The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-25
THE POSTOFFICE.
The Number of Offices and What
it Costs to Run Them.
Annual Reports Of Various Officials
to the Postmaster-GeneraL

Stevenson mas SuOmltGe1 20 Gne pOSVmaS Ger-
general his annual report upon the opera
tions Of his bureau for the fiscal year ended,
June 81, 1885. From thu report it seems that
the number Of postofloe, established was
2,13l, and the number discontinued $50,
making the whole number Of postofices at
the end Of the fiscal year 5l,252, a net in
crease of 1885 during tbs year. The mum
Der Of Offices subject to appointments by the
President presidential grade) was 2,2SSS, and
the number subject to appointm ,nt by the
postmaster. general fourth class was 1903.
The whole number Of appointments during
the year was II ,2O5, made up as follows: On
designations and commissions expired, 6,204;
removals and suspensions, $40; changes OF
names and sites, 207; deaths Of postmasters,
Az; establishment OF new Offices, 1921. The
increase in the number of postofices was dis.
lributed as follows: New England States,
Is: Middle States and District Of Columbia,
ILL.,; Southern States and Indian Terri
tory, G3s; the ten States and six
Territories Of the West and Northwest,
375; the three States and three Terri
greatest increase in any State or Territory
was 1N, in Virginia. The increased in Dakota
for the year was seventy-one and in Mlssls-
sippi ffty-nine. The only decrease was in
Nevada. The six States having the largest
number Of postotfices were: Pennsylvania,
1884; New York, !, l57, Ohio, 2,725: Illinois,
2,1SS; Virginia, 2,OS4. and Missouri, l,99o:
New York contained the largest num5e OF
presidential o:Ices-213.
Ths total number Of money order offices
wa; 6,993-an increase Of TAD over the pre-
ceding year.
Under the head Of the free delivery system
| the report states that tho number OF free
delivery offices at the close Of the year was
l?S-an increase OF l9, and the number OF
carriers i, 35S-an increase of 46S. The entire
cost Of the service was S3,9S5,953, leaving an
unexpended balance Of S7s,o4I Inc service
has now been extended to nearly all cities
having a population Of 2O,OO) inhabi-
tants or returning $4,000 gross
receipts per annum, and its
further extension must, under the law, await
the growth of cities to the requirements
above noted, or the qualifications must be
lowered by legislation. The first assistant
postmaster-g general says that In view OF the
success Of this system, its convenience to the
public and other merits, in his Judgment
warrants the recommendation that authority
be conferred by legislation for its extension
to places Of 10, U00 inhabitants having a gross
revenue Of $4,000.
AS a result Of the annual adjustment Of
salaries, fourteen offices were edded to the
presidential list and i34 Offices were RELOCATED
to the fourth class. The grand total OF gross
quarters ended March 81, 1855, amounted to
$3l, T9o, 22U, and the aggregate salaries Of the
postmasters will absorb ll.42 per cent
Of the revenues. The postal re-
caipts, says General Stevenson, form.
ing the basis Of the salaries Of presidential
postn,asters, huctuate with the favorable o.
%unfavorabls condition Of the bushes OF the
country. At the present time reports show
that the country is entering upon an era OF
than s., SO,, 900 will be rsquiredto pay tho sal
aries Of presidential possna,te during tie
fiscal year ending June ~. 1881.
From the annual report OF General Super
intendent Jameson, OF the railway mil SER
vice. it appears thai the mileage increase dur.
ing the past year was only 4,OU7 miles. In
crease in the number Of pieces OF mail mat
ter handled, exclusive Of registered matter,
was 42S, 397, 5OJ. In a total distribution OF
1913, U59, 400 pieces, the number Of errors
char5eab!e to the clerks OF the railway mail
service was but SS7, 7J4, or ona error to each
5,514 pieces handled, being at the rate Of 224
errors per clerk per annunl. The average
percentage of mail correctly distributed
was 90. 90. This is the highest rate attained
since the establishment of the service. The
Superintendent recommends that Congress be
asked to empower the postmuster-general to
pay to the widow or minor children OF any
clerk killed while on duty an amount equal TO
one years salary of the grade to which the
deceased belonged ut tho time OF his death.
Sixth Auditor McConville has also submit
ted to the postmaster-general his annual re-
port upon the financial operations of the post
Office department during the last fiscal year
From the report it appears that the gross
postal revenues were 81, $50, S43: eA-
penditures, $49,3l7, lSS; excess Of e1-
penditurcs over revenues, So, 7o6,345. 10
this deficiency, says the auditor, should be
added the amounts certified to the Pacific
railroads for mail transportation Sl.34O,2 26)
and the estimated ~unadjustsd liabilities for
1885 1926, 0W) making a total deficiency OF
1881, ST.. The deficiency last year was ST.
967.425, or $3,414, 146 less than the present
deficit.
The revenues show a falling off Of S765, lis,
while the expenditures have increase $2,912,-
1928. This result is attributed to the reduction
In letter postage and to general business de-
preston. The principal items Of expenditure
$13, ,3l3; postmasters' salaries, $l1:24S:-
VS.; salaries Of p~ostoAlce clerks, S4,s73,S53;
star route transportation, $5,403,259;
railway postal clerks, sa,2ae'G 99 ~:
free delivery service, " s., 9S5,952
railway postal car service, 81, 709, 236; trans
portation Of foreign mails, $325, 462. The
value Of the postage stamps sold was S4O,
O5U, 226. The profits of the money order bust
ness were S4OS, 933; the amount of the bal,
ances paid by foreign countries for mai
Transportation wa s66, 955, n the amount
paid by the United States to foreign coun-
tries for like service was $T4,S59.