Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-15

DEPARTMENT. Nov. 10. l~D.
Sir: The event Of this department
for the year ended June so, 1855, were
S14,5jG.15S 20, and the expenditures S13,
69I, rs 2S, leaving a surplus Of Ss6l,
43O 4.
5he ratio of increase Of revenue was
seventeen per cent, and of expenditure
eight per cent, compared with the previ-
u year.
The portion Of the revenues accUmu-
lated in depository and draft offices, un,
der the supervision Of the finance office
Of this department, was S7,133,g2i As
collected by the Auditor, S2,329,S55 0S
and retained by POstmasters for salaries
and Office expenses, S5,O9O,279 Is.
The estimated expenditures for the
year ending June ~, lS57, are-....--- S~lS,G7S,0Ol
n revenues estimated at %
per cent. increase over last
Add amount equal TO So per
cent OF the receipts I'm 1870
from states lately in re-
Appropriation for frce mat
ter-- fvtrUeli, itu,t1t
Leaving a deficiency or.. sl.s7,5l3
For this deficiency no special appropriation
l priations for the last three wears, under
the acts Of March 3, lS41, and March 3, 1851,
amounting 10 s-,lNu,yV1- are uneNpenueq- 10
Will DE necessary hewever To make special aP-
propriations from the Treasury for steamship
service between san Francisco. Japan and
China for six months, from January / 20 June
Also for steamship service between the
United states and Brazil for eight
months OF the current year, cOmmenc-
| And the whole Of next ear-- 1000
Total 10000
The numb-r Of postage stamps is
sued during the year was ~ ,fi9,-
3d. ref 81
Stamped envelopes, 2j.O4J,435, repre-
erhlNl '-ffLp5 VI
seniing a,a5 90
Making in an ,r7 50
An increase of 81, S7S, los over the previ-
Gus year. The amount sold was S12,3g9,-
T27 So, being 81 ,G23, l3s p more than the
previous year.
The introduction Of stamped envelopes
bearing a request for the return to the
writers of unclaimed letters has consid-
eTabiy increased the sale of envelopes,
and is believed to have diminished the
returns to the Dead Letter Office.
Business cards are printed IN envel-
Opes without additional cost when or
dered in quantities not less than 81 900
for the same parties.
To encourage the purchase Of request
eRrelOpes, the Law should be changed so
As 10 allow the return of sue letters to
the writers free of postage.
As stamped envelopes are cancelled by
use, and therefore safer against fraud
than those with stamps attached, 10 is
submitted whether the Reconsideration
eral should not be authorized in his dis
erection to furnish them, as the separate
stamps are now, without reference to the
cost Of manufacture.
M~.--.A-.-- - r a.
denominations OF ., 10 and p cents, for
prepayiug postage on packages Of Jews
papers forwarded by publishers or news
dealers, under the authority Of law,
whereby a revenUe will be secured
hitherto lost 20 the department.
Under the act for the relief Of Post
masters who have been robbedby bodies
Of armed men, seventy-Seven cases have
been decided, and allowances made 20
the amOunt of 81, 207 -.
Appended hereto is a tabular statement
exhibiting the annual receipts and eX-
penditures of this department from Jan.
l, 1881, to June 50, 1865. The results are
5 follows:
Aggregate receipts se01,GLSQ4 A.
Aggregate expenditures----- 2~4i,74s,Ssl 50
Deficit s4,s6ss7 p
Averaging as follows: Receipts, So
SOC, IA 81 per anaum; expenditures, 81
O94,lIO IS per annum; deficit, Sl,23s,-
OPS 81 per mum.
CONTRACTS.
The mail service in operation on 10th
June, 1865, embraced 6,Ol2 routes, Of the
aggregate length of 1880 miles, cost
ing S6,246,SS exclusive Of compensation
to route and other agents, amounting 10
Sjj6, COZ T5l.
Railroad. 23,40I miles, costing 90, 81
Steamboat, G,0SS miles, cosuus 355b
Oslerity, &c, IN.5l miles costlu alfSc7
The aggregate miles ofa transportation
were 5 1898, 494.
Railroad los !
Celebrity, 81 ,4l, $50
The cost per mile, for transportation
by railroad was III cents; steamboat,
14l cents; celebrity, &C, 10 cents.
The increased length Of routes was
8, l6S miles; Of transportation, I,67S137
miles and Of cost, I23,4l5. For other
details Of the contract service see appen-
dix.
Until Sept. Is, 1864, the service on the
Lincoln and Portland route was per-
formed by the California Stage Com
pany, at the rate Of $4,000 per annum.
Under proposals for continuing the ser
vice until 1866 and 1858, the only bid
der was the same company, at $4,000
per annum which being regarded as eX-
c~essive, was accepted only to June 80,
1865, for the purpose Of again inviting
competition. This was done by adver-
tisement. dated Oct. Il, 1864, under which
the California Stage Company was again
the only bidder, at S3O0,0OO per annum,
which was declined. The service was.
however, offered TO the contractor for
year at the compensation Of
10000 per annum, which was refused.
Arrangements were then made with re-
'pOnsible parties to cOnvey the mail al
s225,OOO per annum to June30, 1866, after
it is hoped the service will be per- !
on more reasonable rates. 7
The overland mail service from the I
Missouri River TO California is performed 7
two contracts, n from Atebison !
o Salt Lake City, and the other from the q
after place 10 Folsom City. On the
western division the service has been |
81 AanmnNnRH#w I r