Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-05

Mails and Penny PUsiAge-Eluan-
ctnl Operations.
WASHINGTON, Nov 30.--The annual report
OF tine PostmasteT-genarai for tho fiscal
year ended June 3Jth, 1859, Is out. Among
Its FIRST recommendations ia that OF the
creation Of general manager Of the post
ofdce department, 10 be selected from
among the present attaches of the postal
service by reason OF exceptional capacity
and experience, to hold ffiue permanently,
and ia have general supervision Ola multt-
tude OF important duties at present de-
volving upon the first assistant and host
OF subordinate clerks.
Referring to tho subjsct OF his effort to
secure reduction OF the rates Of govern
ment telegraph service, the report cites
the act OF Congress empowering the Post
master-genera to establish such rates and
prcceeds to reeapttulaIe the benefits aocru-
ing TO the telegraph companies from the
special privileges accorded them by the
government. IN consideration Of these ad
vnntages 1t was proposed to establish q
rate for the government OF / mill per word,
or practically 2 mills, as messages are
usually counted. amounting In tbs aggre-
gnte to about $4,000 per annum for the
service rendered the government. There
was at the same time suggested the estab.
lishmens of a limited public service at re-
duced rates, to connect the telegraph wires
with the free delivery post-cffices OF the
country, and to transmit messages st about
one-haf the current rates, delivering them
BY letter. carriers or by the regular delivery
Tue Postmaster. general says that tnese me-
gotiatlon5 were not practically fruitful, no
agreement having been reached, and no
proposition OF cunceagion having been re.
celved. except an offer OF DR.. Noryin Gtsen
president Of the Western Unlod Telegraph
Company, to extend the circuit OF 900
miles to 800 miles, at the old price, and
to aimplify the rate for extra words. AS
this offer covered only small portion Of
the business OF me government, 1t seemed
OF trinlrg value and tho Postnlaoter-gen-
eral declined It, and after further consid-
Grafton withdrew the proposition OF June
29th, 1899.
The act OF Congress, the Postmaster
general says, directs that officer TO fix rates,
but gives no authority under which he may
appoint a commission 20 Inquire Into the
costs and value OF telsgrapklG service. 1t
will be necessary, Therefore, If the course
suggested be approved, to authorizes the
Postmaater-genern to proceed IN the prem
ises. disappointment is expressed that
these negotiations did not lead to q scheme
Whlch the PosLmastsr-general had hoped
to submit with this report, whereby the
people at large would lava the benefit Of
telegrRphlc serviGs at popular rates. While
T. appears that In this country size Iner.
chants, bankers and newspapers are now
companies, the statistics OF the tee,
graphic system Of the English gov.
eminent show that Large pro.
portion 81 per cent It is stated-art
from social messages, End not tcou. busl
ness sources. With lover telegtaphiC
rate, and with citations at the windows o.
the post-oftiees, large business OF SINH
lat class woull grow w 10 this conntry
The great advantage OF upited postal
and Telegraph service cannot DO quss
toned. and here is no reason why nigh
messages or tn telegrHph companies shout
not DO delivered as postal matter by tn
FIRST morning delivery OF the latter-cArrlers
Contracts Should he made with telegraph
lines now IN operation, or hereafter to b.
built, atthe most favorable rates obtgiuable
10 like manner as contracts are now mad
with railroad companies Tor the carrying
OF letters and postal cards, connecting tn
telegraph wires with ice delivery anl
other designated post Offices, and receiving
messages TO be delivered IN all cases by tn
next carrier delivery after their receipt.
Referring 10 tae nu-HrOns changes mad
IN the personnel 81 tae railway mail scr
vice, the Postmaster general asserts that u
other branch of toe service Was the suffice
OF SO many complaints, and II vGs there
fore deemed best 10 remove immediatel
and rapidly Inexperienced men uf recst
appointment amt others whose grades ha
falieu, and 10 replace them With as many q
could be secured VI tho Cd clerks who hi
had long training n the sarvfce To Il
vacancies unaToidably created 49l RppDiu
ment5 were intde, white there were S57 oil
clerks restored and j5l new clerks al
pointed, making total OF 9j2 Tier
were IN the service on March 5h, 1880, {
colcred rrn, and OIL May l4t, lass, u
number wa. I27.
The suffice, OF Sunday mall service tt
posIma tef- seLGra! says, was easlY orouCl
torcibiY to she itentiOl uf tho 6epartmE
fhFnlInh IN laos ri
associations ant Individuals. On AlHy 1871
1883. circular letter was accordingly a.
dressed 10 the pos masters Of lGJ vi Il
largest post cNea IN the United 5 at..
with view Q; Gsesrtainiug the relative IN
porLGnce Of the receipt End dispatch nj
delivery Of mails "a sunday az compare
WIKI other days OF the week. Tho repl.
showed that Hs rulg, tine sGles OF pQsta,
stamps ana Sta npad pauer on sunday u
oI0partlyely insignificant, IS Is also Il
nuuber Ot calial3 tor mail matter on tn
DAY EYefyp'optr N ANS Tor tle niaimiGil
OF post office work VIII therefore, be adopt
60 the end that the employees OF the aervi
Enag not be unnecessarily deprived OF q
enJ2ymeut o. a day Of rrst,
4Ee xt9asIoc oi TIE isse-deNtvery syste
10 all PLACES Win population OF 800,
where The grFss revenue Of the post. OIL
for the prevlopS year has amounted to u
lees than S7,pO0i 30 recommended.
while ona eant postage is an ulsIma
Certainty auu an easy Possibility OF the Z
iutuIe, 1t sh0ElA not be adopted OF rus 3.
psnse OF proved efficiency OF the sery!,
sucn reduction AZ present would redG
th5 revenue from letter postage BY ne
ably 5000 900, a d Il would be wiser
improve tee service and extend It In t
new states, 90 the end 81 Increasing !
revenue, tsiCre adoptiug the GAange. I
new large.si2ad postal card, soon to
Issued, viii az naaE penny postage as
practicable nj present.
THIRD LED FOURTH CLASS MATTER.
There is a sSeons pressure from all pa
OF the county toy the enlargement
facilities for Tie transmission Of four
class matter or uisrehaGdi.e. Two c0ur
have been suSgestsd-to eClE0.iGEte tn
and fourth c!ass matter, uot ilct6ns II
weight OF packages ard reducing the pc
fye TO that OF tligd class, or to adopt
full parcals post, Carrying packages not
ceediaS II POUNDS in weight At 1 cent
ounea While The government h4gtIg
dertsken the work. It devclvi u 90 !.
perform II us efficiently as possible, Ltv
Eheless no increase Of the burdens Of
department can be recommended a. {
time.
For the fiscal year ending June Goth IL
the deficiency IN revenue on the Ieyart.n
was =, $40 ,5Jb.7G. For the G.a4i yeat d
ing Juno Born, $50, tho deficiency n &c
nue. OF the department Was 90, 35J, IS. i3
----a-a-4s-----
Elsc 'EUrIcy Roller suHi.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov, 3Q.-Tha loirt re
committee Of the EnOch TURKEY fund
yesterday to formulate plan for tic 4
sion Of S6,l27,s0 collected for tho lsaat
tie families OF the pilots a4d crew OF
lost pennsylvania plot boat. Christian