The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-12-05
THE UNITED STATES MAILS.
FRS, Annual Report of Postmaster
General Wanamaker.


FRS, Annual Report of Postmaster
General Wanamaker.
Postmaster General wanamaker, in open
ing his annual report of the poSloilico de-
partmert, recalls the fact that To the post
mitted the management Of the largest bust
ness concern in the world, consisting of
central establishment with almost 60,O01
branches and employing over 10000 people,
embracing one-half of the civil list. Mr..
Wanamaker strongly urges the appointment
of fourth assistant postmaster general, to
be in direct charge ofthe great divisions of
the railway mail, the foreign mail, the
money order Office, the registry and supplies
divisions and the dead-letter Office, For
this place he would pick out the best educated
postal man in the service, and have him APP
pointed by the president for ten years, sub
ject to removal at any time ii not equal to
the work, This man wonld be comp
troller or general secretary of the postal SER
vice. Another proposition of Mr.. Wanna
maker is that there be 20 postal districts es-
tablished by the postmaster general accord
ing TO population and territory each office
in the district to be visited at stated times
and records made and kept showing first
the capacity of the postmaster; second, his
personal attention to his duties third, the
order and discipline of the office; and,
fourth, the growth OF the business, with
such other matters as may be determined on
A new postoffice building is needed at Wash
ington, and the postmaster general suggests
that new building be erected for the joint
use of the Washington postoflice and the
postotice department. Another important
recommendation is that the postmas
ter general be Empowered to enter
into contrat with responsible parties
for term not exceeding five years,
fNrl of a HntitnI
post and telegraph service the telegraph
offices to be in the postofiices of the country,
and messages to be taken at lower than the
present ruling rates.
In discussing the operation of the civil
service laws Mr., Wanamaker gives the fol-
lowing statistics of actual changes in the
railway mail service from March 1, 1889 to
April -, 1889, inclusive:
Appointments to fill vacancies created
by designations, expiration of proba-
tons and deaths. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Isl
Other appointments
HOld clerks restored .....,,..........SS7
New clerks appointed. ....."......55l
lbs
Total 1882
Colored men in the service March 5, 1889. SO
Colored men in the service May [, 1889, 12l
The total number of railway postal clerks
in the service on the ith of March, 1889, was
1884. The reinstatements and appointments
of new men from March to July So 1889,
were 1882, leaving undisturbed 3lO2 of those
previously appointed
Statistics of appointments, designations
and removals, with reference to Presidential
offices between March !, 1881, ana july /,
Is o, are as follows;
BY deaths. observation-disclosures. "a
By designations, ....................ll 6
Bv eXpirationS ....................... lOo
By offices becoming Presidential. .1l9
By removals for v~rious reasons. 1856
Total $50
of these S. were removed upon inspectors
and other official reports; % others hal
served over four years; - Others had an
average servic, of nearly four years and
the remaining 36 were removed to secure
better service.
Un!cr the head of foreign mails Post
master General Wanamaker notes the dis
advantages under which poorly -compen-
stated American steamships labor in compe.
tition with the subsidiz d mail lines df
Great Britain, France and Germany, and
recommends that the barrier which the
present law creates be removed, and that
the postoffice department be authorized in
its discretion to make contracts with Amer
lean registered ships OF defined tonnage
and prescribed rate of speed for period OF
years, after due advertisement shall have
been had and opportunity for competition
afforded, SO that while just pay may be
given to the carrier the government may be
able to obtain service in all directions that
| it may deem important Mr.. Wanamaker
recites his endeavors to inquire into
the subject of Sunday work in the post
offices, and says: This subject shall con-
tinue to receive my thoughtful consdera-
ton, and shall make use of all proper
means tending toward the minimizing of
postoffice work upon Sunday, because be-
lieve that the government should, as far as
possible, make no requirements which
will prohibit its employees from the enjoy
ment of day of rest He believes shat
| the free delivery system should be extended,
and recommends that all places of popula-
| ton of not less than 5000, or where the
| postoffice has shown a gross revenue of
$1,000 for the previous fiscal year, shall have
the benefit of the free delivery system. Mr.
Wanamaker renews Postmaster General
Vilas's suggestion that buildings be con
structed for the sole use of postoffces in
towns and cities containing certain. popR-
| lation.
One cent postage Mr. Wanamaktr regards
as a possibility of the mean future. The
postmaster general favors early consdera,
| ton of the question of establishing postal
savings banks at 10000 of the fourth-class
.
most needed. He has considered the subject
of consolidating the third and fourth class
matter very carefully, and submits that we
are not now prepared for such consoida-
ton, or to undertake the service of a full
parcels post for the following reasons:
First, almost all the postoffice buildings
are oyercrowded.
Second, the railway postoifice cars are all
insufficient for the present mail business,
the department being obliged to forward
almost two-thirds of the postal cards and
envelopes by freight.
Third, the readjustment of transportation
and star route contracts would first be
necessary to provide proper remuneration
for carrying the additional mail.
Fourth the exact profit or loss on fourth
class business now being done by the de-
partment should be ascertained before any
enlargement takes place.
The net revenue Of the postal service fog
the year ending June 30, 1889, was S56, lis,-
Oh. and the estimated cost of the service
$66. Isl, 81, leaving an estimated deficit Of
S7,603, $50, Compared with the previous
fiscal year there was an increase of So, 49,
S3S,l3 or 65 per cent, in the gross revenue
of the service; an increase of S., S92, 465. So
or 1914 per cent. in the disbursements and
outstanding liabilities, and an increase, also,
of S5,90i, OIL 10, or 1872 per cent, in the csi-
mated total cost of the service.