National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-10-27
STAR ROUTE SERVICE.
General Brady's Report Relating TO the
Increased Facilities.
Tho Extra Service Demanded by Returning
Prosperity, tho People and Their
Representatives.
Third Assistant Postmaster Drady's Report

Third Assistant Postmaster Drady's Report.
General Thomas J. Brady, second assistant post
mOstergenerol, has completed his annual report
for the fiscal year ended juno 30 1880. 1t shows
that that date postal service In operation on
LIS railroad routes nggrcgating 1920 miles In
length. at an annual cost for transportation alone
of si049s os6. The cost of transportation on S53
star service routes (oggcgating 2352is milcs) for
the year was 1891 ,ii9 This was sQi95l0 in access
Of The expenditure for the same branch Of the ser
vice In the preceding year, aud was also li2l 4i0
greater than the estimate submitted by the depart
ment TO congress In December, 1878. The most
striking feature ofGencTa Brady's present report is
q st atemont of the causes of this increase and
the reasons which induced IT," as follows:
The estimates for this and for all other branches
OF the postal Eervicc for the year beginning July /,
1879, were, Of course. determined during the
months Of October and November 1878, aud wore
therefore based upon the requirements Of the
country as impressed upon tho department by the
experience Of the preceding year. They were In
consequence what may be called "hurd times esti-
mates that IS to say, the experience upon which
they were based had been that of time of dcprcs-
sion In all branches of industry and traffic, and
consequently an era Of the most rigid economy In
all directions Of public expenditure. But the be
ginning of the year 1879 subsequent to the sub
mission of these estimates, was married. by an un.
cxampled revival IN every branch of business and
n great flow of emigration TO the western and
southwestern states aud territories. The rosump.
ton of specie payments, restoring the confidence
OF capital and stimulating tho enterprise OF labor.
expanded every Industry, and as the quickencd
of rapid development IN the territories,
und particularly IN those sections in which
precious metals are mined, large population was
suddenly brought Into the remote and almost IN.
accessible mountainous REGIONS Of Colorado, Nc
vGdu, etc. popularity of the lnnil service Is It's
more intimate relation to the daily life of the in
diyidual citizen than is sustained by the operations
of any other branch Of the government. This is
particularly true OF the sparseIy settled nud newly
| developed regions Of the west, where the COM
paratiye scarcity aud eNpensveness of telegruphic
communication render, business correspondence
entirely dependent upon tho mails for transmits
sion. The pOstOiiiCe was, therefore, the FIRST de-
partment OF the government to iCGl the citcct OF
| the sudden impetus which resumption gave
to the public Prosperity @nd popular eniefpriae:.
and much of the south came urgent and inccssCnt
demands for increase in facilities and greater
| ceeTity IN the carriage of the mails. These de-
mands reached the department In the usual form
! of petitions from the people ana recommendations
| by their representatives. The fies OF the depart
mcut show that ut no time since the foundation OF
| the government have so many demands or so
great nn Increase In amount ana cost OF service
poured IN upon the second assistant postmaster,
| general IN the same space OF time came TO hand
during the year 1879. 10 have been governed by
the policy OF the past and kept within the bounCs
| Of the appropriation granted for the year would
| have denied much clearly needed Increase In
! the efficiency Of this service. And Gppreciaung
| the necessity ofkeepinB pace with the business IN
tcreSts of the country, and respecting the reason
able and urgent demands OF the people directly
concerned il was determined TO enicr upon new
departure IN policy Of no less proportions than the
assumption by the department. OF the responsible
| iy of Increasing the efficiency and thereby the
| cost of this service beyond the pro rata limits OF
the appropriation, trusting TO the wisdom and pa
riotisn OF congress for relief in the form of sup
| Elemental Appropriation az It's session next fol-
lowing. The adoption of this policy compelled an
| uppcui TO congress for an additional appropriation
| Which after an exhaustive Investigation into thg
methods of the department, was granted in sum
cient sum TO meet the requirements OF the ILL.,
| creased service.