Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-01
REPORT OF THE POsTMASTER GEN

anu OthtAs W niOcN INC emergency.
REPORT OF THE POsTMAsTI.R GEN.
ERAL.
An abstract of the annual report Of the Post
master General has already appeared in the
columns OF The STAR. In sddit on we print
to-day some material facts not embraced in the
sy nOpss referred to.
OF public mail routes in operation there were
,424, sggregsting in length 256 21O miles in an
nual transportation. 1l9 500. $50 miles: and in
annual cost, Sl3 655 Sal; the aggregate annual
cost was sI6,16I ,O54. The railroad routes have
been increased in length 5,546 miles, aud in cost
Sfs4 10, against increase last wear of or
miles in length and S75T 1872 in cost.
The net Increase involved in the readiust.
M NJ OF the lay for mail service was S223, S5 81.
The number of new railroad routes pat in oper-
atom was 81. The net amount of fines and de-
Inc, lions imposed upon contractors was
The Postmaster General saws it is amazing
mat 50 many persons will persist in sending
money through the mails, thereby subiecting
hemse Ives and the public to risk, when the de-
paTtment provides the means of safe transmits
slor by money orders at an Insignificant cost.
The total hostages ON the letters exchanged
with foreign countries amounted TO g. 02l 3 10
80, an increase of SlJ0,053.Gl over the amount
reported for 1872.
The number Of railway post Office lines in op-
GRAFTON on the 20th Of June, 1873, was So extend
ing over a. s66 miles of railroad AVID steam boat
rCutes-an increase of lines and Ti9 miles over
The preceding year. The cost of the United
States transatlantic mail steamship service for
the year 1878 was o,5357T, being an increase
Of S64iO o. over the cost OF the same service for
the year 1872
The Postmaster General is of the opinion tha
the free delivery system might be advantage
Ously extended 20 cities having a population OF
Lot less than 0,OO0.
Number of domestic letters received at the
dead-letter Office, 4, 1873 92s; number of foreign
letters, PCS 400; total, 44J2 3is. representing
an actual or nominal value OF 1915 764 IL. OF
this number S25, lOS, representing So 3II 923 q
were delivered 10 owners or writers.
The rate of fraudulent payments made on
money orders was TO every 15O,6T3 payments.
4 be several acts for the repeal of the Thanking
privilege became operative on the LIST of July
last The results OF the first uarter Of the cur
rent year are highly satisfactory and have fully
verified the predictions of the friends of the re-
peal. The number of postal cards sold from
July to September 80 was 81 ,302 300. In the
estimates for 1875 the net safes OF postal cards
have been placed for the entire year at 81 ,O3I,-
I;;2, and of off cial stamps at =, $50 900.
The Postmaster General is OF the opinion
tha, postage on newspapers and other matter
Of the the second class should be collected IN
advance at the mailing office. He belives that
under this plan, the Department could safely
con '6nt, IN case Of it adoption. TO A reduction
in newspaper rates OF ~ per cent. OH present
prices. He further recommends that on All
matter OF the third class the postage Ne made
uniform a. cent for each two ounces or fraction
thereof, and the maximum weight Of packages
increased to four pounds.
lie also recommends that any person be per
mitted, without additional charge, to write a
form OF Presentation IN any book, pamphlet,
magazine, periodical, OF on any other matter
Of the third class and also that the sender OF
any package be permitted, without additional
charge, 10 write his or her name and address on
the outside thereof, with the word &" from"
above or preceding the same, so a. to inform
the person addressed of the anne Of the sender
and TO write briefly on any package the numbe
and name Of the articles inciOsed.
He recommends that all post offices with a
salary Of less than Al 90 be hencefUrth adjusted
by resort in the first instance 10 the quarterly
returns in the Office Of the Sixth Auditor.
The Postmaster General at some lenghth ar
CUES this necessity for postal savings deposit
tories and gives many statistics to prove their
successful working in Great Britain. He saws
such depOsitaries would not only encourage
economy and habits of saving on the part of all
who might be in the way of earning small sums
OF money, but would tend largely TO utilize and
keep in circulation the immense amounts which
are paid out for wages and in business, and give
every depOsitOr direct interest in the stability
of the Government.
He also strongly recommends the postal tele-
graph, and says there are now but two parties
In the controversy, on one side the people, on
the other the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany. He recommends that provision be made
by law for the immediate establishment of the
postal telegraph, and for the construction of all
such lines as may be needed under the direction
OF competent officers of the engineer corps of
the army.