The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-20
THE U. s. POSTAL SERVICE FOB 1879.


THE U. s. POSTAL SERVICE FOR 1879.
The annual report of the Third Assist
ant Postmaster General is now complete,
and some of its items of interest have
been given to the public. A few of these
furnish the best possible indication of
the gradual but rapid revival of business
throughout the United States, This
bureau of the postal service has exclu-
sivelv to do with the finances of the de-
partment, postage stamps, dead letters
and registration. Its report therefore
covers all the items of financial interest
to the public. The receipts of the de-
partment for the fiscal year ending June
S0th, 1879, were over three-quarters Of a
million dollars more than those of the
previous year, and a million in excess OF
the estimate.
The sale of stamps and stamped en-
velopes exceed that of the preceding
year $3.50, ,4S2, and $2.3S7, ,537 more than
the sales for the fiscal year of 1877;
100000 stamps were issued of the
face value OF $40, III, ,259; over 2O0, 900, ,00C
postal cards and las, 10000 stamped en-
velopcs. The aggregate issues Of all kinds
Including newspaper wrappers and Off
cial stamps, etc, reach over 1922, ,0OO, 900
representing a cash value of $29, 100000
$1,lO4,1S5 was collected on newspapers
and periodicals mailed from Offices o.
publication and news agency, being Al
increase of $4,000 over the preceding
year. Nearly one third Of this was pai'
in New York City alone. Chicago ful
nished eight per cent, Boston six pc
cent, Philadelphia FIVE and a-half pei
, cent, and Cincinnati and St. Louis eac
, about four per cent The weight G
a newspapers and periodicals mailed fror
New York amounted to ever 5000 ton
and about 25,0OO tons for the whol
country.
: Nearly three million packages and le
Q ters reached the Dead Letter Office,
e large percentage of which failed to reac
It their intended destination through II
e carelessness of the writers, in defecIi'
n directions. The percentage of dead lie
9 tors is decreasing from year to year OWL
10 to the growing custom amongst buslne
), men to have their address printed upt
v the envelope and the "return' reques
T, Of the dead letters opened during Il
}. year 77,675 contained drafts, chec
+ money or stamps Of the total value
a 81, $4,000. Most Of this large sum W
IN restored TO the scnders.
n Of the vast number Of registered Ii
't ters and parcels, amounting to 4,697,7t
Of only nine hundred and eighty-nine we
rs lost, or about one in five thousar
b. Under the extension of the registry s.
tenn, which went into operation Octot
Ill l, 1878, including third and fourth eli
g, matter, great accommodation has be
n rendered to the public at very SIN
he cost and with comparatively no Ri
'ir Postmaster James, of New York Cir
OF says that the 10000. packages or pare
fy of third and fourth class sent register
'r. from this Office there have been but f
ce complaints Of loss and these are on sta
at routes in the Ear off Western Territorie
he BY the old system Of compensati
re Postmasters of the fourth class by CO
be mission on stamps sold, the Governm'
OF, was swindled to an alarming exte
it' Every such Office became competitor
De- the general Government and could und
'S' sell it. Under the present system OF D
lue ing a commission on cancelled stamps
on each office over a 100000 were sa
MS in the past year.
ne Ex-Governor FeLton, accompanied
Mt his daughter, Mrs. Hegeman, left