Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-12-17
Report of the Postmaster General.

the 30th June last were $l2 ,43S, 253.7S, and
the expenditures of the department during
the same period Sl2,644, 1856, 20, showing an
excess. of the latter of s206, 5S2.42. An ac-
companying table exhibits me annual postal
revenues and expenditures from 1854 to 1854,
from which it appears that the average annu-
al receipts of the department from 1859 to
1861, inclusive, were IS, 745, 2S2.62, and the
average annual expenditureslOr the same pc
Rod were Sl4, 4S2 ,O0S44, showing an aver
age annual excess of expenditures over re-
eeipts of S5,736, 1852. The average annu-
al receipts from 1869 to 1864, inclusive, were
Sl0,S7l ,530.97, and the expenditures SILL
694, 1872, showing an average annual ex-
cess of expenditures over receipts of $685.
254.75. eat ,",ts .re .Irta u
The excess of receipts in 1864 over 1861,
the first year of the rebellion, was S4,OSS,-
9573S.
Although the proportion of receipts as
against the expenditures has, doubtless been
increased, on account of the suspension of
the postal service in the insuTrectionary
States, the P. M. General says this exhibit
furnishes the evidence of an improving fnan-
cial condition of the department, and is high
ly credtable to the administration of his i'm
mediate predecessor.
The estimate of expenditure for 1864 was
fixed at 100000, in which was included
the sum of. 81, 0O0, 900, specially appropria-
ted for the overland mail service, being
1856, 2l3.s0 more than the amount actually
expended.
On the other hand, the revenues of 1864
were estimated at an increase of FIVE per
centum on those of 1862, making $S7l4, 900,
while they actually reached l2,43S, 253 Is,
or S3,724, 253.T3 more than the estimate.
This increase equals 42s per cent.
The increase. of expenditures in 1864, COM
pared with those of 1868, is lls per centum,
and the increase in the revenues for the
same year lls per cent.
This exhibit promises an increase of the
revenues for 1865 over the estimate submit
ted in the report of last year. .,,
Estimates for 1866:
The expenditures of all kinds for the .
fiscal year ending June 80, 1866,
(see table No. % estimated at Sl409S 500 co
The gross revenue for the y ear 1866,
including foreign postage and mis-
cellaneous receipts, is estimated at F4s
an increase of six per centum on.
the revenue of 1864, making..... 13,1s4,5T 70
Estimat ed deficiency Of revenue COM
pared with estimated expenditures 9ls,962 q
From this sum must be deducted the
amount of the permanent appro-
priatioDs to compensate the de-
partment for carrying free mail
matter, under acts of March 3,
IS47, and March 1851. .....s.... 100000 90
By which the estimated deficiency '.t
G Is reduced to................... 213,952 81
. But it is believed enough of the present
appropriation for transporting free mail mat
ter will remain available to make good this
deficiency.
#1Ea GE I STAMPS. S t-
During the fiscal year SS4 1854, 6l0 postage
stamps Of the value of $40, III, 1927, 6,644, :
800 stamped envelopes, amounting to $685.
5l2 so, and ], 574 500 newspaper wrappers,
amounting to $3l, 400, were issued. The to-
tai value of these issues was $10,974, 329 go
which, compared with the issues of the pre-
vious year, $50, 1886, 1907 shows an increase
of 1886, 569 so, or about 81 per cent. The
value of the stamps and stamped envelopes
sold was $40, 776, $50 So, and the amount used
in the prepayment of postage was S9,S7S, 155
81. Notwithstanding this enormous issue, the
losses of stamps in the mails amounted only
to 81 ,206, and of envelopes to S3l 80. Du,
ring the year 1859, 1.-THE year Immediately
preceding the adoption of this system of reg
istration,) the value of postage stamps issued
amounted to S5,279, 405, whilst the losses in
transmission during the last six months of
that period were $4,S7S. Since that time
the losses have decreased, although the issue
has increased about 924 per cent.
ROUTES, &C.
Since the LIST of July last, special agents
have been stationed at leading points to sup
ply the army with postage stamps The
agent at City Point has sold $29, 773.96 worth
and the agent at Chattanooga s5,2l0 since
that time.
On the S0th of June last there were in OPP
Grafton 6,0S3 mail routes, the number of con-
tractors was 5,953. The length of these
routes was l39, l73 miles, the service as fol-
lows: Railroad, 22,616 miles; steamboat,
s7,27s miles; celebrity, certainty, and securi
vided as follows, viz: Railroad, 23,30l ,942
miles of transportation at 50, SCI, 044, about
IL cents mile !; steamboat, 2,112, 134 at
1858, 2T4, about II cents mile; "celerity,
certainty, and security" 30,90l ,2Sl at 81
99S,l5l, about 9 ITO cents mile. The
length of routes was decreased 425 miles,
whist there was an increase in the annual
transportation of ,342 miles, and in the
cost of ST., 1898. The aggregate compensa-
tion OF route agents, local agents, mail mes
sengers, baggage masters in charge of express
mails, and agents employed on steamers con-
veying mails to southern ports, was $780,
7534S, which, added OF the cost of service in
operation on 3Oth June, 1864, ($5, 6lS, 1867
makes the total cost of mail transportation at
that date 1865, 222.4S.
The details in regard to the various. lead
ing mail routes, and respecting the contracts
of the Department are fully and clearly set
forth. An appropriation of $40, 1000 is recon-
mended to prepare a set of maps, by States
or groups of States, showing all permanent
routes, distances, and post Offices, with other
statistical information.