The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-14
GEN. eREsHAM,s REPORT.

PosToFFICE
Thirty-seven pages are devoted to Postmaster
General Gresham's report, and a large portion of it
is Statistics The financial statement shows: Rev
snues, $45, 3US. 1922; expenditures, $42,sl6, 200;
oaiaace after deducting estimated outstanding Ii
abilities, 81 .0Ol, 2sl. Receipts for the gear were
$685. s1 over those of 1882. which is about 3
er cent 1855 than the average increase for the las;
TSe years. Postmasters have been paid 81 $780,
". or 10 per cent more than was expended in
sS2. OF this increase $500, 900 was duo to the
Veqaanzing act Of March 8, which was made to apply
70 tonftt-cIass Offices. The expenditure was ST.
SIo,oe44 Az in excess of tho appropriation. The de-
nciency Was unavoidable, since the law fxes the
compensation OF postmasterH, and orders them to
desaiu 1t IN accounting. for the proceeds Of their
omces. The increase in the expenditure for clerks
IT postoihces was $45s 1852. 81. or about IL per
cent over that of the previous year; and for letter.
carriers It was $3.50. O43 n, or 20 per cent. The
estimated total expenditures and liabilities for rail-
road transportation for 1888 was $1l,SU4 ,172;
the amonnt credited to Pacific railroad companies
T HaS SyIS,nlo, making an s,ima,e .otai cost of
AS compared with the previous year, there was a
decrease ~ the expenditure for star service Of
l,oa2,939 :. s., or ls per cent. The aggregate
APPROXIMATIONS for the service of the year were
x~44.s7G,6o0. Is, or $l,2S4. 500. 90 more than
me total expenditures aud estimated liabilities for
the same, exclusive Of the amounts credited 10 the
Pacific railroad companies.
ne receipts for next year are estimated at $47.-
lo4,o'S, and the expenditures, exclusive of
amounts to be credited to Pacific railroad COM
' q VliS'Gh ~ - U
snppied out OF the genera. treasury of S2.95S.l11
ms increase OF revenue on account of the reduc-
non OF letter postage to two centslis roughly put at
S.,oeo.uuo: tho decrease will be $lO,393.3SU
EMPLOYEES.
Inc number Of employees in the p%ostofhce de-
partment at Washington is 55s. The whole num-
Der OF posfmas.ers aud other employees in the
country are as follows: Postmasters, 47,S63;
contractors, 4,944; clerks in postofices. s,O4o;
letter carriers, 1850; railway p%ostofice clerks
$500; poslo.ice insneotoTs and railway supcrin-
%tendents, 80. Total, 81 ,O2O.
STAR ROUTE SUITS.
II has become my duty since assuming the direc-
Ton OF business IN this department to consider the
cases upon which payments have been made Tor
expedition in the Transportation of the mails on
star routes. and after mature deliberation | am
convinced thar excessive and uniustiiable allow
ances have been maze for the expedited service.
The papers and reports in these cases arc of such
a nature that l have felt constrained to submit t..le
facts and a statement of account in each Case 10 the
,deraitMtnl IT justice. with a II quest that suit.
DC Drought for the recovery of the moneys fraudu-
lently obtained.
-, NORTHERN PACIFIC THROUGH MAILS.
Through masls Tor anu from Oregon, Washington
Territory, Alaska and British Columbia are now
dispatched by way Of 81. Paul and the Northern
Pacific; instead of over. the Union Pacific and tie
Utah Northern to Biackioot Junction, and thence
over the N,rrhern Pacific. as heretofore. The foI-
mer line is 2Ga miles shorter than the latter, anG,
on tho assumption that the debt due from tie
Union Pacific company TO the United States viii
ultimately be paid. it is SSl per ton cheaper. In
addition to the argument of economy, the conven-
lence OF the p ople living on the northern Pacific
coast seemed to demand this change. The amount
paid the Northern Pacific for this service. on the
basis Of the present weight of mails, will be some
thing less than S25. 900 per year.
WEIGHT FOR FIRST CLASS MATTER.
After careful consideration, says Gen. GrashtEn,
! am of the opinion that tho unit OF weight fol-
rating hrst-e'ass matter should be changed from
connection with the recent reduction of letter post
age from three to two cents, would place his eoun-
try on au equality with any other in respect OF
cheap postage. Great Britain maintains q more
liberal Wait of weight Cor rating letters and pack.
ages than we do. The following statement shows
the rates on different classes of matter in the
United States as compared with the leadir;, coun-
tries CT Europe, the foreign standards of value
and weight being r duced to ours:
Urited S'a,es-Le,te-s, two cents per one-hali
ounce or fraction: postal cards. one cent, Newspa.
pers for publishers, tTo cents per pound; private
rates. one cent per tive ounces; samples. one cent
Der ounce.
Great B~ritain-Aetters, two cents per ounce
three cents per two dances: postal cards, one cent
Newspapers, one cent per copy; samples not car
Rod by mail.
rostal cards, one cent. Newspapeta'?or publishers
rs per cent OF subscription price. Other printed
matter, ,hree-fiflhs of a cent per one and two.
third ounces: samples, two cents per eight and q
;third ounces.
Franoe-Letters B cents per l~aovpce; postal card.
2 cents; newspapers for publishers, % cent pei
copy or per Sc ounce: other printed matter, IL
cent per 5-6 ounce samples, l cent per l % ounces
1t is believed that less than 6 per cent OF all til,
letters convened in the mails exceed half an ounce
thus requiring double postage. On these Their
would be a small loss by increasing the standard O
single postage weight to one ounce; but the reve
nue. on the remainder. cay Sd per cent of all. woul,
not be diminished, while the loss on the small mum
Der in excess OF half an ounce would doubtless b.
more than compensated by the increased postag
on snail packages of merchandise which would b.
sealed and sent as tirst-ciass matter. By adoptinl
the ounce standard the people would be still fur
ther accommodated, and it is believed that a larg
proportion OF four,h-class matter would be sen
,tpIar aauI prvinO frSf.cJoes nsfa ThA raya
nue. OF the department would thus be increase
without materially Increasing tho bulk or the weigh
OF the malls
NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
Newspaper postage tor persons not publishers
] cent for . ounces. Some papers weigh more tina
. ounces Many persons mail n wspapers weigh
ing over 2 ounces, and beading a 1-cent STAMP
Such papets are not sent. This creates dissaIlstac
ton and complaint. In order to obviate this
and periodical publications. sent By others than I'll
pubiisheEs or news agents, be made l cent per
ounces
STAMPS ISSUED.
Stamps were issued during the year as follows
Ordinary postage stamps. 1,202. rs, 500: news
paper and periodical STAMPS. 2.2UT ,939: stampe
envelopes, plain, lIi.22l.93o; stamped envr
opes. request, IoO,57s,25o: newspaper wrapper
4i,43f. $50: postage-due stamps, l2,Gu4,9OG
postal carols, 379.5l6,7 $50: making az Aggregate
with official department stamps, of 1861. 6S9. Sos
and representing 1t total value of $42, 70.3l
Auw4Y MAIL SERVICE.
At the close of the fiscal year there were 9s
railway postofice lines, an increase of 22a; 1872
crews, m increase of ID: and JOS, 933.lO mile
run by clerks from oostollic CO to p6ostotdce, as again.
9s.2S7.2 miles the previous year. The miles {
ronte for which tea companies were paid wei
lO9, So, an increase of 9,26im miles. During til
year there were la casualties. in which one cler
was killed, IS seriously injured, and ~ slightly r.
Sured. TIE report renews the recommendation {
other 7ost,nas.crs general, that the %postmast,
general be authorized 70 pay tho widow or guardi.
of the minor children of a railway postal clerk y
is killed in the service. a sum equal to one year
.l.~,, 80 H. unol- ,-tspl, La l,.ll ~ sIo tsr-- - L,
death
GOVERNMENT
The report discusses government telegraph $
extenso, three plans receiving attention. viz: FlTs
Tho ACQUISITION and operation of the exis,iD
lines by tho government. Second-The constrnc
ton by she government OF lines which 1t will CO
crate ia uoon5petition with existing compauie:
Third The cteaion of a company by which line
OF telegraph arc tor, be supplied to the capital c
each Sta.e, and ot,er places having a given numte
of inhaeitapts, CT where stations are now main
aimed. Or the hasEaess of the country may hereafte
require them.
From ake INSTRUMENTATION which j have bee
enabled to bebtox upon the subject, says Ger
Gresham, Z have reached the conclusion that cor
press has che constitutional power in providing fo
tho postal service OF the country to avail itself q
all the acilitiesaeyised by the inveative genius {
modern ti.aes for transmitting messages and int!
ligence. and that 1t has full outhcrity. to ador
either Of ME FIRST two plans, which I have men
toned. C,anoedtrr that congress has au,hofit
TO incorporate. a roampany and clotte it with tn
power ueaeesary,Csr the effec.ual ACCOMPLISHMENT {
the purpose in NtoVsSuCn a measure Wall inaugural
new policy. tie adoption OF which l. do not fee
at liberty to recomaaend If congress can Great
such a congany.is may incorporate galway an
other comeaaies, end contract with them for tn
carriage Of tie masls; and if this may be done
will not be Senied that the government may bull
railways aud other roads, and construct and eoui
vessels for postal purposes Congress BIZ such leg
isiation would thus eater upon a new sph.re of &C
ton, which ttere isreason to fear would be til
frs; step In a dangerous direction. The batronal
of the genera. government would be enermousl
Increased, and Ia jurisdiction extended TO mattel
heretofore confined TO State legislation or p-ivat
enterprise. Tho injurious tendency of suEa legis
lia.ioE cannot well he oycrestimated.
CONTROL wITHIN THE STATES.
As to tclesraplie service wholly within toe sev
oral States, unless the power to establish poste.fice
and pos roads be successfully invoked, the eYistin
l-u-.l run,.r man L cnn. al - A.-.s