Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-03
,ols contractors in the service of the depart,

3Si ,s95 This Is an increase over the preced-
Ing year of II 022 miles In leng h of routes; of
snd OF S1s3 755 In Co.'S 5t3 pefsols wefa
arrested for offences against the postal laws;
en- increase of ci over the previous year.
The total weights of the foreign mails dis
patched from the United States durin< the
year were: Letters, 3 .224 Az ounces: printed
matter and samples. Is ,30> So ounces; being
an increased weight over 1876 OF "A Sis ounces
Of letters aud 1889 ?a5 ounces of printed m at
ter and samples. TIE cost for tie year of
the trans Atlantic mail steamship service
vas Si59 if2 IL, being q reduction OF SIP
60e.61. An sdtourned meeting of the interna-
toual postal congress VIII DE convened al
Paris IN The spring of ie1S, and experie1o J
Cfhcers OF the department will attend as del
e2ates Of the United States.
The total number of persons employed in
tie postal service al the end of me nscll
year was 81 81; of this Hum"er S73 are en-
Gagged In Tie depaI ,ment building.
From the aggregate results OF The tree de-
livery service, IL is found that the whole
number OF piec-. hand ed during the var IA
collecting and delivering was cos . G5 Us L.
IL recommended that Congress fix The psv Of
carriers by law, and make such extensions
Ia me irye delivery service as the growth Of
cities and their business interests dem and.
The Continued financial depression has dI-
mlniShed the operations OF the domestic post
Al money order system by the amount of
Si2l5 H3.uS IN the orders issued. The total
lumber issued during the year was 1925 qSl
amounting 10 81, o2D.5O9.70. The amount OF
revenue from the domestic business is only n
little more than half That of the previous
year. The gross number of domestic and In
teTnatioUa al money-ord issued was : O30-
I47, amounting To S74,66i ,563 GS. Tue a. gre
gate net proceeds of the money order bust
mess of the United States is SIP 409.S5.
II Is recommended that the sal aries of 4th
class ECslmasiers. 50 per cent of the whole
number, be made TO depend on the number
of stamps cancelled and not on the number
sold, III order TO prevent fraud and To fix
salaries IN equitable proportions; mat the
PostmGSterS appointed by tue President re
port monthly INSTEAD of quarterly; that there
hs one sate OF postage Tor matter registered
Tor transmission through the mails and
another rate for transient and miscellaneous
matter; that the use OF official postage STAMPS
be abolished and that official envelopes be
used III all cases in their stead: that "A law Of
enacted glyii z sub contractors under certain
conditions liens iOr their pay on the CON
lensatiOu due The conf ractOr; that legislation
De prov iucd 20 compel railroads TO carry
The mails on terms prpScrl bed by law: that
al appropriation Of - 900 be made to send
three able officers of thed-partment 10 exam
Inc the operation and details OF European
postal services, aud that the law be changed
which fixes az very low figure the rate
10 he paid for official advertising.
The Postmaster General accounts for the
decrease in the revenues OF his department
oy the use of stamps accumulated in the
hands Of wholesale merchants and other
bus ness men through the large sales made
by 4tn- class poStmasters before the beginning
Of the last n seal wear; and by the substitute on
OF postal cards for letters. Tae tendency OF
legislation affecting mis- department, he says,
Z.
10 point below the cost of transportation:
AID, consequently. the gre iter the business
OF the department, the greater Will o. the
deficiency VIII ich Congress is called upon to
meet by apprOpr atlOns from The Treasury.
Report or The Secretary of the Int.
riOr
The report Of Secretary Schurz first CON
siders the Indians. After discussing the re-
moval OF the Sioux to the Missouri, the
Nh
war, and the case of the P0ncas, jhe dian
policy OF the departm INT is developed. G. }oI
TAI in Is TO be Kept with the lndiaus; farming
Father tnaE hunting Il To be encouraged, The
reservations are To be consolidated a. much
a. possible, a4d schools are to b. establish q.
il Is suggesied that, under certain conditions,
the Indians he admitted TO the benefits of lde
homestead act and To tue priv leges OF citi-
Zshshlp. The establishment of a SD c al ser
wee OF secret agents ia Connection with the
indian bureau, the granting 10 the Score ssry
OF the Interior the poge To compel the a.
tendance OF witnesses. and increased salaries
Tor Indian agents are r-cDmn ended.
During tie year 4,>4y,-Gi 20 acres of land
were disposed %; beIug l6I4.5,6 o. acres less
than the number sDi1 during the preytou,
ear iGe cash receipts In the la ld oil =.
were : i,452 $50 =; nearly -30l.J0D less Llan
acres OF land were survey ei during the year.
The following recommendations are made
co-ctruIug tie surveys OI public Lands: l.
lle consolidation ofall the OIiirsS OF ne sur
IeJofS general INTO one, winch : Iail be 10
catediE Washington. > The abolition Of the
cuHtTac, system. 3 The Appointment OF a
surveyor general Of the Uni Ell states.
Under tie head of rail ways the report shows
that Oh October 81. IStI. the indebted ness OF
HE Union Pacific Railroad TO the govern
Ucut was 81 ia ,lG05>; AMI OF the Central
racine So, iOt II; and That hign tariffs
aud limited competition are sna 0liug Jnese
roads 10 make sufiic ent provision for a dis
charge. III tune, OF their wdOt5 ia t-bted ness
10 TIE Unre1 states 10 - recpnn ended
that special bureau he es tabIisned for su-
perN.slng the accounts OF the Pacific rail-
roads.
During the year IA, 40 patents have been
issued, The accounts of the Patent Office
show an excess of receipts over exp aditureS
amounting TO sos 92Ii9. Appropriations are
recommended for The preparation of CON
plete digests OF all patents granted, for pur
chase OF books for library, and for ia creaSlag
the size of the office.
During the year, BLOB pension claims
have been allowed, against II ,ijl for the yesr
preceding; and Is, 2Si nave been rejected. Tue
searly value OF the claims allow "a Is s1.343,-
Jj4o4. The yearly value of tle complete toll
Is S2J.3i ,2l5 i3. IL Is estimated mat S2S,O00.
go viii he necessary for the pension service
during the ensuing fiscal year
a com preheESive review of the statistics of
education Ia our country in 1871 affords some
ey dence Of improvemel 1t over the same In
1876.
The geological and geographical surveys of
the territories under Prof. +. V. Hayden and
Major Powell, have been successfully con
tinued. the Rocky Mountain locasts com
guarding against the future depreiations OF
the locust The Hot Springs 30 n mission has
hesrly completed its la6ors of surveying,
lay ing out, and appraisiDg the value OF Tue
reservation, etc.
During Tie year 763 patients were treated
In the Freedman's hospital and asylum. OF
this number 800 were admitted within he
YEAR, SG5 were discharged, and l09 died. The
large proportion OF deaths is owing to the
humber of jncUrable cases admitted.
At the Columbia Hospital for women sol
patients were received during the year. OF
t1e who lie number treated (637), 3J2 were
cared, 49, relieved anu 5 died.
abstracts of the reports on the subject OF
the deaf and dumb asy lum, the governmz Mt
hospital for the insane, and the capitol
buildings and grounds have already been
given in THE SrAR.l
1t is recommended that authority and
means be asked from Congress for the
prompt reconstruction of the Patent Office
building. The erection of fire proof roof
over the entire building aud me creation of
more room for the present and future wants
or the department are also suggested FIJI
nally, IL is recommended that the Secretary
OF the Interior be authorized to invite compe-
tiiion in the submission of plans for the new
structure. and aODOint "A OmmiSsiOu Of