Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-11
POSTOFFlCE BUSINESS.
Synopsis of the Annual Report of
Second Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral LnOtt.
In the Star Service ar Increase Of ga
ROutes-ImpOrtant Recommends
tiOnS.

WASHINGTON, Nov 1.-The estimates
of the expenses of the postal service for
the next fiscal year aggregates S56,342,-
$50, while the appropriations for the
current year was $54, $685. 1868, showing an
increase in the estimates for the next
year of S976,286. This increase is made
up of the following items: COmpensa-
ton of clerks in postOffice, 100000; ad-
diti0nal expenses of the free delivery
system, $246, 1863; Second Assistant Post
master Generals Office, $4,000; Third
Assistant Postmaster Generals Office,
$247, 800; foreign mail service, $4,000.
The estimated ordinary revenue for the
next fiscal year is 1862, 500, and the
revenue from the money-order system
$650,O0, making total estimated
revenue of S50,612, 598. The estimated
deficiency in receipts as compared with
expenditures during the next year is
placed at So, 728, 594, while it is estimated
that the current fiscal year will show a
deficiency of $6,543, GA.
REPORT OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT.
From the annual report of the Second
Assistant Postmaster General A. Leo
Knott, it appears that on the Both of
June, 1886, there were in operation
throughout the United States 22,799
routes of all classes on which mail service
was performed, at an annual rate of ex-
penditure at the close of the last fiscal
year of $2O,O26,658. The aggregate
length of all these routes was 387 1856
miles, on which there was an aggregate
annual travel of 258,788,O65 miles. The
report states that from April 1, 1886, to
June 80, 1886, the total savings in annual
rate of cost in this department of the
postal service effected by orders and by
new contracts for transportation and
mail equipments were 81, 840,786. In the
star service there was an increase of 874
routes, and of 1893 miles in length, and
a decrease of $62,625 in annual rate of
expenditure. In the mail messenger SER
vice there was an increase of 20 routes
and decrease of S44, 1857 in the annual
rate of expenditure. In the steamboat
service, there was an increase of one
route and a decrease of 1855 miles, and
of S116,583 in annual rate of cost, the
steamboat service thus dispensed with
being supplanted by railway and star
service. In the railroad service there
was an increase of eighty one routes, of
1901 miles in length, and of $761, 695 in
annual rate of cost. In the railway pos
tai car service there was a decrease of
S0o;Ioo, OF Z.J4 per cent, III the annual
rate of cost. The annual rate of expen-
diture for railroad transportation on June
30, 1885, was $12,52O,191, as against $14.-
758, 495 on June 80, 1885.
The estimates for the next year are
$25,867, 1862, being an increase of only
1922, $50 over the appropriations for the
current year. Ia the Star service there
was an increase of 7.12 per cent. in the
quantity of service, and a decrease in the
rate of cost of 9.68 per cent. as compared
with the preceding five years.
The report closes with a recommends
ton for change in the method of COM
pensating railway mail service. Under the
present law railways are paid according
to the average daily weight carried both
ways. On account of the many 1ncon-
gruities under this method of adjusting
the compensation of change is recon-
mended by the substitution of a space
basis instead of weight basis as pay.
1t is believed that this method will, with
out seriously affecting the present
service, make saving of about $780,
900 per year, in the annual expendi-
lures,