New-York tribune., 1877-09-29

II VIII be by these figures that New Haven, though
twenty1ftn in pOpulau raIks eleventh IN the amount
of Post-ofice business number Of sttor5 sent,
coming next after Washington, which has more
than twice her population, and ahead Of New-Or-
leans whose population IS nearly four times rs
large The proportion OF letters sent every month
from this city is about eight for each nnabitaut.
Ihe average in other ciues Is from three 10 four
The cities OF Brcokyn and Allegheny, however send lit
lie more than letter each nhaDitant IN the time
named This is doubt accounted for by the prox-
initv of the two cities 10 NewGOrk and Ptsburg,
spectively the inhabitants mailing their letters to a
great extent in the larger cities near at hand, Where
their business Is transacted The proportion of eight TO
one which prevails III Newaven, is larger than IN any
other city, In undertaking 20 account for this excess,
ones first thought would naturally be that IL was largely
due to the presence great number Of students in col
ege who being absent from their homes in the nabit
OF sending aud receiving letters than the same
number of young would under ordinary crcumstan-
ces moments reflection, however, viii convince any
one tat this large excess of PosOce business cannot
properly be Traced the presence here OF 200 500
students for eight or nine months in the year.
Postmaster sperry has theory with regard to which
certainly seems quite reasonable and winch If true, has
very inportant bearing upon the administration of the
whole postal service. Mr. spcrry has been Postmaster
here sixteen years aud it Is but fair 10 say has dis
charged the duties of the Office to the perfect satisfaction
Of the community that upon the recent change III the
National Administration there no opposition In any
quarter 10 reaPpOiatment, and not breath OF dis
satisfaction with his official conduct believe he has
made careful study Of the detail, Of the business and
has eudeavore at all times for the community
within the delivery the ampest facilities ana fullest
accommodation In the pursuit Of his plan OF increasing
mail facilities at every opportunity, he has run mp tue
number OF mails daily sent out from the Office from about
aee which was the number sent out when he took the
Office TO seyoutysix the number made up and for
d.v iu eeha AZ he
oeyed This has been effected, great extent, by the
increase i'm the number Of wnat called through" or
exchange pouches which have been added to the regular
mails. Ills purpose has Deen TO perfect system by
Which letters can be forwarded to any destination as
often rs an individual can, by any conveyance, reach that
destination in other WORDS TO gave the mails the same
facilities for transmission passengers have.
OF course 1t has not yet succeeded fully There are
many regular passenger trains the railroads east Of
New Haven that take mails but the number is grow
ing smaller and he does not consider il az all improbable
or very far Ia that every train will carry mails
10 this increase IN facilities and In the frequency of
nereban ng mails that attribute the very remark
able excess IN the amount of postal matter sent out OF
Newaven from other cities OF greater population. The
sale Of stamps has also largely increased under this
pan that tue receipts from that source were more
Than qnadruped during period OF time in when the
increase ot population has been only 5000 II the Post
theory is the correct oneand there seems no
10 dispute itthen we nave the same general rule
regarding the postal service that has come TO he gen
admitted with reference 10 the passenger ana
reight traffic In all lines Of travel, TO wit:
tbat u2 10 a certain point the increase OF facilities and
enlargement Of accommodations bring corresponding
inerease ~ trade Ihe experience OF conmercla men
who been long III business hs shown In hundreds
OF cases that the establishment OF new nesof nerco-
muncaton instead Of dividing the business, has been
sometimes feared IL would has largely increased the
ordinary traffic TO make both the new and old lines
more profitable than ever.
II open question whether we can have at the same
time cheap postage and selfsustanng Posoihee De
partnenL If the plan pursued In the New Haven Ofhce
one, and Postmaster Sperrls theory correct,
10 would be worth the while OF the department
officers TO consider the feasibility of increasing the
enuos by increasing the number OF mails exchanged