers, So, SAB so: increase
Of issue over 1861, 81, l44,s5s 27. The
total value sold was s6,9lO.l Isl SO.
| The increasing demand on the part of
the public for the stamped newspaper
wrappers shows that their introduction
has satisfied public demand, and promo
ted the convenience of correspondents.
In the first quarter of the current year
ending September 80, the number OF
stamps issued to postmasters was lG4.-
100000. Their calls were for about
zoe, 100000 which would have been nearly
sufficient to meet the usual demand for
a year. This extraordinary demand arose
from temporary use Of these stamps as
. currency by the public in lieu OF the
J, smaller denominations of specie, and
ceased with the introduction of the Sc
called postal currency.
The difference between the value oil
stamps sold and .aneeled In the fiscal
year 1867, shows ...s.379 96 a. the
.n.oonl III lhr hands vi purchasers on the
LIST Of July. 1867.
The whole number of dead letters re.
ceived and examined during the year is
2,282. 0i6, which is eG1 600 less than in
the previous year. The whole number oil
valuable letters sent out by the Dead Let
ter Office was 81 ,2Se. Many interesting
details are given in the Report touching
the operations Of the Office Out of 21,-
493 cases where cauees Of non-delivery
we're ascsrtained, only 295 wers sttribu.
table to the fault Of Postmasters 822
letters had no address whatever.
Congress at its 6rst session passed an
act authorizing the employment Of 60 ad-
ditlonal clerks TO facilitate the return Of
dead letters to their writers With the ex.
, pectation that the receipts Of postagce
: thereon would cover the appropriation Of
$4,000 for their compensation. The
result thus far shows that IN excess O
revenue therefrcm over th. expenses hi
accrued to the amount Of several thous-
and dollars.
The whole number of Post Offices in
the United States remaining established
on the 3O,h Of June, 1862, was 9s. 7Si
of which there ware in the loyal States
and districts 1873, and in the insur
t rectionary States and districts there wer.
5000.
The net increase in the established Of
! ficNs over last war os 121 TIL 49,