Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-31
WASHINGTON.

The Annual Report of the Auditor of the
Service Little More Than Three Million
Dol .ars-. Statistics Of General Interest,"
The Certifica,ion of Checks by National
Banks, Etc.
l. WASHINGTON, Oct. 30.-The report of the
auditor of the treasury for the postofice de-
partment for the fiscal year ended the 3Oth of
June last, shows that the actual cost of the
postal service during this period was only So
O3l,455 a remarkably small deficit. which is
nearly 81, 600, 600 less than that of the preced-
ing year. Total revenue OF the postoffice de-
partment for the last fiscal year, $3.50, U4l 9S2
an increase of S764,465. Total expenses, $685.
O73, 437, decrease of $ 09l. CAT in com parison
with the preceding year. OF the last named
amount $l95,6l2 was saved by the law which
changes the basis of postmasters' compensation
from commissions on stamps sold to commits
sion on stamps cancelled, and the remainder by
the reduction in compensation allowed rail.
roads. The States returning the largest rev.
enue were: New York with $5,7l0,3lO; Penn
sylvania 49, 1872 593; Illinois, 80, 39S 627; Massa-
chusetts, $2,Os72S2; Ohio, $l,976.44O; Mis-
souri,, $l,124,555, and Michigan, $l.0O4. 4S7.
Alaska foots the list with a revenue of $685.
The principal items of expenditure were as
follows: Compensation of postmasters. ST.
lS2, 239; clerks in post offices, SO, 413295 let
ter carriers. $l>947, FOG; railroad transpor
tion $9l0O ,706; star service-that is, by
and ordinary s yssig}eS $S5sa45
eign mail transportation, S283,9l7. Total
receipts from stamps, stamped envelopes and
postal cards $2S, 147, 074, and from box rents
81, 1881, 1872. Net revenue from money order
business, $2l9,27 The aggregate gross reve-
nue. at the SO free delivery postofices was about
Sl3, 900, and their gross expenses, includ-
ing pay of letter carriers, etc, amounted to
little more than IS, 600, 900. Auditor McGrew' s
report also shows that the number of domestic
money orders issued during the fiscal year was
6,s72, 24s, amounting to 1888, 254, 541, and that
the foreign money order business
was as follows: Canadian, 1921
orders d rs or issued, amounting to $s,S28s,
Great Britain, 81. $40 orders issued, amounting
| to 1894. $50, and 10 740 orders paid amounting
to $345,7 6l. Germany, AL, 342 orders issued,
amounting to 1929. 7S8, and Is. 462 orders paid,
amounting to $639,5l2. Switzerland. 5135 Or
ders issued, amounting to $685. III, aud 2,0lO
orders paid. amounting to $55, 1929 Italy.
1910 orders issued, amounting to $lO3, 352 and
$40 orders paid amounting to $1,000. Total
| amount of fees on orders issued, $662.O42, and
total net revenue to the Government from this
source. $219,226.
CERTIFYING CHECKS.
Concerning the announcement made in to-
days New York evening papers to the effect
that Comptroller Knox has written a letter to
Meigs, the national bank examiner, pointing
out that the national bank act forbids ma
tional banks to certify checks in excess of the
| amount to the credit of the drawer Of the
! check, and that the department must and will
| see that the law is respected and obeyed. The
former says he does not intend to make public
the full text of bis letter until he has consult
ed with Secretary Sherman. Comptroller Knox
says his attention had not been called to the
matter. as has been reported, but that he had
been observing the course of Affairs for some
| time past with view to ending the practice.
1t is intended by rigid enforcement of the
law to reduce to a minimum the undue facili-
ties for stock ambling which have been grow
ing up under this system of certi6catlon. The
law empowers the controller of currency to en-
force its obevance and any failure to observe
it leaves it discretionary with him to appoint a
receiver for the offending bank, and if neces-
sary to enforce the individual liability of the
stockholders.
WASHINGTON Oct. 3O.-The comptroller of
the currency says the increase of national
b4hk circulation for October will reach about
three million dollars.