The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-12-07
PnStofica DEPARTMENT.

Postmaster-Genera Gresham in his annual re-
port states that the revenue of the department for
the fiscal year ended June 80 1883 amounted to
;45,50S,t9l. The disbursements for the year. not
including credits to the Pacific railroads, and in
GLIDING s466,2i3 paid on account of liabilities for
previous years. amounted to s43,2S2,94i. The re-
ceipts exceeded those for the previous year by
S3,632, 2S2, or Sc per cent.
The receipts for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1>s5, estimated at S4I 10I07S.31, and the eXpen-
dturcs at s50062, 60, leaving deficiency to be
supplied out ofthe general treasury of 1886, %
The report adds that unusual difficulty is expert
enced at this time in forcasing the postal revenues
by reason of the recent reduction of postage. An
other element of uncertainty is the extent to which
the mails will be increased under the stimulus of
lower rate of postage.
= he gross receipts of the 2,193 Presidential offices
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881 amounted to
49, ,25a.95, and the salaries amounted in the az
gregate to 49, or 1lO6 per cent of the gross
receipts.
The present status of the Star service shows for
1888 cost of "a, AIS with 1893, IS2 miles of
nua transportation, against cost of 1891 499 with
I6,oI0,99j miles Of annual transportation in 1850,
being an increase from 1850 of l,921,IS1 miles OF
transpor alton and go 021 decrease in cost 4his
service is now all performed under contracts made
upon proposals submitted in response to advertise
ments.
During the past year there was a steady increase
of the money-order business. The superintendent
of the money-order system states that the pos
tai notes are being extensively employed for remit
tances of small sums.
OF the letters and parcels which were opened
during the year for the purpose of restoring them
to the writers, 1891 contained mon ", amounting
to ,3!,6iT.y3; 1S,095 contained drafts, checks,
mOney-orders, etc, representing 1881 1901 A:
jses contained merchandise, samples, books and
miscellaneous articles; G6.137 contained postage
stan pS d0,g5 contained receipts, paid notes. can
ceci drafts insurance papers, etc; 30, GO con-
tanned pilot graphs. From letters for which the de-
uagtmeut failed to find owners the sum of S.7S2 10
was separated and deposited in the United States
treasury.
The postnas er-genera says he is of opinion that
The unit of weight for rating irst-class matter
should be changed from one half ounce to one
ounce. He recommends that the rate of postage on
news a1crs and periodical publicltio sent by
others that the publishers news agents be made
&C 1t per three ounces
lie reviews the history of the exclusion of the
business of lotteries from the mails and recon-
mends, with view to render the legislation on this
subject more clcacious, the passage of act pro-
vidlng that every newspaper which contains an adj
vertisement of lottery, or any agency thereof,
shall be excluded from the nails and rendering the
person who deposits for sending by mail liable to
the penalties which, under existing laws he incurs
for depostlng letter circular concerning
lotteries and that, far they applicable, the
provisions of the Revised Statutes relating to the
District of Columbia upon the subject OF lotteries
States
The report deals with the question of postal
telegraph, and General Gresham says
" From the best consideration which have been
enabled to bestow upon the subject, have reache
the conclusion that Congress has the constitutions
power in providing for the postal service of the
country to avail itself of all the facilities devised b!
the inventive genius of modern times for trans
hitting messages and intelligence, and that 1t ha
full authority to adopt either OF the first two plan
which have mentioned. LIST. The acquisition ant
operation of the existing lines by the government
lines which it will operate in competition with ex'
isting companies"