The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-12-04
PosT-OFFIcE DEPARTMENT,

PosT-OFFIcE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, D. C, Nov. Ia, 1873 {
SIR: The ordinary revenues Of this Department
FOR the fiscal year ended June 81, 1873, were go,
$50 s41.57, aud the expenditures of ali kinds $50
ordinary revenues were 81, 915. 1863, and he
expenditures S26.65S. 1881 In 1878 there was hi
increase of revenue over 1872 Of 81 81. 3l5zo Oh
Ss,4l67 3.56, or SO per cent a cdmparison Of
1873 with 1871 shows an increase in revenues OF
$2,9os $50. Is 11.42 cent, and increase OF
expen ltures of 81, 6:4 S41. so. or 1924 per cent
II, Ii addition TO the ordinary revenues, the De-
partment Is credited with the ordinary amounts
drawn and expended for subsidies TO mail steam
snip lines tSf2o,' %, 1t viii be seen that the
the appropriations 10 meet defciencies during the
year, was % 26 40 against 3,37, Tb5 "a in 1872.
To the deficiency for le.2 however, are to be
added the standing appropriations for free matter
amounting 10 SfUO,OJ0, which have since been re-
pealed.
90 1919, S33. 912; total estimated receipts
$40. leaving deficiency of Si.636. 1863 TO be
n Tie nature Of sabsides '
The total number of stamps, stamped envelopes,
newspaper-wrappers and postal cards issued dur
the year 76i 1875 so, OF the value Of 81, 99 no
MAIL RoCTEs.
Of public mail-routes in operation there were
1924 aggregating in length $50 20 miles: in annu
al transportation, 1899 $50 miles; and in annual
cost, sf3,635,341 Adding the compensation Of
railway po-tofice clerks. route agents, mail-rcute
messengers. local agents. mall-nessengers, and
baggage-masters in charge of registered packages,
amounting to 81 6y3, The aggregate annual cost
WdS Slbl l.UE34.
There was an increase over the preceding year IN
length of routes of 4S12 miles, in annual transpor
tstion 4,se5 32S miles; and In cost 81 063. q. Add
ing the increased cost for railway clerks
route local and other agents, 1913 749, the total in
crease IN cost was 81 1881 ,826-
The railroad routes have been increased in length
5546 miles and in 1854 425 against an increase
last year of 6VT7 miles in length and Sitter In
cost
MAIL DEPREDATIoNs.
The number of recorded complaints for the past
year of missing letters was Giles, of which $3.50
were unregistered and Kiss registered, containing
In the former. as reported. in bonds, drafts, and
currency 500, 1889, and in the latter S1U421. 81.
3l3 are reported a actually lost and 93 are still in
the hands of special agents for investigation. Dur
ing the year persons were arrested for various
otfenses against The postal laws and regulations.
OF these, 81 have been convicted, 20 have been &C
quit ed, 1913 awaiting trial, and % have been
discharged for want Of proof sufficient TO insure
conviction. Some of the most experienced officers
il the service are of the opinion that Congress
should adopt such LEGISLATION as will prevent the
of the mails for the conveyance of money in
letters and compel the registration Of every valua-
Bile package.
RAILWAY PosT-oFFICEs.
tabular statement hereto appended shows that
the number of railway post-ofice lines in operation
on the 3Olh of June, 1873, 80, extending over
1866 miles of railroad and steamboat routes,-
an increase of two lines and 749 miles over the
preceding year. The number of clerks employed
was ,, annual cost of 1911, u0.,-an increase
of ll3 clerks and Sf19,4O0. Upon 1z.3 miles the
service Is performed daily, upon z533 miles twice
daily, and upon 81 miles four times daily, equiva-
lent in ali to Il, 462 miles each way daily. Count
ing all The lines both ways, the aggregate service
Is 81, S25 miles daily.
FOREIGN MAILS.
The total number of letters exchanged during
the year with foreign countries 2T,459, 49,,
increase of 3,O96bS5 over the number reported for
1872 OF this number, 1883, ga were sent from
and 1912 oil were received in the United States.
the number of letters (single rates. exchanged
In the United States and European mails Is,
595,71 an increase of 1,9J2,5 SIS over the number
reported for 1872.
The total hostages on the letters exchanged with
foreign countries amounted to S., OIL 81 Sc, in
1872.
Comparing the year 1873 with the year 1872, the
rate of Increase in the total number of letters
changed with foreign countries was RI per cent
and The rate of increase in the amount If post
ages thereon was per cent. The increase in the
number of letters exchanged with European coun-
tries was lOA per cent, and the increase of post
ages thereon amounted TO rs per cent
Inc Gost OF the United States TRANSATLANTIC mail
being an increase Of S64io @ over the cost of the
same service for the year 1872.
FREE DELIVERY.
Speaking of the free delivery system the report
says the expense of the system at each office is
paid out of the revenue of that Office. 1t seems
but fair, therefore. that this mode Of delivery
should be extended TO all cities where the popala
OF the mails may authorize the requisite force and
outlay. just how far these elements may combine
to warrant the extension Of the system, IL is Diff
cur 10 determine; but am OF the opinion that 1t
might be advantageousy provided for cities hav-
ing IN Their corporate limits population of not
DEAD LETTERS.
Number OF domestic letters received at the Dead
Letter office during the year were 4133.92S; num-
Der of foreign letters 268 420; total, Az 23 8 rep
reseniing an actual or nominal value of IS.
1641l. OF this number, 1.S26, 1oS representing 81
5eS representing S132 $50. 81, which could not be
delivered, were filed for reclamation: Il, so re-
manned either on hand, not acted upon, or were
outstanding in the hands of postmasJers for delv-
cry Jnne 81 1873. and represented SS4 SILL; and
so53,4s2 which either could not be delivered, or
sroyed.
The number of applications for dead letters was
65sS and IN 2,G15 Cases the letters found and
The amounts received and deposited in the
Treasury from this during the year were:
From unclaimed dead letters, So, lOS; proceeds of
sales OF waste paper, 50 155; sales of post-route
maps S52 %; sales OF old carpets, $293. SO, making
total of Si035l.51.
MoNEY-oRDER SYSTEM
The number Of oney-order Post Offices in opera
ton during the last fiscal year was 2T15 On JuIy
4 1873 1913 additional offices were es tabiished aud
five were discontinued making the whole number
at present 1869. of the additional offices. seven
were opened sub-po-toffices stations in large
citIsS VIZ one in Boston, one in Chicago, and i've
The number Of domestic money-orders issued
during the year was 1855. $50 the aggregate value
OF wh a was so 2los9; the number paid was
80 Slo-amouniIng to So 800, 35l. "A; repaid
remitters $50 .tblt4; total paid So PCS. 012 81
leaving S1 04 ~ as the excess of issues over pav
ments.
The amount Of fees paid by the public to Post
master for the issue of money orders was s54 6t2
. these transactions show an increase over those
OF 49, OF -. O6o-.91, or 1885 per cent, in the
amount OF orders issued; of S75. 361 g. or IS ;S3
per cent, IN the 2moUnt of orders paid and of 81
5lh59 or - per cent, in the amount OF fees re-
celved The average amount of the money-orCiers
issued during the last year SI714, being 81 Il
less than the average Of the preceding year. The
small increase in the fees received. as compared
with the issues and payments of orders Is owing to
the reduction. by the act of June s. 1872 of the fee
Tor orders not exceeding $40 from 10 cents to 5
cents. The dimnution of the average amount of
the orders Is 10 be attributed to the same cause
which stimulated the purchase of small orders
Issued at one-half the rate formerly charged.
POSTAL CARDS.
An appropriation for the manufacture and deiv-
cry of postal cards having been secured by the act
OF January s, 1913, immediate steps were taken to
meet The public demand therefor. AS predicted,
they have been favorabiy received. They have
supplied public want, and have made and
remunerative business for the Department The
issues foot up: From May 10 June 20, 81, O4 900;
from July to September So So. POS 800. making
total of $500 800 These figures indicate that the
estimate OF 10 600 COO for the consumption of the
first year will be more than realized
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
Inc several acts for the repeal of The ranking
privilege became operative on the lat of July last
The results of the first quarter of the current year
are hghly satisfactory, and have fully verified the
predictions Of the friends of the repeal The con-
fusion and delay in the distribution and tra1 smis-
SO OF the mails, caused by suddenly throwing,
without notice or system, immense masses of free
matter upon importsnt postal routes, have been
remedled, thus making it possible TO effect de-
cided improvement in the organization and practi-
cal working of the service.
Publications of The Class heretofore printed and
sent out by order of Congress have been almost
entirely cut of The lst of july of the relief
thus afforded some idea may be formed from the