Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-11-28
Annual Report of the Postmaster General
WASHINGTON, Nov. Is

WASHINGTON, Nov ID.
The annual report of Postmaster-Gen Key
is made public to-day. Large portions of it are
devoted to the presentation of statiBticnl intOr-
nation. already published in abstracts Of reports
of his subordinate officers.
The Postmaster General renews the tecOfti-
mendation contained in his last report for the
enactment of laws readiusting the compensation
of railroads for carrying the mail upon the basis
of space speed and frequency. supplemented by
the weight of the mails carried, The railroad
companies have, as a general thing neglected to
furnish statistics of receipts expenditures, etc,
as reunested. The recommendation is made that
an appropriation to enable the Postmaster-Gen-
eral to obtain proper facilities for the prompt
transmission of mails by railroad be increased
this year to $4 1000.
The cost of the railway service on the Sd of
June, 1879, was at the rate of S9692,59D per an
mum, increase over the cost of the service dur
ing the preceding fiscal year of Sl25995. This in
crease does not. however, represent the actual
rate of increase in the service, az account mtist
be taken of the reduction of five per cent. in the
rate of compensation from July l, 1878, made
under the Act of June II, 1875 The amount of
this reduction is, in round numbers, 5400, 900,
making. with 9l25,995 an increase of S525 995 for
1879 over 1873 being little less than 55 per cent.
The general increase of business all over the
country, and the reasonable certainty that pres
ent prosperity will continue for some years, will
require an appropriation for the railway service
for the next fiscal year to be increased to Mt least
SlOlO0UO, and the estimate is accordingly placed
at that sum.
General Key reports that the operation of the
present laws regulating the increase of compen-
quency of service upon star routes" q. e., all
those whereon mail are transported by horses
and ordinary vehicles results in great loss to the
Government, and recommends Legislation to
enable him to retrench in this direction. The
estimates for star service the next fiscal year con-
template continuance of the present efficient
service in other States and largely increased
mail facilities in the States of Indiana, ONO,
Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ten
nessee Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Ala
bama. The total amount asked for the Star
Service for the next fiscal year is 57975.0m:
The estimates for the Inland Mail Service by
steamboats, is S900,000. The report continues
" The efforts of the department to establish a
fast mail service with Havana Otd Cedar Keys and
Key Vest, in order to meet the demands of COM
merce have failed for several years, on account
Of the lnsutficiency of compensation allowed by
law for such service. If the POstmsster-Cfe feneral
were authorized to contract for the service be-
tween Havana and the United States ports mem
toned, at n sufficient rate of pay TO secure the
necessary speed and frequency, the com mmerGe of
the country would be greatly benefited. be-
leve that general law should be passed author
iZing contracts for carrying mails between the
United States and West Indian and South Amer1-
can ports in American built steamers carrying
American tsgs at fixed minimum and maxi
mum price, the amount to be expended being
regulated by annual appropriations; or service
might be thrown open to competition IN the
same manner as the Star Service. The adoption
of such service by Congress would enable this
country to control the profitable commerce with
South America and the West Indies which IN
now almost monopolized by Great Britain"
General Key reports that the law providing for
new classification of mail matter and readjust-
ing rates of postage thereon, passed at the last
session of the Forty-tifth Congress, has given
universal satisfaction.
The Postmaster General recommends legisla-
tlon to enable the Department to adopt the gem
era regulations of the Postal Union relative to the
payment of limited indemnity for registered ar
ticles lost or destroyed in the postal service