Morris tribune., 1883-12-05
GEN, GREsHAM's REPORT.
posToFFICE BOOKKEEPING.

PosToFFICE BOOKKEEPING.
Thirty-seven pages are devoted to Postmaster
General Greshams report and large portion OF it
| Is statistics The financial statement shows: Rev
enuss $45, 1903, 692: expenditures, $42,sl6,7o0;
| BALANCE after deductug estimated outstanding Ii
abilities, 81 ,001, Receipts for the scar were
So, 632, 49, over those of 1892 which is about 3
per less than the average increase Tor the last
three years. Postmasters have been paid 81, sou
| III, or 5 per cent more than was expended in
1882. OF this increase 100000 was due to the
eoualiziug act of March g. which was made to apply
| to fourth-class Offices. The expenditure was ST.
81 1874 46 in of the appropriation. The de-
| dcency was unavoidable, since the law likes the
| compensation of postmasters, and orders them 10
retain it in accounting for the proceeds OF their
offices The increase in the expenditure for clerks
| IL postof1ces was S45S,6S2 81. or about IL per
cent over that of the previous year; ana for letter
carriers it was $55OO43.7 n, or 20 per cent. me
estimated total expenditures and liabilities for rail-
| road transportation for 1853 was 81 l,SO4,l72;
the amount credited to Pacific railroad companies
was $915,7lO. making an estimated total COST OF
railroad transportation for 1888 $12,7l9,SSZ.
| AS compared with the previous year. there was
decrease in the expenditure for star service OF
| 81 ,O42, 939.59, or Is per cent. The aggregate
appropriations for the service of the year were
| S44 876, 600. Is, or $l,2S4, S99. 81 more than
the total expenditures aud estimated Liabilities Tor
the same, exclusive Of the amounts credited 20 the
Pacific railroad companies.
The receipts for next year are estimated at $47.-
1O4,O7S, and the expenditures, exclusive OF
amounts to be credited to Pacific railroad COM
supplied out of the general treasury of S2,95S, ILL
The increase of revenue on account OF the reduc-
ton of letter postage to two centss roughly put at
$2,5cO.00o:>the decrease ev will be Slo'oSo'ooo'
The number of employees in the postofice de-
partment at Washington is 55S. Inc whole mum
Der of postmas:ers and other employees IN the
country are as follows: Postmasters, 4I.SoS;
contractors, 1914: clerks in postofices. s,G40;
letter carriers, $3.50; railway postoffice clerks
1855; postofice INSPECTORS and railway superln-
tendents 90. Total, 5000.
STAR ROUTE SUITS.
It has become my duty since assuming the dlrec-
ton of business in this department to consider the
cases upon which payments have been MADE LOT
expedition in the transportation OF the mails on
star routes, and after mature dellberatlon am
convinced that excessive and uniustifable allow
auces have been made for the expedited service
The papers and reports in these cases are OF such
nature that have felt constrained to suomlt tne
facts and statement of account In eacn case 10 the
department ct justice. with request that suits
be brought for the recovery OF the moneys lEauuu-
lently obtained.
Through mails for and from Oregon. Washington
Territory, Alaska and British Columbia are now
dispatched by way of St Paul and the Northern
Pacific, instead of over the Union Pacific and the
Utah Northern to Blackfoot Junction, and thence
over the Northern Pacific, as heretofore. The for
mer line is 265 miles shorter than the latter ana,
on the assumption that the debt due from the
Union Pacific company to the United States will
ultimately be paid. it IS $3l per ton cheaper IL
addition TO the argument of economy, the conVen-
fence of the people living on the nort4ern paSnt
paid the Northern Pacific for this service. on the
basis of the present weight OF mails, Will Dc some
thing less than S25. 600 per year.
WEIGHT FOR FIRST CLASS MATTER.
After careful consideration, says Gen. Gresham,
I am of the opinion that the unit OF weight Tor
rating first-class matter should be changed from
oue-half an ounce to one ounce This change, III
connection with the recent reduction OF letter post
age from three to two cents, would place his coun
try on an equality with any. other in respect OF
BRIT
liberal unit of weight for rating letters and PACK
ages than we do. The following statement shows
the rates different classes OF matter IN the
United States as compared with the leading coun-
tries of Europe, the foreign standards OF value
and weight being reduced to ours:
United States-Letters. two cents per one-haf
ounce or fraction: postal cards. one cent. Newspa-
pers for publishers, two cents per pound; private
rates, one cent per two ounces; samples, one cent
per ounce.
three cents per two ounces: postal cards. one cent
Newspapers, one cent per copy; samples not car
ried by mail.
postal cards. one cent. Newspapers for publishers.
25 per cent of subscription price Other printed
matter, three-fifths of cent per one and two
third ounces; samples, two cents per eight ana a
third ounces.
Franoe-Letters cents per L. ounce; postal cards,
cents; newspapers for publishers. 20 cent per
CODY or Der So ounce: other printed matter, 10
cent per So ounce: samples, cent per 123 ounces.
1t is believed that less than per cent of all the
letters conveyed in the mails eXceed nall an ounce,
thus requiring double postage. On these there
would be a small loss by increasing the standard OF
single postage weight to one ounce; but the reVe-
nue. on the remainder, cay "a per cent OF ALL would
not be diminished while The loss on the small num-
Der in excess of half an ounce would doubtless be
more than compensated by the increased postage
on snail packages of merchandise which would be
sealed and sent as first-class matter. By adopting
the ounce standard the people would be still fur
Their accommodated, and it is believed that large
proportion Of fourth-class matter would De sent
under seal, paying frst-class postage. The reve-
nue. of the department would thus be increased
without materially Increasing the Dulk or the weight
u 'De --" NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
Newspaper postage for persons not publishers is
/ cent for ounces. Some papers weigh more than
2 ounces. Many persons mail n wspapers weigh
ing over 2 ounces, and bearing 1-ceut stamp.
Such papers are sent. This creates dissatistac"
ton and complaint. In order to obviate this
recommend that the rate of postage on newspapers
and periodical publications, sent by others than the
publishers news agents, be made cent per
ounces.
STAMPS ISSUED.
Stamps were issued during the year as follows:
Ordinary postage stamps, 1902, 743,S0O; news.
paper and periodical STAMPS, 2,2O7,939: stamped
envelopes, plain, 114,251 $50; stamped envel-
opes request 1oo5aeGoo; newspaps5 S sna eeo
postal cards, 379, SIG, $50: making an aggregate
with official department stamps. of 1.96l, 6S9. 500
and representing total value of $42,S7O,319.
RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.
At the close of the fiscal year there were 993
railway postoffce lines, an increase of 224; 1877
crews, anSincrease of ID: and 1898. 10 miles
run by clerks from postoce to postotce, as against
9S. 1915 miles the previous year. The miles OF
route for which the companies were paid were
1O9, S27, an increase of 1894 miles. During the
year there were la casualties. in which one clerk
was killed. 80 seriously injured, and 40 slightly in
iured. The report renews the recommendation OF
other postmasters general, that the postmaster
general.be authorized to pay the widow or guardian
Of the minor children of railway postal clerk vi o
is killed in the service, a sum equal to one years
salary of the grade which he held at the time OF
death.
GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPH.
The report discusses government telegraph IN
extenso three plans receiving attention. viz: First
The acquisition and operation Of the existing
ton by the government of lines which 1t will OPP
crate in competition with existing companies.
Third-The creation of company by which lines