Morris tribune., 1884-12-03
THE POSTOFFICE.
Postmaster-General Hatton Re-
views the Work of His
Department.
Reduced Revenues Caused by the
Reduction of Postage-The
Postal Clerks.
Quick Local Service Demanded-AbO.
litiOn of the Sinecure
System.

We present below the salient features Of the
annual report of Postmaster General Hatton:
For the fiscal year the revenues were $43, 1885,,
127.08; the expenses, SAC, 4O4, 96O65, leaving a
deficit of $3066, 1888 81, to which are added out
standing debts and the credits of the Pacific
Railroads, raising the excess OF disbursements
over the revenues to $5,204, 4S4.l2. The reve-
were 50. TIC, 552 less than for the preced-
ing year, owing to the reduction on postage
from to cents. The amount paid Postmas-
tiers was $l1 2s3, S3oS7 increase Of 1865, 1854
over that of the previous year, and 1898, s3O.S7
in excess of the appropriation. This ex-
cess, Mr. Hatton says, was unavoidable,
because the law fixes the compensation of post
masters, and allows them to take it out Of the
revenues of their office before making their re-
appropriated for the service of the year was
SAG, TAG, 037.62, or S341 ,O7697 more than the
amount disbursed on account thereof, and 1885,
394.o7 less than the total disbursements and
outstanding liabilities.
The estimates for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1886, are:
RECEIPTS.
Ordinary postal revenue. $50, s72 $40 "a
Money-order business. ............. 400, 10000
$51,272, 800 "a
DISBURSEMENTS
All expenses including Pacific Rail-
road credits $56, 099 169. 80
Deficiency to be supplied .. s. 826, 349. &c
The receipts for the wear are estimated with
uncertainty, the report says, because there is
as yet no basis by which the revenues on a 2
cent basis can be reckoned, the reduction in
the rate of postage from cents having come
at time when it unequally affected the various
quarters. But regular increase Of 9 per cent.
is expected. and that would place the receipts
at the figure given above.
In the expenses there will probably be for
compensation to postmasters deficiency of at
least and od TOR God inauguration by
also contemplates the payment out of the
appropriation of the entire cost of mail
service on the Pacific railroads, portion of
which is now by law credited on the hooks of
the Treasury, and does not appear in the appro-
priation for mail transportation. The amount
involved by the contemplated change in the
mode Of settlement is appropriated at $1,10O,
600, which amount, added to the two deficien-
cies mentioned, will leave the estimates $685.,
1880 in excess of the appropriations for the
present year.
The reduction of postage affected the sales of
postal cards so that the number issued last year
was 16,640,0 900 less than the preceding year. The
collections on second class matter were s1,ss9,-
500. IA. increase of 81 over the preced
ing year. OF this source of revenue 24.90 per
cent. was collected in New York, 9.41 per cent.
at Chicago, $40 per cent. at Boston, with Phisa-
delphia, st. Louis, Cincinnati, and San Fran
cisco following in order.
There were l1,246,545 registered articles hal
died and 4,751,s72 pieces of undelivered mail
speaking of the work of the Dead Letter Office
the report says
1.-The amount realized from the sales of arti-
cles for which no owner can be found is de-
posted in the United States Treasury The
proceeds of the last auction sale, which was in
January, 1884, was $1,9l5.43: The money sepa-
stored to the sender is also placed in the Treas
ury, and the amount deposited during the year
was $7,239.47. The value of postage stamps
received 6 from various sources and destroyed
eral Maynard ordered that such useful
printed matter as had previously been
da fs waste The 81 h f be
hospitals. asylums. and other charitable and re-
Columbia. THIS practice stu prevails, and
Christmas cards, valentines, etc., We're dis
posed of in that way during the year"
During the year there were 1883 appoint
Der being $40 less than during the preceding
year. There are now 71,671 employees in the de-
partment
ment of the free delivery system, holding that
it encourages method in the delivery OF mail
and stimulates correspondence. He recon-
mends that in densely populated districts ham
so as to bring them within the scope of the
law which allows a free system to every post
office having more than 10000 patrons.
Mr.. Hatton, citing the fact that the free
delivery system earned last year S., 273 27s. 25
over its expenditures, says he is convinced the
time has come for the reduction Of postage of
The department views with jealous eye the
growth Of the messenger service system, and the
Postmaster General describes the duty of the
postal service in the matter OF quick local de-
livery, as follows:
1.-The necessity and demand, in cities, for
prompt transmission and delivery Of letters
passing between business men and others has
resulted in the establishment, in many places, of
what may be termed letter express companies,
which, by the employment of messenger boys,
are enabled greatly to facilitate intercourse Of
ia chs for NOR aaGia oil,
persons, and others engaged in active life. 1t is
done at a small expense and with so much sys
tenn and promptness as seriously TO diminish the
revenues Of the department at several letter
carrier offices. The patronage which is ex-
tended to these companies affords evidence that
the free delivery system, Notwithstanding its
facilities and benefits, has not progressed so far
as to meet all the wants of energetic business
life in large commercial cities. Therefore, fur
Their Improvement of the service in this particu-
lar should, in my Judgment, be attempted, not
with a purpose to make it as useful as
possible. I am of opinion that the public
have a right to expect that this department
should make the same effort to serve them
promptly and faithfully in the transmission and
delivery OF letters as is done by private parties.
know of no way in which this can be better
accomplished than by the use of special
postage stamp for letters mailed and intended
for special and prompt delivery at free-delivery
OFFICES This stamp should be of the denomina-
ton of ten cents, and. when affixed to letter,
in addition to the proper postage charge, should
insure for it as speedy delivery as possible
after its reception at any letter-carrier Office.
This outside distribution could be effected by
employing messenger boys, at small salary,
and in such numbers as the circumstances
should warrant. am satisfied such an effort
to accommodate hNlpupias would still further
commend the delivery service to its patrons
in the large cities where 1t Is in operation"
The Postmaster General says he agrees with
the Secretary of War that those officers of the
department who handle money should be in
sured by corporations instead Of being required
to give an official bond, the solvency of which is
always in doubt.
The report expresses confidence in the eff
cheney of the star route service, but urges the
amendment of the laws relating to contracts in
that branch so as to give the awards to persons
who live along the line of the route, and thus
stop the speculation business.
Tribute Is paid to the postal clerks. The re-
port deplores any attempt to weed out this
branch Of the service without cause
In conclusion the report gives data of the
routine working of the department and urges
the development of the foreign mail system
generally, especially with Mexico. It also
approves the suggestion made by the superin-
tendent that postal notes be amended to be
payable to order If desired, and describes the
work on various buildings and facilities of the
department.
VIM. TURNER, the American sculptor,