The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-11-26
UNCLE SANS BIG MAILS
What the Service Costs and Where the
Appropriations Went
uacr~a~e lee the Number nf l'O~tosaic~~ Dur
Ing tls~ Past Fiscal Y~ar-A ssill
Larger uncr~as~ Exp~~t-
ed N-xt Gear.

Wa~HtNs.roN. Nov. 2S.--Secoud Assist
ant Postmaster General Whitfield in his
annual IMPORT shows the annual rate of
expenditure for the. star route service tn
June ~, 1ss:'. was e, ~; ths, number
of routes 1907. and the aggregate length
2f,:SSi The appropriation for the last fis-
cal year was S,.AU,up, aud the sum ex-
pended N,,l1.. .i?5. The report says there
fore il il decidedly az, improvements. The
competition has ht'comc very close. and
awards have frequently hccu made at "a
rate =" low to prevent sub-lettinp at u
profit. The bidder then wilfully fails tn
as-,,,'" the service, trusting i'm adjust
nicnt with tln. department tn dismiss
ar IN some way cosnprosniss. the hnaiI-
cial io>s aud thereby messira-
bly avoid the uenal.ic- pr.scritcd.
Since beginning the present contract
term. July 1. lsSi. s,H.h bidders have
failed in unprecedented nunii,er and the
seriousness of the matter demands pr,,tnpt
and cncctual measures. Contractors wtio
have made low bids frequently award the
il at rIiinous rates and without sIii.,icni
equipment. and this result in many cases
is "A acor.csi's'sidiiiHiy poor service, leading,
frequently, to Icrsi-teiit Efforts toy sun-
contractors to- better their condition by
application for AN incr.nss, in the fire.
siuency of the trips, change of route,
schedule, etc., almost solely for the bci,.-
tit of the contractor Iip-s'ontrsactor and
not IN the interests of tie l".opie. Many
office wl,crs. sieiinsltiincie~ not
ported by the postmaster ts'cl,isc of - de
sire u, ttiti IltDrs isireitty heavy
burdens of fsiits-s.oritrslctors.
he report recommends the appoint-
ucnt of commission To- carefully con
si,icr the matter and recommend changes
The appropriation for the steamboat SER
Vice for the current fiscal year WAS Ss5O,-
| So25.OOU. The general tendency. however.
IL toward ~ siccrclss. OF stcaiIip.,stt serv
The rapidly increasing Railroad facilities
| are having much to tio with this. The .,I.-
nual rate Of expenditure for Railroad
transportation il Si".iil,U'b, the number
| of routes =, ,l.ss tho aggrciate length laD.-
| M miles. Inc amount estimated as Ii,t-
| essary for the current fiscal year ~ so,
| uDtssL
| First Assistant Postmastcr-t.cn.ral
| (larkson in his annual report shows the
whole nurnibcr of postoiiics.s on Junc .D.
| 1Ss'. was Js,Eri, an incrsa-. of i,6-3 over
the previous year. The number Ot pr,.-i-
| dental offices was 2.5Si. an increase of
| 1sS over the previous year. The appoint
| iaeuts to vacancies caused 10y removals
| for tue year ending JIiuc ~, iSsS. wa>
l.2iA; and for tl,c year ending June ~,
| lSS3, WAS .,Sp3. The number OF money
order offices in operation at til. ciosc oi
the fiscal year was S.5s.i, au 'ucr, '.iss
an incr"as. of AZ. and mp to November
"a more. have been added. 1'ti. super
Ints'pslcnt of the free delivery scrSic
recommends its extension To all places
which have a population according to th'
last general stan. or federal cctis,is. al
5,,ssp. the po-toilicc of which produced i;
gross revenue fo- tho preceding fisca
year of AT least Ss.oD. his would s.un
brace all important postoilicss of ths
second class. The appropriation for TIN,
uOO. and ,h" ,.stirn..t. for the next fi-ca
year IL S1.uip.4S, "a large increase iui III,
number of offices ueiiig expected afte
tile. census of is'o il completed.