The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-22
THE GOVERNMENTS AFFAIRS
PoStmaster-General Vilas's Report of
the Condition of His Department.
Report of the Chief Signal 0fFicer-Thc Chief
of the Bureau of Construction and Repair
Reports on the Navy.
THE PosToFF1cE DEPARTMENT.
Annual Report of Postmaster-General Villas
to- the President.

of the operations OF his department for the past
fiscal year. Concerning the transportation of
mails by railway he says:
''Fne entire length of all railways employed by
the United States nearly equals the combined
extent of those of all other countries of the
world, while the other post routes more than
quadruple the total Of any single people, besides;
and. by the latest reports received the mileage
last year of our mail transportation exceeded bv
more than 125. 600, 600 miles the service rendered
TO any other government OF postoffices no
other nation has one-third number a
marked feature of advantage to our people and
of ioerahty IN policy We expend annually
more money than any other to
maintain postal facilities, and if the
postal telegraph service be excluded from the
reckoning, We derive greater revenue. At the
same time. no service is maintained at more
economy of expenditure for results. No Stats
teal account is main tanned in the United States
Of the Quantity. in weight or number of pieces,
of our domestic mails: hut, from the number of
postal cards, stamps and pieces of stamped paper
sold to the public, it may be unqnestionaby af-
frmed that the mail matter handled by our
postal service greatly outweighs and ousnumbers
that of any other postal system Trustworthy
estimates place the number of letters mailed
during last year at 100. 600, 900 more than were
mailed in Great Britain, long the leading letter
writing nation, and nearly that number more
than were mailed in Germany, France and Aus
tria combined. Excluding Germany it is thought
all other postal union countries do not together
carry so many newspapers in their mails did
ours last year. OF all pieces of matter mailed,
the proportion to each inhabitant of the United
States is estimated at sixty six of Great Britain
st fifty of Germany at nineteen"
At the close of the year there were SO, GA post
Offices besides 497 branches or stations. During
the year II were added to the presidential list,
making a total of 2,244, 45 third class
offices having been relegated to the fourth class.
"a -. -
this list, Is are of the first class, gain of 4; 400
Of the second class, gain of II; l., 769 of the
third class, loss of TO- In the fourth class there
was gain of 1851, the Offices being 3,482.
while 1120 were discontinued and IL became
presidential. At the end of the year there were
1909 money-order Offices and 80 money-order
stations.
OF appointments of postmasters the Postmas-
ter-general says: ''The appointments of post
masters during the last fiscal year numbere
altogether %, TAI, of which 8, 112 were made to
fill vacancies occasiored by designations ex-
pired commissions 587 to vacancies caused by
death, 3'4o2 on the estaoIlsnmsnt Or new otnces'
and 9;566 upon reiiovals OF the total mum rec
of appointments I,039 were made by yourself,
the vacancies having occurred from the follow
commission, 46S; by designations, 253; by death,
"a; by removals suspensions, 247, and to
Offices which had been assigned from the fourth
to the third class, A."
The appointments on removals and suspen-
sions during the year were SOC, against $40 for
the previous.year The greatest number similar
ly appointed in any one year since 1868 was 2o9l,
in 1869 The number of appointments on reslg-
nations or expirations Of commissions was 9,ll2,
the largest number reported in any one year
since 1868.
After referring at length to the subjects of
postmasters' mpensation, supplies, allowances,
clerical service claims for losses etc. the Post
master-general says of the free-deiivery service:
''The free delivery service by carriers was,
during the last year, extended TO three cities,
Aurora H.: Duluth, Mimi, and Newport, kyr
making on the Both of June, 1885, Isl freeoellv-
cry offices in all. The limits imposed by law on
the discretion of the Department in extending
the SYSTEM have nearly been reached, and unless
they be expanded the addition of other commu-
mites to the enjoyment of the privileges OF the
system will be few, as from year to year, they
gradually attain to the population or volume OF
business required.
'"The statistics show the continued enlarge
ment of the machinery performances and cost or
the Service but only in the general ratio OF postal
progress in recent years. or carriers, there was
an increase of 483, giving total number or T. SAL
The cost rose by the amount of $326. 3o4 10, or
8 IS per cent to total cum of So, 3l2, gut. ~
This, however, was over $22O, OO0 less than the
estimates of the Department.. and within the ap-
nrorriaton of 81 4S5 600 by $112, 693. 80. Consd-
cradle par. of this unexpended balance results
from the changes made in carriers at various OF
fees, the newly APPOINTED being required to en-
ter at a lower grade of salary than was often
paid to those displaced, while the estimates were
based upon the rates of pay of those in the SER
vice when they were made.
"The number of pieces of mail matter, count
ing collections and deliveries, handled by the
carriers during the year was l,943.520, 599. an
fho Taro
II. 75 per cent, while the carriers increased but
H. 08 per cent IN number
.sThe average number Of pieces handled by
each carrier was 402, 7lO. gain OF 2,4O3. or DIV
of per cent The average cost per piece was
2omiils as against 2 the year before, a gain OF
one-tenth of mill; and the average cost per car
rier was but$389 Is, as against $9l2sO, olmln-
ishment of 500 75 or 2 6 per cent rms was Que
in part to the increased number or carriers IN
the lower grades already mentioned. and In
mart to the increased efficiency in work shown
bv the greater average number handled by the
individual carrier.
1.-THE amount of postage on local matter IS re-
ported at So S39, 242 81, an increase or Sooo,
51o 81 or 10 81 per cent on the previous year,
while the excess of such postage over the COST OF
the service was ST. 52G, 936. II. a gain OF $232
I65 72, or H. SO per cent
CAT only nineteen offices the receipts from To-
col hostage exceeded the cost of this service: but
or those the excess was sufficient to overbalance
tha deficiency of all the rest by the amount
stated There was in most of the free-oellvery
offices better showing in this feature.
.srhe recommendation in the last annual re-
nort for the extension of the discretionary llmta-
tons of this service to places of l0. 900 inhaoit-
ants. or $4,000 of gross annual revenue
respectfully renew The argument in It's favor
Twill not repeat as little need be said In add
ton to what was then presented, TO one VINO IA
vors The hestowal of the utmost feasible priyi-
leges to our citizens"
During the year there were issued in the
money-order department. 400 3O2 domestic OF. or,
ders amounting to nearly $ll4. 0OO, OOO; o s99 so
423 aforementioned orders. amounting to 81, 1885,
786 81 besides which almost 81 900. 600 was paid
on foreign oFders Inc fees received were $i'
Ola SOC. 2g-fsss bv 50. 500 60 than during me
year naec.ding The total net revenue to the
tres<ury was $3.50, 55l 81, sam more than suf,
naiInt 70 ~ ALI cost of the money order clerical