The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-12-18
SYNOPSIS OF THE POSTMASTER
GENERALS REPORT.

The Postmaster General reports that during the
last fiscal year the financial condi ion of his depart
ment has been one of unusual prosperity. The
revenue has nearly equaled the expenditures, the
latter amounting to 81 ,314 206 ST. and the former
to $11 1853 7S9. 50 There IL good 70 believe
that the department will be selfsustaning in brief
period of time
The whole number of post-ofices existing ON the
30th Of June, 1853, was 04. being increase on
the preceding year. of 112. Eight hundred and
thirty offices have been established, and 65S have
been discontinued.
The number of special agents on june 20 1862
was sixteen. with an aggre gate salary of $26 500
and three hundred and eighty seven rOue agents. at
an aggregate salary of $3.50, 260 also forty five local
express mails, had received 81, 44h. sr sL 100
The total cost of transatlantic mail steamship
service was 1892. lS4.S0. This price covered one
hundred and thirty-two round trips to various huro
pean ports.
The Postmaster General regrets to state that NO
progress has been made in negotiations for new
postal convention with Prussia, embracing the states
comprising the German Austrian postal union, on
account of some obstacles presented by Austria in
regard to territorial transit charges
He renews his recommendation of March 8, 1862,
to the postal committees in Congress- that all private
ships departing from the United States for foreign
ports shall be required. condition of clearance
to convey mails such terms may be allowed by
Congress.
During the year the increased length of routes has
been ,5>5 miles, but the annual cost of mail trans
pOrtatiOn has decreased $ll3. 25s about two per
cent.
The value Of stamps issued to po.tmasters during
the year is So, 6S3 3S2; stamped letter envelopes
1854, S2l; and stamped newspaper wrappers 500
b45. The total value of those 81 Id to the public
So 624 $40 81. being an excess over the previous
y ar of S., ia, 1918.
The 70 tmas'er General reneas his last years
recommendations to Congress to authorize him to
adjust and allow the claims of postmssters who have
sustained losses OF stamps and stamped envelopes
by reason of the occupation of their offices by bodies
of armed men.
These claims thus far presented amount to about
1000 He calls attention also to the fact that these
pOsmasers have suffered greatly in the loss of pr-
vaie property. gH.
He requests additional legislation in respect to
pOstOfice thefts and recommends that the stealing
OF letters and stamps be made penal offence.
THE DEAD LETTER OFFICE.
There has been continued increase of letters con-
tanning money and other valuables. The NUM- er Of
dead letters covering deeds, bills OF exchan drafts
and her valuable papers, received registered, and
returned for delivery to the writer's s, 1922, with
an aggregate nominal value of $1544,27 Of
these, $50 were delivered to the owners.
Letters registered and mailed containing money
numbered Is, 219. OF these l5,04s, containing
$63. 1921. Y were finally delivered .. d -.Jvf
Sixteen thousand seven hundred and sixty-three-
letters OF less value were received, nearly 600 Of
which contained daguerreotypes and S,273 were re-
stored to their writers or owners.
The Postmaster General recommends that postal
order money system be established to facilita the
transmission of sums through the mails, which he
Is COuuucue WOulu pTONc. uOt Ouly RItdt CO0vc-
nence to soldiers and citizens but also almost en-
tire obvate the loss of this class of remittances
In regard to letters addressed to points in the re
bellious States, the Postmaster General saws: By
of the continued suspension of regular postal
communication with. sections of the country under
insurrectionary CONTROL considerable number of
letters amounting in the aggregate to "a 314 found
their way, by various channels to the dead letter Of
fee. OF this number, 1912 were foreign and were
returned to the countries where they Originated
Those originating in the loyal States were turned
over to the military authorities and, after examina
ton, most of them sent by flag of truce to their des
tnatitn.
R'The Postmaster General has instructed postmas-
tiers to forward to the dead-leter office exceut in
special cases all letters remaining unclaimed one
month after being advertised instead OF two months
as formerly. ''-o-''
In conclusion, he asks the consideration of Con-
gress Of the revised de of laws submitted by him
at the last session, which is mainly digest of ex
listing postal laws -
--Advices from Mexico to the 28th, via San
francisco, announce that Gen. Comonfort was
killed by band of Mexicans who favor the
French. The French were marching on Qua
dalajara and Morelia. The city of MauganillO
had been sacked and robbed. The Juarez gov
eminent was powerless and anarchy reigned
hat i,,rSc i0fin