The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-12-19
The Postmaster Generals Report.

The Postmaster General reports that du-
| ing the last fiscal year the financial condi-
tioa Of his Department has been one OF
unusual prosperity The revenue has
nearly equalea the expenditures, the latter
amountil to $ll. 3I4. .206,S4, and the for
mer to $lI IG3, 1889 There i. good rea-
son to believe that the department will be
seifsustainIng in brief period of time
The whole number Of Post Offices exist
ing on the 3Oth OF June, 1868, was 29.Oi7,
being an increase on the preceding year OF
lI2 Eigh; hundred anil thin ty offices have
been established. and 6iS have been dis
! continued
The number of SPECIAL agents on June,
/ 1868, was lG with an aggregate salary OF
! S26, 800 AMI 3SI route ageats at an asgre-
| gate outlay OF s2S9, $50, also - local agents
at $37.D24 Baggage masters in charge Of
express mails had received S17,440
| The total cost of Trans Atlantic mail
steamship service was S342. $3.50 This
price covered l22 rodnd trips to various
| European ports
The Postmaster -General regrets to state
that no progress has been made in negotia
| tions for new p,- tai conventie n with Prus
STA, embracing the States comprising the
| German Austrian Postal Uaon, on account
OF some OfSlicIe presented " Austria III
regard to territorial transit charges.
lie renew> his recommendations Of March
3, 1862, to thr postal committees In Con-
gress, that all private ships departing from
the United States for foreign ports should
be required, as 1. condition of fc.earance, to
convey mails on such ternis As may be al
lowed by Congress.
During thesyear the increased lentgh of
ropte- ,,a- b.a, 5SI y,;la- h,t tia animal
cost of mail transportation has decreased
Sll3 25S, or about2 per cent
The value ofstamps issued to Postnasters
during the year is 3 GS3, 3S2; stamped let
tsrenvolope.. 1854 .s2l and stamped news,
paper wrappers. s2o,ji5 The total value
Of these sold to the public was $, ,12l, l,j20,
, o., being an excess over the previous year
OF -, 1li'391,I3.
The Postmaster-Generalr renews his last
years recommendation To Congress to au-
thorize him TO adjust and allo: the claim
Of postmastsrs who have su5 aimed losses
Of stamp. and stamped envelopes uy reason
Of the occupation and robbery of the offices
by bodies Of armed men.
These CLAIMS thus far prasnntai amount
to about 81 900. He calls attention, also,
to the fact that these po-imaters have
suffered greatly in the loss Of privrte pro-
perry.
He requests additional legislation in re-
spact 10 post Office theft-, ana recommends
that the stealing Of letters and stamps be
made penal otiense.
TIE DEAD LETTER OFFICE
There :ias been a continued increase of
letters containing money and other valns-
b,es The number of dead letter. cover
;,,, s. 4. f.. 4
other valuable papers, received. registered
and returned for diivery to the writers
was S,322. with an aggregate nominal to
value Of 81 .j3i 2T,sl. Of these 1869 were
delivered TO the owners.
Letters registered and mailed. contain
ing money, numbered 1919; of these, l..
04S, containing !63. .627,12, we're finally
deiiy cred.
Sixteen thousand seven hul,lre'l .nl
sixty three letters of less value were re-
ceived nearly ten Thousand of hieh con
tanned daguerreotyoes, aud S,2,3 we're
restored to their writers or owners.
The Po.tmastcrs Geuerai recon lisn els
that q postal racney ora-r system BE- es;Ih-
lishe!. to f,cilitale the Transmission of
small sums through the IN ais, which he
Is confident would prove net only a grea.
convenience to soldiers ani citizens, but
also almost entirely obvilte the loss Of
tni, class Of ronaittances,
In regard 10 letters addressed to points
il the rebeiions States, the Postmaster>
General say: b reason Of the continued
suspension Of regular postal commun!ca-
tiou with section. Of the country under
in.urr~ctienary control, a considerable
aumber of letters, amounting iii the arcre
gate to 81 3l4 found their way. by various
channels. 10 the Dead Letter Oifice. Of
this nunIber 3,3i2 were foreign and were
returned To the countries where ey Or
icinated. Those oti sIuatins in tie loyal
States were turned over 10 the military
authorities. and after examination, most of
them sent 10y flag OF truce to their des.na-
t.sn.
The Postmaster General has instructed
pHsimasters To forward to the Dead Letter
O.hce, except 10 special cases, all letters
r5:nnining unrlairled c,le morth after be-
ing advertised, instead Of two months, as
formerdiy.
In conclusion, he asks e consideration
of Congress of the revised ccSe OF laws sub
,nitted By him at the last session, which
is mainly digest of existing ostal laws