The Portland daily press., 1873-12-03

panying report of the Postmaster General of
the operations of the Post Office Department
during the year. The ordinary postal revenues
for the fiscal year ended june 30, 1873, amount.
ed to $22, ,996 741.57, and the expenditures OF
all kinds to $29OS4,945.67. The increase OF
revenues over 1872 was $l,0al, ,ela20 and the
increase of expenditures ~, ,428, 1886, inde-
pendent of the payments made from special
appropriations made for mail steamship lines.
The amount drawn from the general treasury
to meet deficiencies was S5,265,4 The con
slant and rapid extension of our postal service,
particularly upon railways, and the improved
facilities for the collection, transmission, dis
tribution and delivery of the mails which are
constantly being provided, account for the in
creased expenditures OF this popular branch of
the public service.
The total number of post offices in operation
on on the 30th of June, 1879, was a3 pa, a net
increase of 1881 over the number reported the
preceding year. The number of Presidential
Offices was 1888, an increase of 1853 during the
wear. The total length of rail.oad mail routes
at the close of the year was 63,45 miles, an in,
crease of ), ,546 miles over the year 1872. Fifty.
nine railway post office lines were IN operation
the 3Oth of June, 1913, extending over IA ,S6G
miles of railroad routes and performing an ag-
ber Of letters exchanged with foreign countries
was 27,459. .1S5, an increase of 3O96,6S5
over the previous year, and the postage
thereon amounted to $2O2l,alO The
total weight OF correspondence exchang-
ed in the mails with European countries, 81
tons over the previous year, The total cost of
the United States ocean mail steamship service,
including S725,00O paid from special appropria-
tions to subsidized lines of mail steamers was
S1,O47,2zIa5. New or additional postal con-
yentions have bean concluded with Sweden,
NORWAY, Belgium, Germany, Canada, New
Foa aadiand and Japan, reducing postage rates s
on correspondence exchange with those coun-
tries, and further efforts have been made to
conclude a satisfactory postal convention with
France but without success.
inyite the favorable consideration of Con-
gress to the suggestions and recommends tions
Of the Post. .Master-General for an extension of
the free delivery system in all cities having a
population OF not less than 10000; for the pre-
payment OF postage on newspaper and other
printed matter of the second-class, for uni
form postage and limit of weight on misceIla-
neous matter; for adjusting the compensation
of all Post Masters, not appointed by the Presi
deut by the old method of commissions on the
actual receipts of the office, instead of the pres
ent mode OF fixing the pay In advance upon
special returns; and especially to urge the IA
vorable action by Congress on the important
recommendations of the Postmaster Gen., for
the establishment of q. S, postal savings depos-
tories. Your attention is also again called to a
consideration of the question of the postal tele-
graphs, and the arguments adduced in support
thereof, in the hope that you may take sucl. ac-
ton in connection Herewith, as in your judg-
ment will most contribute to the hest interests
of the country.
DEPARTMENT OF JUsTICE-UTAH.
Affairs in Utah require your early and spe-
cial attention. The Superior Conrt Of the U. S,
in the ease Of Clinton VS.. Eaglebrecht, decided
that the U. s. Marshal of the territory could
not lawfully summon jurors for the district
courts, and those courts hold that the territori-
al Marshal cannot lawfully perform that duty
I,os sr -
bly,, and not appointed as provided for in an act
organizing the territory. All proceedings at