The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-02
Report of the Postmaster General.

The report of Postmaster General Ores
well is made public. He states that the ordi
nary expenses of this department for the fl
cal year ended June 80, 1870, were S19.772 900,
IS. and the expenditures of all kinds 1923, $685.
1877 s.; and for the year ended June 80, 1869
the ordinary revenues were SIS, 344 $40 y, ano
the expenditures $26, sos, 131 50. The increase
of revenue for the year 1870 over the year 1869
was ST. 427, 709 SO, or 7.78 per cent, and the in
crease of expenditures $300,706 ID, or 80 pei
cent, showing net increase in revenue Of
for the year 1870 over the year 1868 was So, 49,,
GIG 35-N 35 per cent, ands the increase
of expenditures for 1870 over 1853 was
$1,26S, A4 98-557 per cent. The in
crease in revenue for 1870 as compared
with 1869 was less than the increase TO,
1869 as compared with 1868 by $624.199 80 and
the increase in expenditure for 1870 compared
with 1868 was less than the increase for 1869
compared with 1868 by 1866 332 49, If in addi-
ton to the ordinary revenues the departments
is to be credited wi, h 100000 appropriated tol
free matter and the amounts drawn and ex
pended for subsidies to steamship lines, it will
appear that the deficiency provided out of thu
general treasury for the year 1870 is So 814,-
1J6 SO, as against $3.50, 2S7 As for the wear
1870.
Ofmal routes in operation there were 1851
aggregating in length 23l ,23l miles, in annua!
trdnsportion 97,024, 1896 miles, and cost $40.
884,653. Adding the compensation of rail
way post-office clerks, route agents, local
agents, mail messengers, mail route mcssen-
gers and baggage masters in charge of regis
tered packages, amounting to $1,470,S9S, the
40
service was divided as follows: There was an
increase over the preceding year in length OF
routes OF 9501 miles; in annual transporta-
ton, 6,301 1913 miles, and in cost, $673,815.-
The foregoing statements of distances and
costs do not include the service for special
oflces. The attention of Congress is again
called to the necessity of revision and re-
ADJUSTMENT CT the rates of the compensation
estaplisned by law, for the transportation of
mans on railroad routes. The managers of
railroads insist that the pay awarded them
under the operation of the act of March 2
1S45, is inadequate to the service reduired
and many of them have refused and still re'
fuse to enter into contracts with the Denart.
ment, alleging that they will not bind them.
selves by a permanent arrangement at tba
present prices. The consequence is that on on
many OF the most important roads the mails
are carried as suits the convenience of the
companies, and with but little regard to the
public interests. The Postmaster General
repeats his recommendation that a readust-
ment of their pay be made by law, and that
at the same time, they be required to enter
into contract with the department as a con-
dition precedent to drawing any increase of
compensation. The net amount of fines and
deductions made from the pay of contractors
Oh account of failures and other delinquincies
during the year was S71,622.O9. During the
last year, 3071 cases Of loss by mail, of which
1914 were of registered letters, were reported
T. the department, involving losses in bonds,
drafts and money to the amount of 81, 1893, 1853
Il, considerable portion of which has been
recovered. The number of arrests for viola
tions OF the postal laws was 143, and the num-
Der OF convictions OF those who were brought
to trial "a, the remainder being released ar.
quilted, or held for trial. The department partner, IL is
constantly awaiting itself of ali the means
within its reach to give perfect security to the
mails, AID TO bring 10 justice any OF its em
plo, ees who yield to the temptation to yio-
late the trust reposed in them.
The excess OF business OF the department.
as compared with last year is as follows: