National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-05


auxiliary to the work Of the Department.
FINES AND REDUCTIONS.
The amount Of zines imposed upon con-
tractors and deductions made from their pay
Tor failures and other dellnquencles for tho
last year was sg2 3Sl.47, and the amount re-
mitted during the came period was S23, 3i9.2l,
leaving the net amount Of fines and deduc-
lions sG2. O32 20, as appears from the follow
Ing recapltulatlOn Amount Of zines, 81, OF;
amount Of deductions, ESQ, 4l8. ~; total, sg9,
3Sl.47; amount RENTED, F23, 349.2l; not
amount, sG9, O32.2B.
MAII-BAas, LOCKS, AND KEYS.
A table appended TO this report exhibits In
detail the number, description, and cost Of
locks, and keys purchased and
Issued during the year The total number Of
new mail-bags procured and put In service
was 1870, Of which 65,2l2 were used for
Of printed matter and u, 45S for
The cost was 9a,020.6l. The
number Of locks Of the new kind purchased
was 5000, at q cOet Of 1880. OF old iron
1000 were purchased, at a cost OF
$500. The cost Of repairing mall-locks was
q, 1880. The total amount expended for
mail-locks and keys was S4,S36,3O.
THROUGH MAILS.
The transmission Of through malls between
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts was greatly
by snow blockades west Of Omaha
during portions Of the months Of December,
January, February, and March last. The
number Of days on which no mails were re-
ceiyed at San Francisco from New York was,
In December, 10; in January, "a; In February,
25; and In March, 10. The average time oc-
cupied In the transit to San Francisco from
New York was, In December, 2l4 hours 10
minutes; In January, 2T3 hours II minutes
in February, 467 hours 20 minutes; and In
March, l0I hours minutes. Only IL malls
out Of 81 from New York were carried
through to San Francisco in schedule time In
December only out Of 90 In January, none
out SO In February; and only Al out Of II In
March. The number OF days on which no
malls were received ct New York from San
Francisco was, in December, 49, In January,
~; In February, TO- and In March, 9. The
average time occupied In the transit TO New
York from San Francisco was, In December,
2OS hours Al minutes; in January, 295 hours
Is minutes; In February, 425 hours 30 min
utes; and In March, lS9 hours bJ minutes.
Only malls out Of % from San francisco
were carried through to New York In schedule
time In December, none out Of % In January,
only 8 ont 10 In February, and only 10 cut OF
81 In March. The average time occupied In
the transit for the whole period from October,
1871, to September, 1879, was, going west,
2lB hours % minutes; going east, 1877 hours
IS minutes. Excepting tho four months
specified, the number OF MALE conveyed 10
San Francisco from New York from October,
1871, to September, 1879, inclusive, was SOS,
Of which 5il were carried through In schedule
time, and 81 behind time; and, excepting
those four months, the number Of malls con-
veyed to New York from San Franclsco, from
October, 1871, to September, 1879, inclusive,
was 2ll, of which 200 were carried through
In schedule time, and So behind time. The
average time occupied In the transit, except
ing the four months, was, going west, l7d
hours II minutes; going east, Ill hours ID
IA. Too "a trhnla ~
the preceding year was, going west, lI3 hours
going east, 1859 hours IS minutes. Excepting
the period, therefore, during which the route
was ohstructed by snow, there Ia but little
variation this year from the degree Of regu'
larity nOtsd In previous reports. Particular
Indicating the character Of the service between
San francisco and other cities than New
York on the Atlantic side will be found In the
through-mall tables appended horoto, from
the office Of the Second Assistant Postmaster
General.
A change Of the through-mail route between
Washington and New Orleans was made ID
May last, so as TO run, after passing Cleye'
land, Tennessee, via Dalton, Georgia; CaleTa
Alabama; Montgomery, Alabama, and Mo
bile, Alabama, instead Of Chattanooga, Ten
nessee; Grand Junction, Tennessee, aud Can
ton, Mississippi. A decrease of 80 miles In
the length Of the route was thereby obtained
and the tables show gratifying improve
ment In speed and other particulars. Thu
number Of mails carried through to New Or
leaus from Washington, by the old route, i
the seven months from October, 1871, to April
1872, inclusive, was 2l2, In the average tint
Of 81 hours and 81 minutes; whereas In tn
succeeding Ave months, $50 mails were CARRIE
through, by the new route, In the averag
time Of II hours 43 mlnutes-a gain Of Il
hours 8 minutes. The shortest time, goinI
south, by the old route, In tho first sevel
months, was 10 hours 30 minutes; In the sue
ceedlng Ave months, by the new route, "
hours so mlnutes-a difference Of IL hours y
minutes. OF the 2l2 mails going south b,
| the old route In the first seven months, 10
were carried through In sChedule-tine and .
| behind time; whereas Of the $50 malls gOlnl
south by the new route In the succeeding tiv,
months, ll0 were carried through In schedule
time and 81 behind time. In the first seye
months going south by the old route % mail
were half q day or more behind time, l ma
was mlsCarried, and there were 20 days o
which no mail arrived at New Orleans froT
Washington; In the succeeding five months
/ going by the new route, % mails were mis-
carried, and there were 20 days on which n
mail arrived at New Orleans from Washing
ton. The number Of mails carried thrOug
| to Washington from New Orleans, by the oil
route, In the seven months from Ociobel
| 1871, to April, 1879, inclusive, was 2l2, In IN
average time Of 80 hours 3S minutes; wherea
| In the succeeding Ave months, l59 mails weT
| carried through, by the route, In the averag
| time Of 6S hours IS minutes--a gain Of
hours 20 minutes.
The shortest time In the first seven month
going north, by the old route, was u hOul
10 minutes; In the succeeding i've months, b
the the new route, u hours 10 minutes
difference Of II hOurs 80 minutes. OF the 81
malls, going north, by the old route, In Il
first seven months, ia were carried throug
In schedule time and 6S behind time; where's
Of the l59 mails going north, by the ne
route, In the succeeding five months, l4l wei
carried through In schedule time and IL b
hind time. In the first seven months, goiI
north, by the old route, 81 mails were half
day or more behind time, and there were
days on which no mail arrived at Washin
ton from New Orleans; In the succeeding h'
months, going north, by the new route,
malls were half day or more behind tim
and there were 10 days on which no mail a
rived at Washington from New Orlean
The average time, taking both routes u
getheT for the whole period, from OctObe
1871, to September, 1879, Inclusive, was, 8
ing south, n hours 80 minutes; going mort
75 hours 3S minutes; against an average 4
the preceding year, by the old route, OF
hours 40 minutes, going south, and " hour
minute; going nOTth-a gain for the prese
, over the preceding year Of hours 10 mi
} utes going south, and hours % minutes Z
Ing north.
, Prior to October, 1871, the through ma
from Washington to CINCINNATI were CO
: yeysd principally via Columbus, Ohio,
| average time occupied In the transit bel
about 80 hours 80 minutes. During the ye
: ending with the month Of September, iS
/ they were conveyed wholly via Parkersbul
I West Virginia, the average time occupied
q ! the transit being rs hours IS minutes.
c The through-mall tables above mention
o exhibit many other interesting facts CC
a nected with the transmission OF malls on
! number Of tho leading and most lmportG
= routes.
4 MAIL DHPREDATIONs.
Il The number Of complaints Of missing lett
}. during the year was 4, S9S, Of which 9, 3O5 W,
d registered and 2, 693 unregistered, cOntaini
!, bonds, drafts and currency to the nOmi
5. amount Of S235, 479.S4. OF registered lett
n $50 were accounted for, and only III hi
>, been reported as actually lost. The rema
II ing cases are In the handS Of special age
y for investigation.
For violation Of the postal laws 100 I
;. sons have been arrested Of whom 60 h
3 been convicted and sentenced to different
Ie grees Of punishment, and Of the remain
. some have boon discharged and others
{, awaiting trial.
@ RAILWAY POST OFFICES.
y Railway post offices continue to receive
y special attention Of the Department. and
70 improvement effected during the past \
hua