New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-18


Gen Humphreys estimates the cost of a snip canal
around Niagara Falls at $12,00O000
The annual report of the Hon. Alexander w. Ran
DALI Postmaster General, is not finished, but all the
statistics and the ordinary information which is TO
be communicated TO Congress in December, have
been furnished by the heads Of the appointment,
finance, contracting, and auditing bureaus and the
material points in the report have already been de-
cided on. The estimate of the Postmaster General
for the ordinary expenses of the Department. nclud-
ing the service of the mails for 1870 is placed at
$24,54O,4l3. This does not Include the ex-
penses for the special service TO China, Japan,
Brazil and the Sandwich Islands, which will
require an additional sum of $72j0O0 The entire re-
ceipts of the Department for the fiscal year ending
June 80 1868 derived from the sale of stamps and
postage, collected, &c, $6,2926 COO This is the
ordinary revenue of the Department for the year,
which last year was about sl5,2S7,O26 The report
will show that the expenses of the Department have
been augmented in greater portion than the receipts
1t will also show that the expenditures have been
great that they have absorbed not only the receipts
but all appropriations and all the funds standing TO
the credit of the Department, so that the Depart
ment has nothing TO fall back upon except the
current receipts of the coming year Mr.
Randall in view of this condition of affairs,
will ask for Deficiency appropriation for the cur
rent year of e. 600 0O0 The Overland Mail Service,
very expensive enterprise has tended greatly TO in
crease the deficiency. owingto the fact that IL has
cost largely excess of the appropriations of last
year New and expensive mail routes, established IN
July last by Act.of Congress, will also help to swell
the deficiency. The POstmaster-General does not
expect the Department to pay its expenses out of the
ordinary receipts and says that the latter will be IN
adequate in the future they have been in the past
to support the service. The free delivery system
cest for the year. $995.934 SO.
The report will allude in detail to the non paying
routes and will show that the maintenance of postal
service ON expensive routes. in remote States and
Territories has cost $3s49560. OF this sum only
$iOl47OO 2G has been reimbursed by postal receipts
The restoration of the old, and the opening OF new
routes in the South and Southwestern States, which
were suspended during the rebellion have been the
source of large expenditures The excess Of exPen-
dtures over receipts in those States is 81 600 The
foreign mail service, the railroad postal car system,
and other matters of large expense also alluded to
by the Postmaster General as helping to make mp the
deficiencies. The working of the Money Order system
is alluded to by the Postmaster General with salts
faction The system continues to grow IN general
favor and is self-suppOrting. The number Of orders
has increased from 474496 in 1861 to S3 957 in 1868
having nearly doubled The aggregate amount
transmitted in 1867 by this system, throughout the
country is $9,229S27 and in 1868, sl6lg,S5S The
amount of revenue TO the Department realized by
this system is $54l5s, which is more than sufficient
to paw the various expenses The number OF
Post-Offces in operation in the United States
and Territories during the fiscal year is &4Sl The
number of changes of postmasters during the year,
1891 stamps and stamped envelopes sold during the
year, 1906, l59; stamps and stamped envelopes IS
sued to postmasters during the year, l3,sS3.lA.
Number of mail letters delivered by carriers G4,9
$50; local letters delivered, H,OSl,9O6; newspapers
delivered, 16,9l0,7l5
The following table will show the comparative
cost of mail service in the States named for the past
three years-this service has been put in operation