The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-12-12
DEPARTMENT REPORTS,
The Post Office Department and Postal
Telegraph.

for the last fiscal year is unusually
lengthy, occupying niue columns in smal
type. The detailed statement of the
workings of the department compare ia
voratly with former reports, and show
that Mr.. Cresswel has been active in pro
noting reform. There has been the
usual immense increase of business The
Increase IN revenue 10 1872, com pared
with 1871, was greater than the increase
Tor 1871, compared with 1870, by S720,
7l3.lS and the increase of expenditures
for 1872, compared with 1871, was great
er than the Increase for 1871, compared
with 1870, by 81 226.S2118 Of course
that is the usual deficiency. The ord
nary revenues Of this department for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1872, includ-
ing revenue troua money order business,
were 50 ,9l5 1876 b, and the expeditures
| Of all kinds S2G,G5S, 1872 81. 100000
of the latter amount was paid for the
transportation ot free matter, aud as sub
sides to steamship lines. There has been
a careful REIMBURSEMENT of pay on railroad
routes, aud a general re adj justment of the
saiari of post masters
Improved postal conventions and ar
rangemeuts have been concluded with
the leading commercial countries Of
Europe and America, establishing great
y reduced postage charges on correspond
ence with all parts OF the civilized world
France is the only commercial country
OF prominence with which auy serious
difficulty has been encountered in effect
in, Of onI Nth ;So
improving the conditions Of international
small communication, but negotiations
with the French Government give promise
OF the early conclusion Of postal conven
ton. The money order department con
tinues to work satisfactorily, there hav-
ing been au increase of business of over
six million dollars
During the year there has been a net
increase of SIS post Offices. the number
in operation at the close of the fiscal year
(Juue 80. being 81 ,S63. OF this nun,
ber the President has the appoiutme Mt,
uoder the acts of Congress, of only 200
The free delivery system has been in OPP
Grafton during the year in fifty two OF the
principal cities. with the following aggre
gate results: "Numb Der OF letter carriers,
ABB; mail letters delivered. l27 ,09S,
82S local letters delivered. 330G3 $50 !;
newspapers delivered. SO, ,621 ,36S letters
collected lis, liz ,32l amount paid car
ries, including incidental expenses, 81.
3S5, ,965 16 During tie last fiscal year,
before the establishment of the free de-
livery system, the number of mail letters
delivered approximaied II 800 eco. The
number of employees at the Department
in Washington Is $40 the number OF
postmasters, contractors, clerks in post
Offices, route agents, railway postal clerks,
aud other officers in service on the Both
June, 44,655.
After presenting these and many other
interesting facts. Mr.. Cresswel renews
bis recommendation for the abolition of
the lrauking privileges, and then pro
cceiS to consider at great length the pos
tai telegraph question. In reference to
the former he says 'lu my three pre-
yious reports have urgently recommend
cd au immediate and unconditional repeal
OF the iranking privilege. The expert
ence Of the past year has strengthened
my conviction that it's abolition is absolu
tely necessary 70 an efisient, economical,
and vigorous administration Of our postal
system | think it safe TO say that the Tree
matter carried during the past year, II
taxed at ordinary rates, would have yield
ed a revenue of three aud "A half millions
Of dollars, sum larger than the entire
deficiency Of the year. | know of no
measure uore entitled 60 favorable action
than the House bill now peuding in the
Senate and urge its passage Immediately
after the reassenbling Of Congress"
The Postmaster General states that
grave difficulties have arisen from time
to time between the Government and Ger
tain of the telegraph companies, which
have declined aud still decline to furnish
such facilities as are deemed essential to
the perfect success of the signal service,
and adds, ''In my opinion a Government
telegraph affords the only safeguard
against the continuance OF such evils
While the embarrassment consequent on
the attitude of the telegraph companies
toward the Government demands prompt
attention, it is but one OF the many con
siderations which point to the adoption
of postal telegraph as measure OF i'm
mediate public necessity. The immediate
defects and abuses of the telegraph call
loudly for reform. A glance at the teie
graph map of the country shows large
districts totally uuprovided with teiesra
pbic facilities, aud mauy Important places
with post Offices 10 their business centres
dependent upon the outlying railroad sta
tions for the meaps OF telegrapbing.-
The tariffs are exorbitant, unequal and
complex, supplemented 10 some eases by
enormous charges for local delivery, and
regulated entirely by the pleasure OF the
companies.
T!se report then submits for lnspec
t;oa tabe carefully campIied from re.
liable statistics, showing that, with a cost
IN afl