Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-09
Interesting Postal Statistics.
WASuINcToN Octol

WASHINGTON. october 80.
The annual report of First Assistant Post
master-General Hatton gives the number of
post-ofIces in operation June So 1882, as 1921.
an increase of J, 719 during the year. One thou
sand nine hundred and fifty-one of these
offices are fl led by appointment by the Presi-
dent, known as Presidential" offices, and the
remainder-44, 2sO--are filled by appointment
by the Postmaster-General.T The free-delivery
system was in operation during the year in liz
principal cities, and employed 3,l15 carriers.
The regular appropriation for this service was
81, GOO, 00U, to which was added by special ap-
preparation $4,000 to meet an antic pated de-
ficency, making the total appropriation ST.
625,0)0-an increase of $125,000 over the pre-
vious year. The total cost of the service was
81, 623, 1862, leaving an unexpended balance of
$1,73S. The average cost per carrier
was Ss35.15, decrease of s37.79. This de-
crease was owing to the appointment of addi-
tional carriers (auxiliaries) at 500 per annum,
the appropriation being insufficient to employ
carriers at higher salary. Mr.. HattOn rec
ommends that the free-delivery system be
tended to towns with n short distances of one
another which have not singly the required
qualification of population or the gross reve-
nue. emitting them to this service, but which
have in the aggregate more than the required
population or revenue. During this year the
regular biennial adjustment of 2.0I2 Presden-
tial poStmasterS' salaries made an increase of
S24S, or fourteen per cent. as compared with
the previous adjustment. Reports from all
parts of the Union showed very gratifying
and general increase of business, and the sum
necessary to pay the increased salaries of
postmasters, including 335 special adjust
ments, amounts to 1868, 400, Or 1914 per cent.
more than last year.
The report of the Superintendent of For
egn Mails for the last fiscal year shows that
$4,000 more pounds were transported than the
previous year. not including Canadian mail.
The cost for ocean transportation was $4,000
more than last year. The amounts estimated
as necessary for the foreign mail service of
the fiscal year 1885, and 1884 as follows:
Trans portaton of mails. $350,G00; balances
due foreign coun res. including proportion
ate share of expenses of The International
COO: total, $4,000. A number of interesting
statistics are included in the report 1t is
shown. for instance. that in the number of
post-offces the United st ties ranks first, with
AZ, $50 offices. the next highest being 4,549
in Great Britain. Switzerland leads in
respect to the number of offices for each in
habitant. with one Office for every 1913 inhab-
tants, the United States having one Office for
every /, l67 inhabitants. France and Germany
have by far the largest number of letter-hoxes
for the reception IF correspondence. Great
Britain conveyed the largest number of let
ters-1, 116, 423, GOO, the United States ranking
second, with 81, SO ,029 letters. The United
States appears, however, to have conveyed
nearly double many postaEcards and
newspapers as were sent in any foreign coun-
try The United States has the largest num-
939, 491 miles. With respect to gross postal
revenues. those of Germany aggregated l00,-
229,319 francs the United States 1904 3,627
francs, and Great Britain lbs, 335. 165 francs.