The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-12-06

was 3'1s mills The aggr,eg ate results for the
fiscal year ending june 30, 1876, were fol-
lows:
Increase
over pd'g
year.
Number of officers. " ....
Number of letter car
Mail Letters deiiv-
ered.-.....................- lSy,6J, ff3 l0.57575
Mail postal cards de-
Local letters deiiv- ''''
cred .....--....... 5S,77s,sss 4,s84,7ls
Local postal cards de
nvered. l09es.29O 3.9S7,O7s
livered .......... -. I,O6s,GS ...-..............
Newspapers deliv-
cred ...........-.. sOS75OD l2.220,564
Letters collected ....-. 2OO,2o,079 II, 80, AS
Postal cards collected 3390yJS 57f70.5
Newspapers collected "a, fs3iS6 Il2267a
Whole number of
pieces handled. .....- Ssl,77,i7S 57,575,es
Pieces handled per
carIlef..-----..-.. rs, 10 l6-S3S
Total cost of seTyice-.Sl Sl, 1856 81 slOI III %
Average cost per
piece in Mills 3 Is -
Average cost per car
rier ............ eS1l eS $780,. .
Amount of postage Slls,02 70
local matter.....-.-. p 0j5 56I - 5or per cent
Excess of postage on
on local matter over
the total cost OF SER
V1ce--.-.-.--.--.-....-. SSf,370 -
In consequence of the reduction made by
congress at its last session in the apprOpria-
tions for the free delivery service, was COM
PEELED to further reduce the salaries paid TO
the hard worked and faithful letter carriers in
cities where the free delivery system has been
A tabular stateme Mt marked A.exhipiting in
detail the operations of the free delivery ser
vice for the past fiscal year, will be found In
the appendix.
POSTAL MONEY ORDER SYSTEM.
AT the close OF the fiscal year ended June %,
1870, the number of domestic money order Of
fices WAS 3,i0l. The number of new offices
tablished during the following year was S5,
and the number discontinued was 8, making
a total of 1907 offices IN operation June 30,
During the last fiscal year 4,9eS 500 domestic
money orders were issued, whose aggregate
Orders T naid wss az g. amountine in value
to $685. ,7l. IS. To the total amount OF orders
paid is TO be added si7S 76 40, the amount of or
mSlts s77 ,I06, 1888 50, and the excess OF the pay
ments over the issues $40 rS6N.
The total amount of fees received by post
masters for the issue OF domestic money orders
was S6i5, &c. 40.
The foregoing statement.of the years trans
actions, when compared with that Ofthe pre-
ceding year, shows a decrease OF ssS5 ,277 So or
one-half of one per cent, in the amount OF
orders issued; decrease OF SS3, 7s2 30, or three
tenths of one per cent, lin the amount OF orders
! in the amount of fees received.
The past fiscal year Is the first, since the
establishment of the money order system, in
which there has been a decrease inlthe number
amount of domestic money orders issued
paid. This decrease is believed TO have been
caused, for the most part. BY the continuance
of the financial depression which affected un-
favorably to so great an extent the use of the
money order system, in the direction OF its
employment for business purposes, during the
preceding year.
SALARIES OF Posr,LAsrERs.
I renew the recommendation of my prede-
cessor in his last annual report for a change in
the basis of adjusting the salaries of postmas-
tiers at fourth-class offices. Prior TO July !,
! -, IL tQ nd he
amount OF stamps Cancelled; but since then, by
acts of June .. 1874 and July II, 1876, commits
which are derived mostly from the sale OF
stamps. That the change was not correct in
principle must be apparent upon reflection,
department is demonstrated by experience.
The old plan was the more equitable one, for
ONCE represent the amount of labor PERFORMED
in handling matter for mailing, while the sale
of stamps is no test ofthe work required Of the
postmaster In view of the facts, urgently
recommend that the compensation OF post
masters of the fourth class be based upon the
bus ness of their respective offices, as ascer-.
tanned from sworn returns to the auditor OF
stamps cancelled
STRAW BIDS.
During the last fiscal year the loss and an
noyance to the department oceasioned by the
vicious system of s'straw bids" almost wholly
disappeared. In all cases Of failure by bidders
tractors to perform service I'm accordance with
| their contracts, salts were promptly COM
menced on their bonds and pressed 10 final
Judgment. The number of failnres WAS les
than in any other year for hong period OF
time past, and the loss to the department. re-
suiting therefrom was considerably decreased.
In fact. II may he stated that abe failures were
no greater In namber or amount than would
naturally occur snder the most stringent law
that could be enacted
REDUCTION OF PAR To- RAILROADS.
The cost Of inland mail transportation hs'
legislation q congress, al Us last session. that