The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-25
UNITED STATES MAILS.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ASSIST
ANT POSTMASTER GENERAL.

Two Thousand Seven Hundred and
Seventy Fourth-Class Offices Estab-
lished During the Past Fiscal Year
and 1,147 Offices Discontinued,
Leaving 90, 9ee in Operation -Ad-
justment of Salaries Free Delivery
Service for All Towns of 5000
People.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24-The annual re-
port of First Assistant Postmaster General
Clarkson shows that :, no fourth-class post
Offices were established during the last fiscal
year, as against 1854 during the previous
year, and ], ,147 postottices were discontinued
during the same time, making the total
number of postoffices in operation on July
l, 1889, 5S, 500. of which number 1858 were
presidential offices.
The whole number of appointments of
postmasters for the year is shown to have
been 2O,O3O, of which s, ,S54 were on resigna-
uons and commissions expired, 1853 on re-
movals 553 on the death of postmasters
ana S,77O on the establishment of postofilces.
ADJUSTMENT OF SALARIES.
In the annual adjustment of salaries of
postmasters, which took effect July /, 1889,
forty-six offices of the third class were re-
duced TO the fourth class, and fifteen offices
OF the fourth class were raised to tho third
class, leaving 1869 presidential offices In
operation on July |, 1889.
The number of money order offices in
operation at the close of the fiscal year was
o,5o3, an increase of 412 for the year. The
number of money order stations In opera
tion July l, 1889, was IA, an increase of
fourteen over the previous year. The num-
Der of postal note offices in operation at the
end OF the year was 5,572
FREE DELIVERY SERVICE
The report shows that June 80, 1889, there
were 40l free delivery postofiices in opera
tion, an increase of 43 for the year In
about 45 other offices free delivery service
has been established since June 80, 1880
Col y. f. Bates, superintendent of the
free delivery system, has recommended to
Postmaster General Clarkson the extension
of the service to all places which have q
population of 5000, the postoffice Of which
produces gross revenue for the previous
fiscal year of at least s., 900, and the sepa-
ration, as far as possible, of the delivery
and collection service, and that class to
be known as "collectorsn be created TO per-
form collection service only.
THE STAR ROUTE SERVICE.
The annual report of Second Assistant
Postmaster General Whitfield shows that
the number of star mail routes in operation
June 30 1889, was 1907, upon which the
total cost of service was s., III, 1856. In the
whole system of advertising and awarding
star service Col. Whitfield says there is
room for decided improvement. Under
the present system the competition for the
postal service has become very close. Bids
in large numbers, on every route named in
the advertisement issued each year by the
department, are submitted by professional
bidders, so-called to distinguish them from
local bidders, who bid for, but do not carry
the mails, and who expect their profit in
sub-letting at rates yet lower to others who
not infrequently are unsuccessful local bid
ders for tue same routes.
A COMMISSION RECOMMENDED.
Col. Whitfield recommends the appoint
ment of a commission to investigate and
report upon the subject, with view to
make the carrying of the mails under the
star route system equitable alike to the
government and contractor, and to relieve
it, as far as possible, from the evils and in
iquities with which it is burdened. At the
end Of the year there were 1913 steamboat
routes in operation, at an annual rate of
expenditure of S446 OBJ