Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-02

dnctiOn OF The rate OF postage on no,veoa.
pers and periodicals, tho Introduction of
The pccinldellycry system, and The in-
proving business condition of the coun-
Try, that the deductions and expectations
which might have been iusiincd upon n
survey of the business 81 tho pnWl year
p0ssesacs but very moderate value hi
aiding opinion upon ihe probable revenue
when VIII be gathered BY the department
from The transactions OF this year. IL IA
fairly certain That fsall2atiou 0i Tho nsti.
mate OF g pf0bnble 35te73, 820.24 sub.
uliltcd no lhc iaat nnnual report from this
office, before the legislation Wns enacted
which required the changes mentioned,
cannot be regarded 90 possible. Audoyen
al this time no satisfactory calculation
eau be mde which VIII AFFORD any rclla-
ule approximation 10 The result.
The third resistant postmaster general
hns made nn elaborate review 0f the sta.
tistlcal showing Ut scvcml years, which
contains many fact more interesting, w a
historical aspcct ihHn, ar he wisely con-
clndcs, OF headlight power.
IN the hope OF obtaining data 90 which
70 buse something better than conjecture
OF the effect 20 follow The increase nf The
unit OF weight OF Histclaes matter from a
half ounce 10 an ounce, direction was
given lhht officer 20 cause count oi the
matter affected by the change, as well as
OF unscnled pnrCeH, during slX days IN
September 90 ttp twenty pustOhlces
which transact the most postal business,
THIS was done with AA much care and iu
~ many forms as seemed likely to be
useful, and The results are see forth IN HIS
report. OthNr clements, tho usual differ
cnoe Va business between summer and
an autumn month"; uud especially a rCeog.
nlzrd returning commercial activity, have
80 entered into thc llgures secured that
any conclusions from them demand much
qualification. Comparison OF The two
periods shows Rn Increase in September
T. those Offices Of over ~ pufccntum in
the number OF pieces OF llrstclass mattcr
of over So per cent ia weight, aud Of o
per cent IN the average weight por piece.
In leltgrs Weighing half Hn ounce or less,
there WIS gu inorcase Of 1913 per cont. IN
number, and Of % % an ounce IN aver
age weight per piece. In letters Weighing
over q half ounce, but not over an ounce,
there was an Increase OF $3.50 per cent IN
number, and a decrease of ~ of nm ounce
in average weight per piece. There was
an average Increase ol 7G per cent. IN
number OF letters weighing over an ounce.
NlNil bAlN'A lhl NAhAiNAN NA' IAA ANA w III
his report
The principal results shown are, u gcn-
erul increase In the use OF The mails, some
decrcnsc. of the proportion OF letters
weighing less than half ounce, striking
Increase OF those Weighing more than a
hnli.ouncc. aud some tendency to mail,
more than formerly, sealed parcels
instead Of uuscncd. No special
value attaches 10 these results,
except some apparent realization of the
expectation that from the use OF heavier
stationery and other causes, many letters
viii now exceed the hali-ouucc, which
but for the change would have been kept
within that weight, aud that proportions
| ally more PACKAGES viii probably bo
| scaled; both being considerations tend
| ing TO lessen the loss Of revenue from
doubling the unit OF weight.
The thlrd-ussiSluut estimates the prob
able loss Of revenue for the year from
this cause at 100000, He rightly re-
CARDS II az n rough estimate, for no
means OF approximation are afforded.
| The results of the reduction of the rate
| from cents 10 ! cent per pound of sec
| Ond-clasE matter are moro capable of cstl-
mate Simply stated, IL strikes off one
hall the revenue from This source, and, 80
| FAR, there Is no indication of any marked
Increase in the quantity Of such matter to
compensate the loss The increased
| quantity this year promises 10 be only
about 3 per ccut on the whole Of Inst
| years transportation, merely natural
| growth. 80 short period has passed,
| however, that no Trustworthy inference
that this percentage win not prove greater
can fairly be assumed.
Upon the whole, the Indications of the
last six months Of the year passed. ~
| previously discussed, have been cor.
fobofnted by this count, and nptwlth-
standing the backscts from the two
changes In postage rates, the growing
| business activity promises to bear up the
revenue Of this yCnr TO better total than
was yielded during the last. The extent
| ol lts restoration appears now To be
merely conjecturnl The gain of the third
| quarter of the last fiscal y3ar over the
corresponding one OF the preceding ycnr
| from hostages was .0l2 per cent; OF
! the fourth quarter, ,02G per cent. The
| Indications point 10 Improvement of this
rate rather than its ltll, except upon Soc
| onu-class matter, and the year may re-
| suit 10 a general gain Of or & percent
! should the latter be renChcd, the cOmpu-
| lallon Of the thrd-asSistAnt piyes tho
approximate total NJ Sll ,030, 022 "a, arb
lntlly estimating the iucrcnsu In second
class matter 10 average per cent,
Upon the other side, there ARE grounds
| ON which 10 better place an expectation
| TINT the ratio OF increasing oxnpndlture
| VIII be- somewhat diminished during the
y'hr The two principal Items If nntlcl-
| paled large incroasc urc in rnilrond trans.
! puriAliun ana the ,ArrloT-dellyery serY4cq
III illo former, the statutes as, subslan-
llaiiy, the expenditures, and moderation
| on cost can only come from luglsmtloni
| ~ Tue laitoE extension is due In the wny
oil development, progress and Justice
Some other features OF cost ara also
regulated by hwj The compensation of
| ppslmastrr aud the carriage of Shin.
steamboat, aud way letters. OF t6e
lurihrr, the same cnnsrg viii opornte n
limitation which brought reduction dur
| llg the past year, aud 10 is anticipated
mere WIN be- u considerable uncXprnded
palhner OF the appropriation.
| ln the item OF rent, lIpht. and fnel for
p"sCoilces, The appropriation for the
year VIII probably be expended. a large
rAlenslon OF the demands UPON Il HAVING
peeh mndc by the act Of the last conrrrss
authorizing lenses Of thlru-class onlces.
plherWlkr, The Fcale of cypcnditnrc
! pWsll not to Increase corfeApondlpyly 10
| llN lauo VI gaining revenue. Tho fofnI
~ thr appropriations Tor the postal serv- (
zee Tor NE year. Is S58, 100000. IL lsl
now confidently anticipated TINT M ,ie-
NgirUcV Viii rrauit NM tt,,t. q, . q.