Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-12
THE pos1.oFFlcE DEPARTMENT

THE PosT-oFFlCE DEPARTMENT
The Generals Report-A Con-
siderable Reduction in Revenues Caused
by the Lower Rate nj Postage-Estt-
mates for the Ensuing 1ear-An Exten-
sion of the Frce-Delivery System Hecom-
mendcd.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-PostmasterG Cen
eral IIatton has given his report to the pub
lie. For the fiscal year the revenues were
S43, 33S. 127.OS; the expenses. S46,4O4, 96O.65,
leaving a deficit of S., O66. S33.57, to which
are added outstanding debts and the cred
its of the Pacific Railroads, raising the ex-
cess of the disbursements over the evennes
to SIS, 204.4S4.12. The revenues were ST.
17O>565, 50 less than for the preceding year,
owing to the reduction of postage from
three to two cents. The amount
paid postmasters was ST., $50, S30.S7, all
increase of S96S. 43G.41 over that OF
the previous year, and 1888, S30.S7 IN
excess of the appropriation. This excess,
MIR. 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 Offices before making
their returns to the department. The az
gregatc amount appropriated for the serv-
~ ~ WIN N''I Ntt' 'ti's' W WHY
016.97 more than the amount disbursed on
account thereof, and 1886, 394.07 less than
the total disbursements and outstanding
liabilities.
The estimates for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1856, are:
RECEIPTS.
Ordinary postal $50 12, 5000
Money-order business. 400,V00.O
s5l,27 s2o.A
DISBURSEMENTS.
All expenses, including Pacific
railroad credits. $50. 0G9. 16G. 10
Deficiency to be supplied. .........$ 1926 49.a6
The reduction of postage affected the
sales of postal CARTS so that the number is
sued last year was 16,64O, 900 less than the
preceding year. Thecollections on second
class matter were 81, $50, 500. IA, an increase
of S1s4,414,61 over the preceding year. OF
this source of revenue 24.9o per cent was
collected in New York, GAL per cent. at
Chicago, O.42 per cent. at Boston, with Phil
adelphia, st. Louis, Cincinnati and San
Francisco following in order.
There were 11,246,545 registered articles
handled and 4, 751,S72 pieces of undelivered
mail were received at the dead-letter Office.
During the year there were II, 953 APP
pointments to places in the postal service,
the number being $40 less than during the
preceding year. There are now 1911 en-
ployes in the Department.
Considering the. Investigations made by
special agents during the year the report
says:
Tho result of these Investigations was graft
Tying to the Department. Dishonest and neg
6gent officials were discovered. The former
We're Sns;,n, rem3vcd l, and the latter were
their duties. In a large number Of cases
where postlmasters were discovered to he
ligencc or a lack of ability to manage the AZ
fairs of their offices. Too many postlnnsters
feel warranted in regarding their positions
as slnecures, and feel free to give their atten-
ton to other business, content to draw their
salaries as officials, leaving the work Of man
"ging their offices to others. This should not
e allowed. POstmaSterS at first and second
! lass offices should be required to give their
entire time to their official duties, and should
noI pe pernlltted 10 engage IN any othcr otls1-
ness thut requires any portion of the time for
which they are paid by tho Government. This
result should be brought about even if it re-
qulrcs Il statutory enactment to effect it.
The Postmaster-General urges the devel-
opment OF the free-delivery system, holding
that it encourages method in the delivery of
mail and stimulates correspondence. He
recommends that in denSely populated dis
tricts hamlets be united in their postal ac-
commodations, so as to bring them within
the scope OF the law which allows a free
system to every post-o11ice having more than
10000 patrons.
Mr.. Hatton, citing the fact that the free
delivery system earned last year $1,273,-
27S.25 over its expenditures, says he is con-
WINGED the time has come for the reduction
OF postage of local letters.
The department. views with jealous eye
the growth of the messenger-service sys-
tenn, and the POStmaSter-General describes
the duty Of the postal service in the matter
of quick local delivery as follows:
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 COM
enger boys. are enabled greatly to facilitate
intercourse of this character among mer-
e enaafs, pf in ae3iVa lI Hs,so1 + and a. do others pf
a small expense and with SO much sys-
TEN and promptness as seriously to diminish
letter carrier ofices. The patronage which is
Gxten1ed to these c6impapies affords evidence
that tn the t irsans!y onG Ssy snsad. R9swi nnt and.
Of energetic business life in large com.
mercial cities. Therefore, further improve
in my judgment, be attempted, not only
to prevent II loss Of revenue, but with a pur-
pose to make it as useful us possible. am of
that this department should make tho same
effort to serve them promptly and faithfully
III the TRANSMISSION and delivery OF letters US
is done by private parties. l know of no way
in which this can be better accomplished than
by the use OF a special postage.s stamp for let
tiers mailed and intended for special and
prompt delivery at free-delivery offices.
This stamp should be Of the denomination
OF ten cents, and, when affixed to IL letter,
in addition to the proper postage charge,
should insure for it as speedy a delivery as
possible after its reception at any lctter-car-
rier office. This outside distribution could be ef-
fected by employing messcnger-boys at a small
sVlary, and i'll such numbers us the circum-
stances should warrant. I am satisfied such
an effort to the public would
Still further commend the free-delivery serv-
ice to its patrons i'll the largGcities whore it is
in operation.
The Postmaster-General says he agrees
with the Secretary OF Warthat those officers
OF the department who handle money should
be insured by corporations instead Of being
required to give an official bond, the solyen-
| cy OF which is always in doubt.
The report expresses confidence in the
efficiency Of the Star-route service, but
urges the amendment of the laws relating
to contracts IN that branch 50 as to give the
awards to persons who live along tie line of
the route, and thus stop the speculation
| business:
TrtIpf, sr ,>n;l - &l> ..a,l,1 11- rl-,