The National tribune., 1885-12-24

Alexander, of Iowa, and Treas, Gen. j. &. Bon
| nett, of Nebraska. Executive Committee-New
England States, Gen. Elisha II. Rhodes OF
Rhode Island Middle States, Maj. Andrew d.
| Hepburn, of Pennsylvania; Southern States,
Gen d. II. Maury, of Virginia; Western States,
| Horace ID. Ramlett, of California.
FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT THE MAILS.
The annual report of Postmaster General
| Villas shows an increased deficiency of the
postal revenues to sustain the cost OF tho
postal service. The statement shows that
the ordinary postal revenue for the past
year was $40, Isl ,91053; moneyorder business,
! $40S. .933 30; expenditures to Sept. 80, 1850,
| $40 9,317, 1854; estimated outstanding labll-
| ties, $1S5, ,000 estimated cash deficiency, 81
O41, ,3f45S; odd amounts credited to Pacific
| railway companies for transportation during
| the year. 81 $40, ,226. SO, making total net de-
| fcency of $S,3S1 ,511.41. Comparative tables
| embracing the two preceding years are lncluo-
ed and Mr. Villas feels warranted in saying
that the general result to the public treasury
| through the transactions of his Department. Is
| shown to have changed from the receipt OF a
cash surplus of nearly $2,000,000 to an out
lay of over $7,000,000 surplus of cost, or the
difference in the pecuniary results OF the serv-
| ice realized during the two years exceeds S9,-
1000 due to the decrease in the revenue,
which amounts in total only to 1924, ,S4o.'o;
I a,
lures to the extent of ST, 6,950.o0 OF which
| Sc 6042 1919 have been in the cash dlsburse-
ments and S424, ,516.6l in the cost of traHsporta-
ton upon the Pacific railroads. Chiefly, the
| decrease of revenue has resulted from the di-
minishment in the rate of letter postage from
| three to two cents upon the half-ounce. which
| was the unit of weight during the period, while
the increase of expenditures has arisen prln-
cipally from the natural increase of mails to be
carried and the extension of the service.
OF the reduction in the revenues, he says 1t
may be inferred that the rate of postage has been
reduced too greatly to justify the expectation
that the service will again become sell lt-sustaln-
| ing. comparative table on the loss OF receipts
limited to the receipts of postage alone, shows
that. for the year ended June 80, 1883, the re-
| ceipts were S43 160, 262 90; in 1884, S4O,S56,-
7286S; in 1885, $i0,056, ,226.69. The depressed
condition of general business throughout the
| country has contributed to the reduction OF
| revenue during the past year Not only mas
the volume of commercial communications been
| lessened but many other uses of the mall,
| which in prosperous times were freely accepted,
| have been diminished in extent .Ihe revenue
from the money order service was diminished
during the year from S519, ,492.OS in 1854 to
SI0S, ,933. 80 for the present, which reduction is
also due to unfavOrable circumstances, another
evidence of which is attested in the Division of
| Registration, which reports decrease of regis
tered domestic letters and parcels of 296, o33.
The First Assistant Postmaster Generals re-
port shows that 2,02t offices were established
leaving the total number to be 81 ,252, of which
2233 were Presidential and 40 0I9 fourth-class
More new offices were created in the Southern
States than in any other section. The number
of appointments of PostmaSterS during the
| year was II 203. The number of removals was
S10 The carriers delivery service has con-
tinued to meet with favor, and LIS cities now
enjoy this convenience; 4,35S carriers are en-
~, nl ok arnN1
537, ,413 pieces of matter. Above 51,0OO,0O0
| blanks were issued during the year, above Co.
100000 facing Slips $4,000 pounds of twine,
over 81, 900 record books, and more than 1900
reams of wrapping paper, representing S355.-
| 3G682. The aggregate salaries OF the PreSl-
Dental PostmasterS as adjusted was $3.50 6o0
while the gross receipts of their offices were
$3l, 1872 300.
The total cash expenditures for the transpor-
| tation of the mails has risen to the sum of ST.
| 936 691 81, or about 10 per cent, as against an
increase of per cent. for the preceding year.
The increase for last year is due to increased
aud prompter payments to railways, there hav-
ing been less increase in the cost of star serv-
ice than during the previous year and de-
crease in the cost of steamboat service of S24,-
642. 50. The increase in the item of postal
clerks compensation was S274S5231 against
$253, ,324 az for the previous year. The increased
expenditures of free delivery was S4Sl, ,746.03
|
TIE total sum for the cost of the service for the
year figures up S50,9i2, ,415.24.
The Second Assistant Postmaster-General,i in
his report, shows that the mail service covered
12l,032 miles, at cost of Sl4,758,49o, or
Sl2l95 per mile, during the year. The increase
was 43 routes, 1872 miles, and Sl,Gl5,3SO in
annual cost The cost of railway post-oifices,
III addition to the mileage compensation, was
81, ,S69 483. Steamboat service was performed
on 116 routes, aggregating in length 1887
miles. The star service numbered IL, 81 routes,
aggregating in length 232, 222 miles, at an
annual charge of $5,414,S0i an increase of 642
routes, 5443 miles, and 1924, ,963 in cost.
The entire weight of newspaper and peri
odical matter carried was 80, $50 tons, on which
postage to the amount of 81 or, 1926 was
collected.
"swEET CHARITY"
Charitable enterprises are fashionable in
Washington, and many of the first ladies "
devote much time and labor to them. Presi-
dent Arthur's daughter, Miss Nellie, a mere
girl, with few of her companions started what
is known as the Christmas Club" Its object
is to gladden. the hearts of poor children by a
Christmas dinner and gifts appropriate to the
day. 1t began on small scale, but increased
its scope until now several hundred children
are feasted each year. Miss Arthur was Presi-
dent of the Club while she remained here. This
year Miss Mollie Villas, daughter of the Post
master General, was chosen President. At the
meeting the following touching letter from Miss
| Cleveland was read
EXECUTIVE MANSION WASHINGTON, Dec 18. 1885
My DEAR MoIIIE: / am glad you are going to
| take the lead in the Christmas Club for remember
ing the poor children who have one to make
Christmas for them. If you think it over, that is
the true Christ part of Christmas for you know He
taught, not only by His words, but by His own life
that it is more blessed 10 give than to receive y
1t takes long time to learn that by heart, and il
we all began when we were children we would not
, be dreaduly selfish grown-up people, and there
would be great deal more comfort all around.
hope will find out every forlorn, neglected boy
and girl and surprise them with good dinner and
: something nice to take home and keep to remem
Der you by. and, what is great deal better, to
member Christ by. 1 shall try to call in at youI
meetiug this afternoon before il is over but may
be little late; but you dear biollie the
President, 1T VIII not matter how many common
4 people like me are late.
Yours, always, ROSE ELIZABETH CLEVELAND.
CALLERS AT THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE OFFICE
$ G. Coolidge, 171st Ohio, Painesville, o.
The Value Of an EyelaSII.