The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-04

special appropriations for increased
pay is to be continued, he calls atten-
tiou to the settled application of such
appropriation to the payment of one or
two lines of road and the absence OF
any such means to secure, by contract,
better connections between New York
and New England.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
After submitting, through the re-
port, various recommendation relating
to the improvement of the service, the
Postmaster-G General submits the fol-
lowing as of more general interest:
OWNERSHIP BY GOVERNMENT OF POST
OFFICE BUILDINGS.
We are well prepared in this depart
ment, and it was reported favorably by
the committees of both Houses, but
not acted upon at the last session, to
provide standard fixed returns show
ing the amount of business transacted
at each Office, which would give the
Postmaster General power to purchase
sites and erect permanent buildings for
postoffice purposes. l had the honor
to furnish the committees with data
showing that. in my Judgment, sound
business principles dictated such pol
icy and demonstrating that it would
be measure of economy for govern
ment, by comparison with the present
system of leasing. From my expert
enCe in the matter of making new
leases, or renewing old ones, l am led
to present the subject to Congress with
much earnestness."
WITH THE NEW COMMERCIAL SOUTH,
hestates, that by special appropriations
to few of the railroads the impress
sion has been given that the depart
ment has the disbursement of a fund
for all, and dissatisfaction is created
by the increased pay to some for
service no more needed, ii so much, as
that on the lines of others who receive
no such special fayors. Notwithstand-
! ing the absence of any such funds he
proceeds to show, in addition to many
special additions, the improved SER
vice upon shorter lines than many
| through fast mails had been attended
by negotiation and contract. The
through fast mails east are the first in
history of the department..
CONTRASTING THE SERVICE.
Statistics are submitted contrasting
our service with that of Great Britain,
Germany and France, demonstrating
that in the cheapness of postage, gross
revenue and expenditures, the number
of postoffices, the extent of mail routes.
mileage of mail service and volume of
mail matter transmitted, the postal sys-
TEN of the United States is leading the
world The average number of pieces
of mail matter to each inhabitant OF the
several countries named, taking the
last census as basis of calculation, is
now about as follows: United States,
pieces per capita, II; Great Britain,
pieces per capita, 81; Germany, pieces
per capita, Al; France, pieces per capita,
81.
PoURTH-CLAss PosToFFICEs.
have had the honor to recommend
a revision of the law regulating the
compensation of fourth-class post
masters, by which The compensation
shall be permitted, which was intended
| by the act of Congress, of fixing stan
dard. The amount of postage received
| has furnished q standard of compensa-
ton to those officials. They mum Der
81 ,874. There has been no readjust-
ment of the rate of compensation in
harmony with the reduction of postage
rates. Increased labor has been imposed
| by the increased business resulting from
a lower postage, which, at the same
time, has reduced the compensation.
The attention of Congress is requested
to the recommendation of the first
assistant postmaster-general regarding
the classification of clerks attached to
the larger postofhces. While the
free delivery service, with its
! 1853 offices, has received marked legis-
lation and consideration providing
the careful classification and promo
ton OF carriers, and providing substi-
tutes for vacations and holidays and
limitation in the appropriation for but
eight hours service per day, at total
cost for that service, during the current
fiscal year of about 81 100000 of money,
there has been provided for the cost of
clerks in all the postoffices in the
increase of the free delivery offices for
the current year will exceed forty.
ALLOWANCE FOR RENT FOR THIRD CLASS
OFFICES.
The act of Congress approved July "a,
1888, authorized the allowances for rent
and fuel and lights for third-class post
offices, as frequently recommended by
the department. On July LIST, 1888,
], 90S Offices were assigned to the third
class, and under operation of the exist
ing law, eighty additional Offices were
assigned to the third-class from Octo-
Der LIST, 1888, making total of l 98S.
The limitations of said act, by which
the maximum annual rent fer an office
of the third-class was fixed at $500, and
the maximum allowance for fuel and
lights at $50, should, in my opinion, be
repealed, as the best interests of the
service requiring discretionary author
ity in the head OF the department to fix
this allowance, having regard for local
needs.
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
The Postmaster-General calls atten-
ton to the franking privileges, and