, 1876-01-23
THE CHICAGO POsT-oFFICE.


Tue TRIBUNE recently published number c
interesting facts taken from the report Of Posi-
maater Macarthur for the year 1875; aud no,
desires to call attention to some others whic
are OF public interest.
! AS indicating tho vast proportions to whicl
our Western postal systeu1, Of which Chjcag'
Is the centre. has sTown, the tac! is noticed thu
! the number OF letters collected in the letter
boxes, deposited in the Post-of6ce. andreceived
| from other Offices and railway postal Offices To-
dispatch or distribution from the Chicago Post.
Office, amounted to the enormous aggregate in
1875 Of 81. .5S8.3s3. As showing the extent tt
which the Post~Ofice order method ofremittance
is being used. and the rank Chicago takes aa
q great money centre, the Chicago Post
Office issued money orders to the amount OF
5675, ,762, while it paid on ordcrs-indicating the
amount Of temistances to our business msn-tho
sum Of 55, ,229.252
In order that Gen. McArthur should bo able to
meet this enormous drain upon his of6cia! re-
sources, his Office is made depositing Office for
large number Of other Post-Ot1ices in the West
which RENTED to him, during the last year.
86503. 81, thus enabling him to honor :. Uncle
Sam drafts which had been made upon him.
leaving a balance Of 81, 1883, 935, which he kindly
distributed to St. Louis and New York, to help
them out.
ECONOMIC ADMINISTRATION.
Mr. Observation-Disclosures Squiers has also
given the figures, not contained in the annual
report, which indicate how economically the
Chicago Post Office is managed, and what q
handsome sum 1t hnnds over to the Govern
mont to help it pay for fast postat-traios and
other little expenses incurred in converting aud
distributing the mail matter OF the county. The
receipts Of the Chicago Post-Office for 1875
amount to S95l ,967.17. and its expenses, includ-
ipg, gas, ETC.. are 34s3. 1915 showing = bal
ance Of $493 a. This is great improve
ment on the showing Of 1874, when tho Post
Office WAS in chaotic state, and large ax-
penses Tere involved in reducing things
to order. In 1874 the receipts were only $745,-
12249. while the expenses we're $4G9642.03,
leaving for the Government only 4275, ,490. SC.
The gain in the net income Of this Office OF 1875
over 1874 waB. therefore, $2l8. 29I86.
This will not be regarded Is bad showing,
exceedingly hard. and that Chicago has sympa-
thized With the general embarrassments which
have affected the whole country.
The Chicago Post -Ofiice, run upon this most
economical plan, demands for its efficiency
large force, and it's employees Of Ill sorts number
usually about 500.
During the winter months when the businese
IS ightest the force is cut down, Gen. Near
Thur being determined to reduce the expenses
by reducing the force TO tho lowest working
point, however much he may regret displacing
sny OF his men on their own account.
II REGARD TO TIE COMPARATIVE MAGNITUDE
u tho business tranaacted in the great Post-Of-
ices Of the country, Chicago VAS, in 1874, tho !
foremost III rank, only New York. Philadelphia,
Ind Boston exceeding it in its receipts.
The business Of tue Chicago Poat-Ofice last |
rear exceeded that of Philadelphia and Boston, |
'overal!y. in 1874 that, uncss those cities in
:reased their business in 1875, the Chicago Post
)tico is next to New York. and the second i
a the Union. 1t is, however, probable that
hoy did increase somewhat their business in !
SIS. though it is doubtful if they did SO in the !
anne ratio as Chicago. /
The Chicago Post Office, though occupying q
emporarv place while waiting for tho COM
letlon OF its permanent abode, is in splendid |
rder, and works With the precision and uni
ormity OF clock-work. It's vast business is so
gstematized that few er1ors and delays can pos
biy occur.
The responsibility OF receiving and dispatch
lg the mails devolvea upon Capt. McGrath, Su~
erintendent of Maiis, to whose ability and
deity the citizens OF Chicago and the North
est are indebted for tho regularity and prompt
sss with which the immense amount OF mail
after which passes through this Post Office Is
sRatched and distributed.