The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-12-11
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Annual Report Of Postmaster
General Hatton---Operations
Of His Department.
Effect Upon the Revenue Of the Lower
Rate Of Postage-Further Re.
duction Urged.
An Extension OF the Frce.Delivery Sys.
tenn Recommended The Star
Service.

annual report Of Postmaster General Iiatton:
For the fiscal year the revenues were tl3,33s,-
l2-.0s; the expenses, SAC, ,4O4. .9G0Go leaving a
deficit Of s3,06t, s3s51, to which are added out
standing debts and the credits OF the Pacific
Railroads, raising the excess Of disbursements
over the revenues to s5,2o4.4s Tho revc-
nucs were f2 l7o, ,56ss2 less than tor the Drcced-
Ing year, owing to the reduction on postage
from to cents. The amount paid POstmAs-
tiers was sl, ,2s3. .sJos7. an increase OF so6s4a6.4
over that OF the previous year, and Sai3,s3o.H
In excess OF the appropriation. This cx-
cess. Mr. Hatton says, was unavoidable,
because the law fixes the compensation OF post
masters, and allows them to take II out OF tho
revenues Of their Office before making their re-
turns to the depar fmcnt. The aggregate amount
appropriated for the service OF the year was
SIS T46, ,037.G2, or s34i.076.e7 more than the
amount disbursed on account thereof, and $780,
39l OF less than the total disbursements and
outstanding liabilities.
The estimates for the fiscal year ending Jurfe
80, 1856, are:
RECEIPTS
Ordinary postal revenue 'soo,sao,sao.a o y
s5l,2T2, ,so0.2a
DISBURSEMENTS.
All expenses, including Pacific Rail-
road cfedlbs. .x5h,Vy',lO9oo
Deficiency to be supplied. ......... f.s2G. $40 10
The receipts Tor the year are estimated with
uncertainty, the report says because there IL
as yet no basis by which the revenues on =
cent basis can he reckoned, the reduction in
the rate OF postage from cents having come
at q time when it unequally affected the various
quarters. But q regular increase OF per cent.
il expected. and that would place the receipts
at the figurc given above.
In the expenses there will probably be for
compensation to postmasters deficiency Of ut
least sl,5oo.ooo, and for transportation by
railroads about si.ooo.ooo. The estimate ~ ne
appropriation Of the entire cost OF mall
service on the Pacific railroads. portion Of
which IL now by law credited on the books Of
the Treasury. and does not appear In the appro-
priation for mai, transportation. The amount
involved by the contemplated change In the
mode OF settlement Is approximsted at u .l0o,-
cies mentioned will leave the estimates s3,t5a.-
SO in excess OF the appropriations for the
present year.
postal cards so that the number issued last wear
was l6.64o, ,ooo lcss than the preceding year. The
collections on second-class matter were <l.sss,-
592l4 an increase Of sis&.4i4.Gl over the preced-
ing year. or this. source Of revenue 2a.90 per
cent was collected In New York, o.il per cent.
nj Chicago. Ga per cent. NJ Boston, with Phila-
delphia,. st, Louis, Cincinnati and San Fran
There were li.as6.5a5 registered articles han.
died and 4,751,s72 pieces Of undelivered mail
werc received ut the Dead Letter ONCE In
speaking OF the work OF the Dead Letter Office
-The amount realized from the sales OF arti-
cles tor which no owner can be found 10 de-
proceeds of the last auction sale. which was in
January. 1884, was sl.9i543 The money sepa-
rated from dead letters which cannot be re-
stored to the sender IL also placed IN the Trcas-
nry, and the amount deposited during the year
was s7.aaa41 The value OF postage stamps
received from various sources and destroyed
eral Maynard ordered that such useful
printed matter as had previously. been
sold for waste paper shan'd be
distributed among the inmates OF the various
nj aaylNYnA. and her CharftAll and
formatory institutions within the District OF
Columbia. This practice still prevails, and
23,l5a magazines. pamphlets illustrated papers,
Christmas cards, valentines, etc. were dis
posed Of in that way during the year.
During the year there were II. .953 appoint
ments to places in the postal service. the num-
her being $40 less than during the preceding
sear. There are now 7i.67l employees In the de-
The Postmaster General srges the. develop
ment of the free-delisery system, holding that
IL encourages method In the delivery of mail
and stimulates correspondence. lie recon-
mends that In densely populated districts ham
no rs TO bring them within the scope OF the
law which allows tree system TO every post
Office having more than oa,uoo patrons.
delivery % system % earned last YEAR si.ass as. Is
over its expenditures. says he Is convinced the
time has come for the reduction Of postage OF
local letters.
The department views with Jealous eve the
growth OF the messenger service system, and the
rostmas,e General describes the duty OF the
postal service in the matter OF quick local de-
@The necessity and demand, in citise, for
prompt transmission and delivery Of letters
passing between business men ana Others has
resulted In the establishment. IN many places oi
what may be termed letter r-exnress companies,
which, by the employment of messenger boys,
are enabled greatly TO facilitate intercourse oi
this character among merchants. professional
persons, and others engaged In active life. II ID
done at small expense and with so much sys-
tenn and promptncss as seriously 70 diminish ths
carrier offices. The patronage which Is ex.
tended to these companies affords evidence thai
the free delivery system. Notwithstanding III
facilities ana Al senen,s nus no. proxsssea ~ la
life in large commercial cities Therefore, fur.
ther Improvement OF the service In this particu
lar should, IN my Judgment, DC attempted, moi
only To prevent n loss OF revenue, bu
with pnrposc to make IL a. useful ~
possible. ! am Of opinion that the publ,
have right to expect that this department
should make the same effort to serve then
promptly and faithfully in the transmission ane
delivery OF letters IL done by private parties
know OF no way in which this can be bette
postage stamp for letters mailed and intende,
for special and prompt delivery at frcc-deliver,
offices. This stamp should be OF the denomna
tion Of ten cents, and. when affixed TO letter
in addition TO the proper postage charge, shouls
/ insure for II as speedy q delivery a. possible
| after its reception ut any lctter-carrIer office
| This outside distribution could be enected b.
| employing messenger boys, ~ small salary
| and in snch numbers as the circumstance
| should warrant ! am satisfied such m eY0r
to accommodate the public would still furthe
/ commend the free-delisery service to Its patron
in the large cities where II is In operation
The Postmaster General SAYS he agrees witt
| the Secretary of War that those officers of tn
department who handle money should be In
sured by corporations instead Of being requires
| to give an official bond, the solvency ot which
always In doubt.
cheney OF the star route service, hut urges tn
amendment OF the laws relating to contracts Il
that branch 50 as to give the awards 70 person
who live along the line of the route. and thu
stop the speculation business.
/ Tribute II paid To the postal clerks The re
port deplores any attempt 10 weed out thi
branch of the service without cause.
/ There are nj the present time about 100
| clerks in the railway mail service, many OF thei
! having been 50 employed great number Q
years. The amount OF special study that thes
| clerks have devoted to the duties OF their otiic
| would have made them proficient In almost an
| of the professions of life In the very nature G
the case, the places OF these skilled clerks, VIII
! have made their work life study. cannot
flied with new apnointees without great detri
| ment To the service. The injustice to the me
themselves might he left out Of the question. bu
| the system by which they have htted themselve
for their posts anu the maintenance of goo
service demand that this branch of the posts
service he continued i'll the line ~ its preseu
successful development A. experience
clerks are absolutely indispensable to an ei
| iicicnt service, IL could not do other tina
| work confusion aud delay Ia the whole ma
| system Of the country If the present fors
| should be set aside aud new aud tnexperienee
men be put in their places. About 80 per cen
| OF all clerks appointed TAIL Ia pass satistactor
examinations, are and retired. Ii will thus h
/ seen that q far greater number of clerks hay
| been appointed than are now IN the service: bt
by this sitting process the department has se
! cured the most active and efficient clerks. An
| IsentuTe tu say that no more worthy, compe
| tent and efficient corps OF men can be found
any branch ot the Government service"
| In conclusion the report gives data of tn
routine working of the department and nrss
the deyelol ment of the foreign mail systsi
generally, especially with Mexico. III ais
approves the suggestion made by the superil
tendent that iostal notes be amended to
payable to order II desired. and descri bes n
work on various buildings aud facilities of Il
department
4 NEGRIss of Crawford County, Nv
less than 30 years old, il the mo ther
eleven children.