Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-01-08

beauty of his classical illusions.
The Mail se~ryice.Annpal Report ofthe
Postmnster.Gsensrul.
During the past year Mr.. Randall, the
Postmaster General, has sold over three
hundred and seventy-one millions OF
letter stamps, over forty-four millions
| of plain stamped envelopes, and more
| than sixteen millions Of stamped envel-
opes on which he had kindly printed
the names, addresses and requests for
return of the persons who bought them.
He sold also nearly two millions OF
newspaper wrappers, stamped. The
whole amount of money he received for
these articles was Sl3,40l 1888.
The whole revenue Of his department
was over fifteen million dollars, which
is less than half a dollar u head for our
whole population. Next year, however,
Mr.. Randall means to spend over twenty
two millions, and expects to receive six
teen millions. He complains, justly,
that the franking privilege is very gross
" abused; the fac simite franks OF differ
ent members Of Congress are freely used
to circulate obscene books and papers,
lottery circulars, business cards, etc.,
and to cover oil kinds Of business and
domestic correspondence Of persons not
authorized by law to frank mailable
matter, and unless some means are used
to cure this evil, presently o million q
year will be needed to carry the franked
letters and packages alone. This free
circulation of what is for the most part
twaddle, now costs seven hundred thou
sand dollars per annum. Experiments
are in progress with a postage stamp
printed on embossed paper, which seems
to afford good security against fraud.
The 6bres Of the paper being broken,
cancelling marks almost necessarily
penetrate SO that they cannot easily DO
removed without destroying the stamp.
The adhesive properties are also pro-
NOTED, and other advantages secured
which commend tho invention to favor
able notice.
To transport the letters and ncwspa-
pers, Mr.. McCulloch employs 6,376 con-
tractors, who have 7,743 mail routes,
with a total length of 2O3 ,24o miles,
which is so often traversed as to make
the annual transportation amount to
| rs, 9s2, 7S9 miles. Railroad routes have
a length Of 34,0l5 miles, on which over
80, 900, 90 miles of mail transportation
is done, at a cost of Ill cents per mile.
Steamboat routes have a length of IL, 094
miles, and over three million miles OF
transportation, at l4.7 cents per mile.
Other routes cost to run ll.65 cents per
mile.
There has been au increase during the
year, of 22,324 miles Of route, and u
la, S75 miles Of transportation during
the year.
There are now eighteen railroad routes
on which what is called tho railway
| postal service is used-that is to say,
| the mails are sorted and prepared for
delivery on the cars. Mr.. Randall says:
Assuming that tho railway postal
service on 5000 miles is costing $685..
| 900 per annum, or an average of 81 per
| mile over tho ordinary or old route
agent service, the fact that twelve,
tw~enty-four, and often forty-eight hours
are saved in the transmission of all the
mails passing over these 5000 miles,
WOulu 6ecm ouulSlSut W JuSsi Sh0
creased expenditure"
Five million three hundred and twelve
thousand four hundred and one letters
were sent to foreign countries during
the year, and 1885, 1893 were received
from abroad so that the rest of tho
world owes US q few letters.
During the year 4,065 postmasters
have resigned, and 3,444 have been re
moved. Free delivery by carriers is in
operation in forty-seven cities. and pays
its expenses, especially in this city I'M
der the management of Mr.. Kelly. "The
postage on local matter in New York
amounted to Sill, 40l, the total expen-
ses, 1899 90, showing an excess of
S20,07l o8 local postage over total ex-
penses."
One thousand two hundred and TWEEN
ty-four money order offices are now in
operation /; 45s have been established
during tho year. Four hundred and
seyenty-four thousand four hundred and
ninety-six orders were issued during the
year, representing over nine millions OF
dollars, and m average sum Of u little
over $l9. One thousand nine hundred
and fifteen orders were lost in the mails,
and replaced /; and the profit on the BUSH
ness amounts to S26,26o.
To forge or counterfeit a money order
is made a penal offence by the act of
May II, 1864. But one instance of this
kind has happened since the establish
ment of the system. A late postmaster
distracted in juno last ffty-two blank
money orders, specially prepared and
numbered, from the book which he de-
liversd to his successor, filled them up
in the usual manner, so that they up
peared to have been duly issued on sew
eral %postmasters for small sums, and
forged upon each the signature Of the
postmaster. Payment Of twenty-nine
Of these forged orders, to the aggregate
amount Of 81, 1922, was obtained on pre-
s~entation. The fraud was speedily de-
tected, and the guilty person was re-
Gently convicted of the crime of forgery
at the United States Court at. Cleveland,
Ohio, and duly sentenced to three years'
imprisonment and hard labor, and to
pay a fine of Eve hundred dollars
Ntp York Post.