Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-12-14
AppoINTMENTs-FREE DELIVERY sYsTEM-EM

cial agents. at an aggregate compensation of $121,
agents. at SOL 9O 513 railway post-ofice clerks, at
Stl9 400 50 local agents, at $S 430-making total
of 8, ,562 ,919.
The number of letter carriers employed in the
free-delivery service, which has been in operation
during the year in fty-two of the principal cities,
letters 2TO45, ,160 newspapers, b 61Q,s53 Letters
collected, 1925, COZ. Amount paid carriers. in
Guiding incidental expenses, s., ,3o3 a2323. Postage
on local matter x15S 100. 1S.
The number of Department officers and their
chief clerks was 12 other clerks laborers watch
men, etc, 3l9making total in the service in the
country including postmasters, contractors clerks,
agents, carriers, ETC., of 1884.
~ DEAD LETTERS.
The number of letters received at the Dead Let
ter Office during the last fiscal year was 1,19i7iS,
including 221 ,673 foreign.
OF domestic letters not registered, 1621S con-
tanned money amounting to $50 COS. 81. in sums of
one dollar and upward; and of the registered let
ters. 2359 contained $19 81, making total of
1s,5T' letters, containing S7s,S12.9S, of these, IL
writer's or persons addressed; 1902, containing
S10397. OF, which could not he returned to the own
ers, filed for reclamation; and ,495, contain
ing 81 ,392. .Os, were outstanding. The number in
closing sums less than one dollar was 1886, con-
tanning s3S0s,92; of which 12,413, containing 3d.
094 &C. were delivered to the writer's and ,543 con-
tanning S114G2 were filed for reclamation.
The number of letters containing bank checks,
drafts deeds ETC.. 49, 1913. of the nominal value
of S3,O75 $50 %; of which 1906, of the nominal
value of 81 2S55030.31, were delivered to the owners
and ,2SS, of the nominal value OF 2oeSo'"' were
outstanding or filed for reclamation.
The number of packages and letters containing
iewelry, hooks, and other property was 6,i9s; of
which 29S delivered, and 200 were filed for
The number containing photographs AZ. 119;
of which 80, ,5H were delivered and 5515 were filed
The number containing receipts, bills OF iadlng,
etc was 2S, 1856; of which 27.0S1 were delivered,
and l. 115 were fled The number containing post
age and revenue stamps and articles OF small value
was 40, 749; of which 1889 were delivered, and
1850 were fled.
The number of letters without enclosures remail-
p1 tp fhp yyr 1 which
were delivered, and 294 800 were returned to the
Office and destroyed The number in which the
writer's name and local address were omitted or
were illegble, and of letters containing circulars,
ETC., and consequently destroyed, was 2,173,9s4
OF the unmailable letters, 301, ,472 were detained
law They were either wholly unpaid,
were not prepaid one full rate. or were stamped
with illegal or revenue stamps 6S,313 were mis-
directed the post-office. State, some necessary
part of the address being omitted and 3,5lS had no
address whatever.
1911, and in 24n cases the letters were found and
forwarded to the owners.
The amounts deposited in the United States
Treasury were For unclaimed dead-letter money
during the year, 4S016 for unclaimed dead-letter
money on July 5, 1871, s., 10000; for proceeds of
sale iof jewelry books etc, 81 669. .s5; for pro,
ceeds of sale of waste-paper during the year, and
is7f, l5ss7.7i. 80 ''D' ~ f "
POSTAL MoNEY-oRpER SYSTEM. -.
During the last fiscal year, the number of money
order onces in operation was 2076. On the 31st of
July, 1871. 316 additional money-order Offices were
established so that the whole number of such offices
is at present ,452.
The number of domestic money-orders issued
during the year was 2151 94 the aggregate value Of
paid was 21 664, amounting in value to S41, 1O5,
667.03. To this sum is to be added the amount Of
orders repaid to the purchasers, 1921 500 2S Total
of payments. $40 O27 336 81 Excess of issues over
payments, S136, ,7S1.12.
The amount of fees or commissions paid by the
sa95, ,ss6. IS - =
This statement shows an increase over 1870, in
the amount of orders issued of S. 109 923, 32, or
$S099 41152 or % As per cent, and in the amount
of fees received, of $50 0503 35, or 25G per cent.
The average amount of the money orders issued
during the year was S19.59. This amount varies
but little from year to year, not having fallen below
$40 for the last five years and having only once
| The whole number of duplicate orders drawn
! was S,S5S. of which S.125 were issued in lieu of
original orders which failed reach the respective
| payees because of their change of residence. or
because of erroneous or imperfect address, or for
other hi substituted for orders which
became invalid because not presented for payment
1 before the expiration of one year after date ; and
% for orders rendered invalid in consequence OF
bearing, contrary to law, more than one indorse-
| ment.
| The receipts of the last year were follows
Fees for money orders issued $685. 2S6.15 premium
| on drafts, 277 23-rnaking total of $295, ,563 So
The expenditures were Commissions to postmas
! ters and for clerk hire, $171, 1885: allowed fol-
remtances lost in the transmission by mail 81, !l5
!
S93 04-making total of S194 3S1 CO. the excess OF
receipts over expenditures being $101, isis.
Forty-two remttances, to the aggregate amount
of $11 ,e53. 50, reported having been lost in
transmission by mail last year. of which the sum
! S4.4S252 was recovered through the efforts OF
| special agents of the Department; the sum of 81,
627 was allowed to the credit of postmasters who
furnishedlsatsfacory proof that they had, respect
lively, duly remitted the several amounts stated by
nn fo
| ing TO So, 439 were unsettled and pending at the
| close of the year.
! Ont of the whole number of orders paid, viz
2.121 664, payment of 30 amounting to 1922 IS,
claimed to have been improperly fraudulently
obtained In nine cases, the amount of the
/ agents and paid to the rightful owners
In I'VE cases amounting to sl4l, re
for the erroneous payment and required to pay
that amount to the several persons entitled TO re-
/ eeiye it. The department refunded the amount of
two orders for $45, improperly paid the postmas-
ter not having been found at fault. In four cases
amounting to SS1, the claim for compensation was
not allowed, as it was discovered upon investiga.
ton to be without good foundation Ten cases, of
the value of $274. IA, are still pending.
The profits of the money-order system, from its
establishment on the 1st of November 1866, to and
including the fiscal year of 1871, $337 419S6
In pursuance of the provisions of convention
negotiated between the United States and the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
money-order system between the two countries
went into operation October 2 1871 From that
date up to October %, period of four weeks, the
amount of the orders remitted from this country to
Great Britain S63 061 13, and of orders in the
opposite direction $146S419 a manifest indication
that this system OF exchange supplies an existing
public want, and will be extensively used by remit
tiers of small sums to and from Great Britain.
-a- THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
The postal telegraph is by far the most important
subject now inviting consideration in connection
with the transmission and interchange of intelli-
gence. The governments of the continental coun-
tries of Europe have, with few exceptions, claimed
and exercised for years past the right of controll
ing and managing the electric telegraph, and in
every instance with degree of success eommensu-
rate with the care and attention bestowed upon
their respective administrations In Sweden, Nor
way, Russia, Bavaria, Italy, Turkey, Greece, and
Spain, great advantages have been gained by max
while in Switzerland. Belgium, The Netherlands,
Prussia, and France, where modern appliances and
improvements have been more thoroughly utilized,
the policy OF governmental control has been
fully vndicated. 1t remained for Great Britain to
give practical test of the public system COM
pared with the management of corporations and
companies of private stockholders. After a pro-
tracted and most laboTious investigation, Parl1a-
ment passed, the 31st of July, 1865 An act to
enable Her Maiesty's Postmaster General to ac-
quire, work, and maintain electric telegraphs,' y
which followed on the 9th of August 1862 by an
act providing the money necessary to purchase the
undertakings of the several telegraph companies in
Great Britain and Ireland. On the 5th of February
1870 the transfers were effected, and the work of
the postal telegraph began. At first, serious diff
culties were encountered by reason of the delay in
passing the money bill and the inadequate prepara-
tions to accommodate the immense increase of
business winch 1nneulateiv followed tne large re-
duction of rates. These difficulties however, were
soon overcome, and thanks to the indefatgable
and intelligent labors of Hon. Frank Ives Scuda-
more, second secretary, and his assistants. the ad
vocates of the measure already boast of its
triumphant success.
The postal telegraph business in the United King
dom for the fiscal year ending March 81, 1871,
amounted to Gross receipts for the transmission
of messages, 2971215 13s 11d; payments out,
f273, ,2S1 Us 319d-leaving net profit of e697 1913
los Sd, or, computing the pound sterling at $IS6,
$3,391, ,954.38.
Convinced of the wisdom Of establishing the
postal telegraph and post-oiice savings banks in
this country, earnestly recommend the passage by
| Congress of the laws necessary therefor. In my
Judgment, those laws should provide as well for the
absolute purchase of the lines and appurtenances of
all telegraph companies in operation for the
/ exclusive right and authority of the Government
after the several purchases shall be concluded, to
| conduct the business of transmitting telegraphiC
i messages.
i THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
Again renew my recommendation for the repea
of the franking privilege. Its existence is utterly
1 incompatible with an economical and vigorous adj
ministration of postal affairs Flagran frauds have
been practiced during the past year. and will con
nue to be practiced under its cover so long as th
privilege is protected by law. l refer to my argu
ments this subject in former reports with unshal
en- confidence in their soundness.