Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-16
U POsTOFFICE.
Important and Interesting Statistics
what and How Much Business ts
Done.

W q ~
Congress In his efforts to secure an APP
preparation for the construction Of q
building that would do credit to the Gov
eminent and be an ornament to the city,
and which would be large enough to &C
eommodate the United States Courts, the
Gus ms Collector, Internal Revenue
Collector, Postofiee, and other United
offices, we some weeks ago called
upon Colonel KnOwlton, Deputy Post
master, for such statistics as would en-
able the authorities at Washington to
that the rapidly growing
business of the Memphis Postofiee,
as well as the growth Of the business
of the United States IL other depart
ments here demanded the appropriation
asked for. Colonel Knowltoni with the
kindness usual to him, has, as promptly
his multifarious duties viii permit,
responded, and the following is the an
swer full, complete and satisfactory to
all the questions we propounded:
EDITORS APPEAL-In reply to your letter Of
inquiry, I a ' pleasure in giving you the fol-
statement Of facts respecting the busi-
ness transactions OF this ofice, viz:
There are t~wenty-eight men employed In
ONCE, including twelve etter-carrlers
There are twenty-five postal clerks ana mail
employed on the various mail
eentering here, who draw their pay rom
this Office.
mated as follows: Amount OF newspapers ay-
erage weight two tou daily, equal 70 seven
hundred and thirty tons annually.
Average number Of drop letters daily, a.. ~,
NUMBER OF letters delivered,
900 daily, or, annualy---------~--1,46pVV
Average number OF letters received
from other offices for distribution,
daily, l5,OoO, or, annually----e,fio0"1
Total number pf letters handled 80
a0y-~--.---..-.--...
Cosh Reoeped from AprfI l,ls71, % March Sl,lSZz-
Newspaper postage----.S 2,9al g
Box ~ ~
Postage stamps sold--.-.--. 41y65 I4
Stamped envelopes sold AS7
Dee postage collected on de-
livery OF letterS--.-------.- " %
Total postal revenus collected
during the VI
DrGG Department
Collected on Departments drafts sent
10 this ONCE for collection during
the oFo n
Reserved az Deposit.
Cash RENTED from Other ofaces, this
being the Office Of deposit for East
ern Arkansas, North Mississippi, -
West Tenn. and Western Kentucky. l,I2 81
Money Order Department.
Issued frora April !, 1871, to
March aIsT2,S2s, amount s1sSy2n IS
Amount u. o. funds reed on
deposit nom other onces.- WITH
Total amount N. o. funds reed. Sl.Ia 4
Total cash receipts from ali sources
during the y
Disbursement.
The above-named sum has been dis
bursed as follows:
Fd Ass q orders orn
on this office, amount---S402i6T 50
RENTED 10 New YORK and
Louisville FOR paymentof
money orders draWn on
those Offices throughout
the y-.-..........-.-.. 4lU,oW "
Balance paid mail c~ontrae-
tors, mall messengers md
Office expenses, including
small balance held in re-
serve for that purpose 4O2ls
sgI3,ssO % s9ls,ssO q
From the above It will be seen that
nearly one million dollars has been han.
died at this postoflce the past year,
This money represents not only what Is
taken here forstamps, stamped envelops,
postage due on in~sufhciently paid letter.
or other mail matter, for money orders,
but for moneys collected and forwarded
from the ~postofices of West Tennessee
West Kentucky and Eastern Arkansas,
a scope Of country that is fast augment
ing in population, and therefore ncreas'
ing its postal demands. The center o.
SO large and so interesting a section o.
country, We think Memphis has in this
alone a strong claim upon the Govern
ment, certainly a stronger than
either Knoxville or Nashville has, o.
a set up, although the n has re
eeived an appropriation of three hun
bred and fifty thousand dollars, and has
a building in course Of erection, and the
other has, we believe, an appropriation
of four hundred and eighty Thousand
dollars. But, when Congress has refer
ence to u large and increasing com
merce certainly six times that Of the
last and more than twelve times that Of
the former named city and learns of the
extent Of the internal revenue collee-
tons. our United States Court Htiga-
ton. and our increasing direct i'm
portations we cannot see how that
body can fail TO respond in the sum o.
atlesst five hundred thousand dollars
for a building suchas we have mention
ed. We trust Mr.. Vaughan will con-
tinue to press our claims until the close
of the session, and that he viii enlist N
our behalf every element that can 10
any way eonduce to the success IN this
respect that we deserve. We must have
q United States Building for United
States offices and officers, The rent
now paid viii more than pay the inter
est on the sum necessary to Its con
struction.