Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-12-10
Postomce Report.
WASHINGTON, Nov. %.


The report of the PostmasterGeneral is
complete Oh
The revenues for the year ending June ~,
,s-l we're 50, 596, 56S, and the expenditures
s.s3 i26,4l4 The estimated expenditures Tor
g. vear ending June 80 1876, are $50, 964, O'4;
Total estimated revenue, $29, l4S, l56, leaving a
dedcency to be appropriated out OF the gen
oral treasury OF $7,Sl5,S1S. THESE estimates
40 not include appropriations for steamship
service and stamps, amounting to $2,09S, 5oO.
The use of the registered letter system is stead
1v increasing. There has been marked gain
in the time of transporting through mails, an
average gain from New York to San Francisco
IT five hours and thirty-two minutes, gam
for mails to New Orleans OF two hours ana
afty.s seven minutes, and going north OF one
bonr and fifty minutes, and perceptible gain
on all through routes in regularity and GER
tanty. The foreign mail system is in better
condition than eyer before The number of
nostotiices in operation June 80 1874, was
a. 294: total number of appointments during
the wear, 9,42S. The results of the extern
sions of the letter-carrier system are OF the
most gratifying character. There has been
cain Of over 80 per cent. in the amount of
fees received from money orders. There has
been only one erroneous payment i'll 59,617
nayments, and only "a in all. The increase
In money exchanges with Great Britain and
switzerland has been very marked.
NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
By an act of Congress approved June %,
1874 it is required that Oh and after the LIST OF
January, 1875, postage on newspapers and
neriodcal publications mailed from known
office of publication or news agency, and adj
dressed to regular subscribers or news agents,
shall be charged at the rate of two cents per
pound if issued weekly or oftener; and at
three cents per pound if issued less frequent
iy than once week. The act provides that
hall In nod in h,ll md
with adhesive stamps to be especially
devised for the purpose. The manner
of applying stamps is left discretionary with
the department, and system, which 1t Is
hoped will work satisfactorily, has been de-
vised for carrying the law into effect The
stamps are now in course Of preparation, and
will be ready at the time appointed for their
use 1t is expected that the revenues of the
department from postage on printed matter
will be increased by the enforcement OF this
act, Notwithstanding that rates are cheaper
than before, as how postage will be prepaid,
while heretofore much loss has been occa-
stoned to the department on account OF the
non-colection of postage at the point of de-
livery.
THE MONEY-ORD SYSTEM.
The money order business of this depart
ment appears to be rapidly growing In pub
lie favor, and is undoubtedly a very great
accommodation to a large number of persons
who are not within reach Of banking facilities,
or who are unaccustomed to the use OF them.
Yet see no reason why this branch of
service should not be made self-sustaining.
The apparent profits of the money order
system during the last year are about
S105,0O0, while the certain expenses to the
amount of 1882 900 for clerk hire and sta
tionery in the Postotfice Department., Audi
tors office, and for money order clerks in
the postotiice are not charged to the money
order business but are paid out of appropria-
tons; so that, while the money-order system
appears to yield a revenue of s1050O0 there
is, in fact, a deficit of $4,000 l suggest,
therefore, that the fees of money orders be
increased in accordance with the views of the
Superintendent, submitted herewith (see APP
pendix), or that the money order system shall,
like any other business, be made to defray all
its own expenses.
TRANSPORTATION OF MAILS.
The number and length of mail routes in
the United States require an expenditure for
transportation which dwarfs into insignifi-
canoe the cost of similar service in other
countries For the year ending June 30 1876
it is estimated that this item alone will exceed
Sl0,0O0,000. The portion to be paid to rail
roads will amount to more than $S,0O0,0O0
Opinions have differed widely as to the best
method Of determining the rightful rates of
compensation to be paid to the railroads for
services rendered to this department Here
tofore their pay has been based on the
weight of mails, with an additional allowance
on certain thoroughfares for providing postal
cars. At present the matter is in very I'M
satisfactory condition, and some equitable
mode of adjustment should be at once de-
yised and sanctioned by law. Some of the
roads have represented to the department that
the carrying of the mails was little or no OBJ
jet to them. because the express companies
were willing to pay much more for the ac-
commodation furnished than the department
would allow. On the other hand, represent
atives of the leading express companies have
Gontcnded that the act, which took effect
July l, 1874, permitting the transmission by
mail of packages of merchandise weighing
not over four pounds at the rate of one cent
reach two ounces is taking away the most
profitable part Of their business, and will
soon render them unable to meet the heavy
4 rentals demanded by the roads. Thus
is presented curious anomaly the
roads claiming that the Government does
4 not pay as much as the express companies
Y are ready to pay and the express companies
claiming, on the other hand, that the law is
erecting such diminution of their revenues
uat they are unable to accede TO the de-
hhndS OF the roads. | find no disposition
& ON the part of any railroad or transporta-
\ uon company to deal otherwise with the de-
N parlment than in spirit Of fairness ana JUS
ny trust congress VIII adopt some eQul-
saole plan of adjustment which will not be
DQrdensome to the Government, and which
WIN be satisfactory to the companies. The
a'i OF March 3, 1878, readjusting the pay of
railroads. on the basis of the weight of the
mails carried, added much more largely
4 lnsh was anticipated to the expense Of the
4 department. The appropriation for that pur-
pose having become exhausted, ! have de-
llIhed to make further payments. | would
suggest that the time has come when a reso-
,"le effort should be made to determine how
;a' the Postofiice Department can properly &c
" i's efforts to accommodate the public with
Guy trespassing unwarrantably upon the
sp9ere OF private enterprise. There must be