St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-01


The revenues were s., 10, 565.53, OF I =
per cent less than those Of the previous year:
the decrers being attributable to the reduc-
ton OF letter postage from three % two cents
which took effect October 1, 1893.
Ia addition TO the amount expended for
the service Of the year, $S19, 599. 81 WAS paid
on account OF liabilities Of previous years,
making the total amount disbursed during
the year exclusive Of credits 70 the Pacific
railroads,) s47, 224, 56O.2T,
REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF POSTAGE.
The past year marked an important epoch
in the history Of the postal service through
the reduction in the letter rate Of postage
from three to two cents, taking effect on the
LIST Of October, 1888. under the provisions
of the act Of March 3, 1888. AS the class Of
matter affected yielded by far the
larger portion of the postal revenue,
the change, OF course. produced
an immediate falling of in the receipts. The
ordinary pOstal revenue for the year ended
June 80, 1854, was 81, 2TS, 1924 less than
that Of the preceding year. To this loss
should OF course be added that Of the natural
increase 10 have been expected had the three
cent rate remained in force. An increase
Of 9 per cent on the ordinary revenue of
1888 Exclusive of the money order business)
would amount to "a, 05S, 736. 50, which, added
TO the amount previously stated, would give
50, 337, ia So 10 represent the loss for tie
first year under the change in the rate.
Though the three cent rate was In force dur
Ing the quarter ended Sept 30, 1888, the
sales Of stamps, etc, for that quarter were
$l37, 2Tl.S5 less than the average for the
three remaining quarters under the two
cent rate; the anticipated change In the rate
having led to a serious falling of Ia the sale
Of stamps. That the loss of revenue was
not greater must be regarded as gratifying,
in view OF the fact that the estimates on
which the change was based contemplated
loss for the first year of about IS, 900, 900. 1t
is evident the prediction mas be. fully YER
iied that the reduced rate would greatly
stimulate letter correspondence, and lead 10
the substitution of sealed Enclosures for pos
tai cards and open circulars. The increase
In the number of letters cannot be stated,
the department having no statistics to show
the number Of pieces Of each of the several
classes Of matter mailed, and the same kind
Of stamps being used indiscriminately for
first, third and fourth-class matter. Neither
do the sales furnish any guide, since post
masters in accounting to the auditor report
the amount In the aggregate and not IN de
tail Of the several kinds aud denominations.
A comparison Of the issues to postmasters
Of two aud Scent stamps and stamped en-
velopes for the nine months ended June 80,
1888 under the Scent rate, with the issue of
two and Scent stamps and stamped envel-
opes during the corresponding nine months
ended June 80, 1884, under the 2-cent rate,
may be found Of interest in this connection,
though afforiing no certain indication Of the
actual sales. During the nine months
ended June 80, 1888, the number of 2-cent
stamps and stamped envelopes issued was
104, 642, 125, valued at 81, 092, $50. so, and of
Scent stamps and stamped envelopes $685.
629 800, valued at S19,60S, $3.50. The
number OF 2-cent stamps and stamped en-
velopes issued during the nine months ended
June 80, 1884, was 955, 427, 400, valued at
$40, los, 54S, and of three-cent stamps 1.-THE
issue of three-cent stamped envelopes hav-
ing eeased) was 127, 300, valued at $3.50.
The total number of two and three-cent
stamps aud envelopes issued, therefore,
during the former period WAS 75S, 271 AS,
valued at SCI, 70I, 722. 40. and during the lat
ter period 955. 554, 200, valued at $40 112, 367;
an increase In number Of l97, 2S3, 245, or 20
per cent, and a decrease in value Of 81, $780,
355. 40, or 11.9 per cent.
10 postal cards there was decrease in the
wear ended June 80, 1884, as compared with
the previous year. During the preceding live
years there has been an average annual in
crease Of 1865 per cent.
POSTAGE on SECOND CLASS MATTER.
The amounted postage collected on second
class matter during the year was s1,SS9,-
592. IA, an increase Of slS4, 414.6l, or 1889
per cent. over the previous year.
OF the receipts from this source "a 30 per
cent was collected at New York; GAL per
cent. at Chicago; $40 per cent. at Boston !;
sos per cent. at Philadelphia; 4.67 per cent
at St. Louis; 1853 par cent. at Cincinnati !;
I.S2 per cent. at San Francisco; I54 per
cent at Milwaukee; Isl per cent. at De-
rot; l.32 per cent. at Louisville; 1.22 per
cent. at Cleveland; I.20 per cent. at Elgin,
Ill. LIS per cent. at Washington; LOG per
cent at st. Paul; LOG per cent. at Augusta,
Ne. .O5 per cent. at Toledo: !. 05 per cent.
at Pittsburg; IS per cent. at Baltimore. The
remaining BLOC per ceut. was collected at
), TG7 pOstoffices.
REGISTRATION.
The number of letters and parcels sent
through the registered mails during the year
WIS IL, 246, 545. OF which S,O6S, 33s were do
nestle letters, 400, 902 were letters ldressed
to foreign countries, 1.005. SOS we're domestic
parcels Of third and fourth-class matter, 90
ass were parcels OF third and foufth-elass
matter to foreign countries, aud 1,675, o52
were letters and parcels Of official matter for
the government, by law free from the pay
ment of registry fees. The amount OF regis
try fees collected was 1851, O59.3O, an in
crease OF $50, 500. go, or S.3 per cent over
the previous year.
The actually sscertained losses during the
year number 5l6. OF one In every 81. 795 let
tiers aud parcels registered. This is smaller
proportion of loss than in any previous year,
and shows increasing efficiency and fidelity
on the part Of postal officials in this branch
of the service.
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