, 1885-07-01
LOWER LETTERS.
Postage Goes Down To-day on
Mail Matter.
Interesting Lot of Gossip From
Washington.
Mark Twain Makes a Call on
Gen. Grant.
Washington Notes.

-
hscal year, beginning tomorrow, the new
ieglsiation contained IN the post Office ap.
preparation bill will 90 INTO effect. e Pro
vision was also made for the establishment
oil Il system OF special delivery letters i'm
inediateiy upon their receipt at post
ohces, but the postmaster general has not
yet given the matter his personal consld-
Grafton 1t Is possible that the system
Will be tested IN n Of more OF the larg-
est cities next autumn, and this extension
VIII depend upon the result OF the expert
ment- Tomorrow letters weighing one
ounce or less may be sent through the
mans Tor two cents n the rate on news
papers mailed by publishers will be re-
duced from two cents to one cent per
pound From the reduction in news
paper rates a large defcit In the revenue
Is expected to result The deficit for the
year Just expiring is roughly estimated at
s4oo'ooo and the estimate for the new
nscal year contemplates a deficit OF 81
s2o'ooo. This estimate, however, was
prepared without the knowledge of the
reduction IN newspaper rates to be made
by congress during ITS last week S session.
In the opinion OF the financial officers of
the department, this legislation will cost
the government at least ; 'OOO'OOO during
the next hseal year. and Will swell the
excess oil the expenditures over the re-
eeiptS to S6,oOO,OOO
COMMANDER Terry Commanding the
squadron oil training SHIPS Portsmouth
jamestown and Saratoga writes to the
navy department from Lisbon on the 10th
inst tnat IN consequence oil the increase
OF cholera IN spanish ports he has
changed ms programme. Inc vessels
VIII go direct from Lisbon to MADEIRA
anu Will sal rom the later port about
july H. Tor the United States.
me president to-day appointed the iol-
lowing named gentleman directors Of the
uMoh racine railroad sfrancls ' ernan,
u We" iorki H. foyes' oil Ohio' ten.
r. T. Alexander, oil Augusta ia
rrahklh hcN eagh' oil ILLINOIS, and ..
w, savage oil Nebraska
IL Is estimated that there mas Deem a
decrease OIL ABOUT s~lu'ooo'ooo IN the pup
lc ueo. uurihg Tue month ol June
rhis VIII MAKE a 'o'al REDUCTION ior the
nsc" year enuing TO-DAY ABOUT Soo'oOo'-
wv Inc reduction during tue previous
lScai year was slul,Vou'oVo' Inc eXpen-
uieuies uurinR inc nscal year enueu To-Day
were ABOUT SSlo'oOo'ooo' and the receipts
aoou. So@l'V9o'VoV OF ABOUT S'iooo'ooo
less than the estimates.
some employees oil the supervising ar
chi'ects once ave oeeh pa'u GU OF a
iuhu not APPROPRIATED ior mat purpose,
anu Oohtroler Durham mas declded tina
inc payments tnus made were contrary 10
la"' anu should nave Deen MADE ron
INC una appropriated ior the supervising
archi'ec' $ ONCE
"A NUMBER oil transfers ana removals
LOOK place IN the treasury department to-
Jay, ana II Is expected 'ha' more VIII DC
made morrow twenty clerks IN the
classlned service VIII be dropped from the
the rolls ana the force IN the offices oil
the COMMISSIONS oil internal revenue n
oil the register were reduced by transfers
70 other omc's' u former loses apout
ABOUT thirly clerks ana the latter about
twenty Most oil the clerks dropped were
reeenuy borne on the rolls oil the inter
nal revenue bureau, but were detailed to
work IN other oinees' me changes IN
the register 5 omees were due to reduced
Appropriation several changes II the
Navigation pufeau' whieh hau been pro
vided Tor by congress- also went INTO ell
ieet
Inc INST comptroller OF the treasury has
received a letter rom Hon. ueo. Is. Lor.
ing commissioner OF agriculture dated