The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-11-26
Report or the Third Assistant Post.
master.General.
W ASIyINCTl

WASHINGTON, Nov. II.
Hon. E. NJ. Barber, Third Assistant
Postmaster-General, has completed his
annual report. 1t shows that during the
last fiscal year there were issued to Post
masters, for sale to the public, 632, 1873 , 600
adhesive postage stamps, of the value of
$l7,275, 242; of plain stamped envelopes
about 81, 600, 900, valued at 81, 927 ,952 );
OF stamped envelopes bearing return
request 100000, valued at $l,733, 73S;
OF ewspapcr-wrappers some 10000, 900,
valued at $500, 600, and of postal-cards
81 100000. The increase in value of the
ordinary issues over the preceding year
was 81 ,66S, 44S, or over per cent These
figures represent the cost of manufac
ture added to the postal value.
1t is estimated that for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1876, there will be re-
quired to defray the cost of adhesive
postage stamps $149,7 of stamped en-
velopes and wrappers $446,52O; of post
al-cards $159,S06; and of advertising
$4,000. The number of stamps, etc,
issued each year increases at a uniform
rate OF about 10 per cent. per annum, but
in consequence of more advantageous
contracts having been effected the esti-
mate for the above items is some $31, 600
less than the sum appropriated for them
for the current fiscal year.
The Dead-Letter Division received
during the past year 4,6O1. 773 letters, rep
resenting an actual or nominal value of
-, 637, 429, exclusive of jewelry and
other property, which class of Enclosures
is treated as possessing no money value
that can with correctness be determined
One million three hundred and
ninety-two thousand two hundred and
twenty-four letters, representing 3d.
9O9, 1858, were delivered to the owners or
writers, including 1893 foreign letters,
which were returned unopened to the
countries from whence they came. Of
the remainder, some Z, SOC, 900 were either
worthless, containing circulars, ETC., or
could not be delivered and were de-
stroyed. The rest are filed for reclama-
ton, or are in the hands of POstmasters
for delivery.
The Third Assistant strongly recon-
mends that provisions be made by law
for furnishing to each and every Post
master throughout the country indelible
ink and other requisites for effectually
canceling postage stamps, and for post
marking None of the postofices are
now furnished by the department with
any such articles for the protection of
the Government. Mr.. Barber estimates
that the proportion of washed stamps
used again in payment of postage is S
per cent. of the value of all the stamps
sold each year, causing an annual loss of
81 ,OOO, 600 to the revenue of the depart
ment.
The report describes the plan devised
by the Third Assistant, and approved by
the Postmaster General, for collecting
newspaper postage under the Prepayment
law, which is to 60 into effect next JAN
uary. This system provides, in brief, for
the payment by stamps affixed to mem
orandum of mailing, or, in other words,
to stub in a book retained by the Post.
master at the mailing Office, a receipt,
showing the weight of the matter and
the amount paid, being given by the
Postmaster to the person mailing the
same. The stamps affixed to the stub
to be Cancelled by cutting-punch.
1t is expected that, Notwithstanding
the reduction of rates by the new
aw, this system of compulsory prepay
ment of newspaper postage will yield
larger revenue than has ever been COL
lected. Comprehensive inquiry seems
to warrant the belief that in the city of
New York alone not less than 100000
per annum will be paid, a sum which is
little less than one-half of the entire rev.
enue from newspaper postage through
out the United States during the fiscal
year. 1t is, however, impossible to esti-
mate the actual increase for the whole
country, owing to that provision of the
law which allows free mail circulation of
newspapers in counties in which thew
are printed.