Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-12
POSTAL MATTERS.
Synopsis Of the Reports ~ tho First q
Third Assistant Postmas $efs-General

Synopsis OF the Reports ~ the First ana
Third Assistant Postmas %ers-General.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-IRe annual NJ
port Of the First-Assistaut Pos, Smaster-Gen-
eral shows: Number of post-old tees estaD'
lished during the year, 3,414-an' increase
Of 161 over the preceding year; nul- eper dls-
continued, 1,269-a decrease of "; nes
increase, 522. The whole number of post
office June 80, 1884, was 50,O1.7-an
increase of 2,155; number filled by !. eesi-
Dental appointment, 2,323; number Aqed
by appointment by the Postmaster enerat
1894. During the year 1883 post =
masters were appointed. The net increase
of post-offices during the year was much
larger than any increase for several years
past. Tho increase was divided among SEC
tons at follows: New England States,
80; five Middle States. 2S5; fourteen
Southern States and Indian Territory,
1910; ten States and six Territories
West and Northwest, 707; three
States and three Territories OH the Pacific
slope, 1o4. The greatest increase in any
State or Territory was 1856 in Texas. Tho
increase in North Carolina was 1876, and in
Pennsylvania 1874. The only decrease was
in New Mexico. Comparing the number OF
post-of1ices in different States, the order Of
the six highest, June 80, was, Pennsylvania.
$500; New York, 8, 122; Ohio, 2,7a7:
Illinois, 2,167; Virginia, 1889, and: Mis-
souri,, LOGS. OF the Territories, Dakota
had the largest number, S37, exceeding. the
number in either Massachusetts, Maryland
Or South Carolina. 1t is recommendeG
that the free-delivery system be extended
to places of 10000 inhabitants, provided the
postal revenues amount to $4,000 yearly
The attention of Congress is also invited to.
the Importance of erecting buildings for
postrotfices mall cities of 20, 600 Inhabitants
and upwards.
The annual report of A. D. Hazen, Third,
Assistant Postlnaster-Genera Shows, that
the total numberof postage stamps, stampeds
envelopes and postal cards issued during.
the year was 2,166, $50, 1896; total value,
S42, 515,S77; decrease in value of the is
sues of ordinary postage stamps, 81 ,229,--
1855; total decrease in the value Of.
all issued, including postal-eards. stamped
envelopes, postage due stamps and
wrappers, 81, 1914, 442. The weight Of Sec
ond-class matter during the year, not i'm
Guiding free circulation within the county
of publication, was 94,479,G07 pounds, the
crease of $751; 14 over the previous year.
The whole number of pieces of undelivered,
mail matter received in the Dead-Letter-
Office, including 27s, GAS pieces Oh, hand,
was 4,s43, O99. Of this number 31,47Y
were misdirected. There were desttoyeds
2,539,477 letters and 1858 parcels Of.
fruit cake, etc. Among the letters
opened, 1902 contained money and 1904
drafts, etc. Of the letters sent from foreign.
countries, 21O, 1856 were returned as unde-
liverable. The total number of letters and
parcels registered during the year was H.
246, 545; the amount of registry fees coll
lected, $957, 059; increase, $4,000. The
loss by registered letters during the year
amounted to one out of 81, 795 pieces mailed.
This is the smallest average of losses since
the organization of the registry system.