Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-06
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The number of complaints of missing letters
during the year is 1900, of which 2057 were reg
istered and 2543 unregistered. Ot registered let
tiers $50 were accounted for as received ut their
destination, and only sS3 have been reported as
actually lost.
For violations of sthe postal laws 1913 persons
have been arrested, of whom 81 have been con-
victed aud sentenced TO different degrees Of pun
ishment.
The total number of letters exchanged during
the year, with foreign countries was 20, 1858
an increase of 1,936,620 over the number re-
ported for 1870. OF this number 10,461 1868
were sent from, and 1884, 100 were received in,
the United States.
The mail steamship service on the ocean
routes has been regularly performed according
to contract. The transatlantic mails have been
conveyed exclusively by foreign steamship lines.
The report calls attention TO the importance OF
some @udicious legislation to encourage the es-
adjustment of American mail steamship lines;
ii recommends the granting of n subsidy to the
new American steamship line between San
Francisco, New Zealand and Australia, via the
Sandwich islands, now under the patronage OF
the government of New Zealand; and speaks
hopefully of the new line of American steam-
ships, now building on the Delaware, to ply
between Philadelphia and Liverpool. Postal
conventions have been signed between the
United States and Germany, and also between
the United States and Ecuador and the Argen'
tine Republic, providing for reduction in the
rates of postage.
The free delivery system has been In operation
during the year in fifty-two of the principal
cities, aid there were delivered 112, 612, SOB mail
letters, 81 $50 local letters and 50, 6l0,353
newspapers. The whole number Of employees in
the department is 1854. The whole nUmbcr of
letters received at the dead letter office during
the year was 4,194, 74S Of which 221 ,673 were
foreign. ct this number ,704,632 were remailed
TO the writer's
The whole number OF uoiicy order Offices at
present in operation is 2452. The number OF
domestic money orders issued during The vsai
was 2, 81 1894 to the value Of S42 1854 .03; the
amount OF commissions paid by the public TO
postmasterS for the issue of these was 1926 1885,
10. This shows an increase over 1870, in or
ders issued and paid, of 20 As per cent, and in
the amount of fees received of 25 IL per cent,
The average amount Of money orders issued
was S19.59. Out of the whole number OF orders
paid, the payment of 80, amounting to S9226S,
was claimed to have been frauduleutly obtained,
In nine of these cases the amount was recovered
and paid to the proper parties, in five the paying
postmaster was held responsible, in two the de-
partment refunded the amount, in four the
claim was not allowed, and ten cases are still
pending. The total profits accrung to the de-
partment from the money order system, since
It's establishment in November, 1864, have been
S33I 1885. The report renewS the recommend
alton that the money order system be extended
to the sub-post offices ofthe largercities,
Inc report announces that the mouey order
system between Great Britain and the United
States has been III successful operation for two
months, and has already demonstrated its use
funcss, and that convention for the exchange
of money orders between this country and Ger
many has been negotiated and awaits ratfca-
ton. If ratified it will 90 into effect on the 1st
OF July next.
The postmaster general recommends the adop-
ton of the postal telegraph system, and repeats
his recommendations in former reports Tor the
abolition Of the franking privilege.