The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-04

number Of Post Offices June 30, 1888, was A.
1858, of which 2l43 are filled by Presidential ap-
poiDtments and the rest by the Postmaster
General During the year 1882 appoint
ments were made, 705 leiOg on account of re-
movals and suspensions. The number of de-
partment officials and employees is 558; POST
matters, AZ 1868; contractors, 4944; clerks in
Post Offices, 8040; letter carriers o6oO; Railway
and postal clerks, 1856; inspectors, superin'
tendents. ETC., 80; total, SO 020, an increase OF
$500 during the year. The total cost Oh the
free delivery system was S3,173, ,336.b7. Ihe
portage collected on local matter was S4 ,l9o,-
230 62-S1 ,021 .0l over the cost Of the SER
vice. The service for the year was as fol-
lows: Railroad service Of routes,
1913; length of routes, 10,208 miles; annual
transportation, 129, 1893 GAL mics; annual cost,
including expeOse of railway post office cars
aud railway pnsCsl clerks, $17 ,720, ,229. Steam
5oat service-Number Of routes, 115; length Of
routes, l6,O93 miles; annual transportation,
4062,878 miles; annual cost, S607 ,621 Star
service-Number OF routes, 1l,327; length of
routes, 226, 1865 miles; annual transportation,
u ,998, ,7S2 miles; annual cost, 81, ,739, AIS.
During the past year there was steady in
crease OF the money order business. On the
Both of last June there were 5927 money order
"ffioes in operation, whose transactions during
the year, of domestic orders issued, amounted
TO Sl17 ,329, ,406 81, and of domestic orders paid
and repaid TO SILT ,344. .281 78; of international
orders issued to $7,717 ,S32.1l and of interi a.
tional orders paid aud repaid, to S3,063 705;
a grand total in issues OF $125 ,047 .238.42, ana
in payments and repayments of Sl2O, ,407 ,468.-
49, The fees received on domestic orders is
sued aggregated 81, l01 .821.80, and on interna-
tnnal orders, STOPS $50; total of S1,272,-
060.60
During the year 1861 ,6S9,669 stamps postal
cards and amped envelopes were furnished
on reqnisition, valued at $42,610,3i9.57. The
amount OF postage collected on second class
matter was $1,7o5,177 63.
Of tho lar nd ruhfoh rua
ed at the Dead Letter Office during the year,
for the purpose of restoring them to the writ
ers, 15.301 were fonnd to contain mo.ey,
amounting to $32,647.23; 1905 contained
dra is, checks, money orders, etc representing
value OF S1.3S1, ,90147; 96,S08 contained mer-
chandise, samples, books aud miscellaneous ar
ticles; 66, 1877 contained postage stamps; 40216
contained receipts, paid notes, Cancelled drafts,
Insurance papers, etc.: 80, ,160 contained photo
graphs. From letters for which the depart
ment failed to find owners, the sum OF S7,782
16 was separated and deposited in the United
States treasury.
The Postmaster General does not believe
that 1T is advis tble 10 reduce the postage on
drop letters delivered in cities to one cent each.
He recommends that the amount Of weight for
letters be increased from one-half to full
oance. He recommends that the rates of DOS.
age on newspapers and periodicals sent by
others than publishers and agents, be ono cent
for three ounces. The Postmaster General be-
teries should be rigidly enforced and that
papers publishing lottery advertisements be
excluded from the mails. The Postmaster
General devotes considerable space to the con-
sideration of the postal telegraph. He reviews
the several plans proposed. He holds that
Congress has the constitutional power to pro-
vide The means for SO. ding messages as Gin
telligence" by telegraph. He objects TO
postal telegraph on the ground that such an
increase of patronage would be grave danger
in this country to our inst tutlons II any
change is deemed necessary, the Postmaster
General believes that the government should
charter company which shall perform the
service. while the agents of the Post Once
Department shall deliver the kilograms. But
even this he regards as dangerous He asserts
thai while the Federal government may re-
gulate telegraphic charges on lines existing in
more than one State, under the provision OF
the Constitution which gives Congress power
to regulate the commerce between the States,
it cannot touch lines owned by companies
within one State. In conclusion he says: "I
have endeavored to maintain the authority of
Congress to assume control of the telegraph
because it has been and sill is seriously dis
puted. The existing companies operate their
lines solely for the purpose of max ing money,
and while it IS doubtless true that their rates,
as whole, are unreasonable, yet in view of
what has already been said, do not think the
evils complained of are 80 grievous as to call
for CoDgression al inter rvention."