The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-08
The Post once DEPARTMENT can be made selssus

The Post once Department can be made selfsus
tanning IN one way, ard that il by cutting OH me
postal service In the States and Territories .he
receipts Tor hostages not equal 10 expenses inis
would exclude all but Iowa and Missouri west OF the
mississippi and all the States overcome Dy te rebel
non IL could further economic ~ m,e 1s' an
steamship lines, thus saving S72ooo0. ~ conld save
e99500O by ab0llshng the letter carrier system for
the cities It could also economze to the extent Of
over S7OO 600 by oyerturning the system OF postal
cars. 1t Is true that IN public estimation
almost indispensable, but the system costs money
aud brings small revenue IL 10 all disbursement
and no receipt what rom twelve to twenty-four
tween washington and Cincinnati, or 81. Louis or
Chicago and the whole West and Northwest by
these travelling post offices which put on and re-
ceiye mails while travelling at thirty miles an hour
ana which receive mails make up mails and distri-
butte mails as they go hurrying alongi 1t costs
Its money In Its chest gives no return and helps
nobody, but is safely boarded. A hating. timid,
lose twenty. Every dollar put out by the govern
ment IN subsidies to build railroads. in subsidies TO
AID ocean commerce, In liberal appropriations TO
open lines OF travel and develop material resources
IN great nation like this is money put out at exor
Dtant usury, and will bring returns In development
OF material wealth and in making the nation great
and rich and strong In everything OF value ana inLe-
rest to great people.
!. have twice In my annual reports called atten-
On to the gross abuses OF the franking privilege.
IL becomes my duty again to speak OF the frauds
perpetrated upon the yeyenues Of the Post ONCE
OtptrttueuL Ny tu6Se 8DuH6Ss nave u6Q OcCtSlOu
frequently during the past year to call the attention
OF members Of Congress to the use Of their names
IN sending mailable matter free under sc sinaHie
frank. Three dollars viii buy the ac siatle frank
OF any member OF Congress, and the use OF IL by
claim agents and business men In cities III sending
books periodicals letters a2d business circulars de,
money. 10 estimated that the loss to the depart.
Nent by this species of abuse OF the ranking privi
mas sns nss to 0m
sions l have urged, in order to avoid
The continuance OF tins serious cheat in the use of
ledge or consent, that The law be so changed as 10
require the written signature OF the person exercs-
ans t N anx1g privilege upon the matter ranked
o. great labor that ranking clerk be authorized by
law Tor each department Of the government, with
ment Tor which he Is 30 appointed; and to relieve
members OF Congress from great labor and care that
House Of Congress to frank such letters and public
documents AZ t s desirable send free through the
mails. have thus far failed TO secure any attention
20 THESE urgent appeals and am becoming satisfied
that the only way to avoid abuse which is becom-
Ing systemlzed and which Is 30 severe tax upon
sne revenues OF tne department. is to abolish the
In the city OF Boston the government has pur-
CHASED, Tor large sum OF money, very valuable
site Tor post Office and for revenue Offices. 1t liz OF
very great Importance both to the postal aud
revenue service that at as early day as possible
plans for buildings should be adopted and appropr-
lions made to erect them. There Is occasion for
any delay, and every reason. that economy and public
necessity can suggest. why the work should go i'm
mediatey forward. Bost on Is the capital OF New
England, ana the government ought to erect public
buildings there which would crafty the pride Of
urge that steps be Immediately taken to erect suit
ABLE post office In the city Of New York. most ell
gibe site has been purchased there for this purpose
there shall be no further delay in this case The
0uidin0now occupied for post office Is what is left
aSa S aaa sss @ O.
" penetrate Its gloomy interior Gas Is bsfrnt there
day and night and men work by IT, It Is over an old
graveyard, and under its rotten floors lie skulls and
bones, and the damp mould OF dead men. On removing
the floors for repairs short time ago. these unwecome
Egnts were exposed to view. The building is unfit
ger In heat and cold, by gasight from night until
morning and from morning until night 500 men are
and inhalng poisoned atmosphere every breath
Shcy draw. Is disgrace to the city OF New York
ana disgrace to the nation. An average Of nearly
unWh0les0me place. The Post ONCE Department
pays every year for extra help account OF 1t sum
equal to the interest on half million OF dollars IL
is not always that the commercial and moneyed cen
ire OF nation is the But the city OF New York
u both the moneyed and commercial centre OF the
western Hemisphere. In fifty years 1t may be the
moneyed centre and commercial centre OF the world.
IN less than twenty years the city viii contain pop
ton equal to that Of all the colonies at the date Of
the Revolution. 1t IL now time to begin TO do some
ming tS meet It's growing The Post Of
through that oce money ana ;aeas ties
suitable public buildings there Is the nations work
and tho nations representatives ought to attend
The actual difference between revenues. indepen-
dent Of special appropriations, and expenditures IN
Guiding special spRrop ~ was The
the year ending June 80, 1885, were $l6 1872 co., and
the expenditures, including service for which special
an excess Of expenditures Of So,zs7,S oi. TO meet
this deficiency there were drawn under appropria-
tons made for carrying free matter sa.so00oo. and
under acts making special appropriations for over
land NAH and marine service between New York and
California, $l,1z5,oO0; steamship service between
che United States and Brazil $l60,0O0 for carrying
mail on routes established BY acts passed during the
[ session s1a r the TaT 1nS
post route maps, $4,000, leaving . de.
Aclency, as stated In the nrst part OF this
R Is seen from the foregoing statement Of receipts,
expenditures and appropriations that in supplying
necessary postal accommodations for the people, the
creased from 1854 TO 1859 and $780, Inclusive the de-
nciency for 1850 being$e 5000, and for the year
sive service IN the Southern States began rapidly to
diminish, until IN the year 1855 there was 80 little
mail service performed IN the States involved in the
lures by 1851, 4S0. The service was almost entirely
suspended. Directly after the war ended and during
diate predecessor ending June 30, 1885, the Post
master General entered upon the serious task OF
restoring the service In the nsurgent States In the
States OF Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Georgia, Florida Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi,
Arkansas. Louisiana and Texas, the service was re-
stored during the year ending June 30, 1860, to an
extent costing $l,os6,527. In the same States
the cost OF service for the year ending
June 30, 1867, increased to 1851, 5sl, and
for the year ending June 80, 1868, it
increased 10 the sum OF $2,16s, 459. This eSpendi-
ture was for transportation alone and includes
OF the other large expenses necessarily connected
with the postal service In those States During the
year ending June 30, 1883 the aggregate length Of
routes Increased to 2i692S miles and the annual
transportation increased to s4 224,325 miles, In
crease OF miles In length OF routes and
miles In annual transportation Since the both day
OF June, 1865, and TO the first day OF July, 1865,
three years. the aggregate length OF mail routes has
Increased "a 5sS miles and the annual transportation
has Increased 20, 230t31 miles, Since came TO the
head OF the Post once Department in July, 1866,
after the close OF my immediate predecessors second
and last year AZ Postmaster General, the aggregate
length OF mail routes put under contract and i'm actual
operation up To the first day Of July, ls5s IN 33Ovs
miles, and the increase OF annual transportation
for the time increased 123S6,411 miles. rhe In.
crease OF service and great increase or the