Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-12-01
PosToFFIoE DEPARTMENT..
Growth Of the Postal Service and Recon-.
mendatIOns for Needed Reforms.


mendatiOns for Needed Reforms.
WASHINGTON, Dec. LIN his annual
report General Wanamale1
gives figures to illustrate how much the
business of the department has grown.
The gross revenue is nearly 81, OO0, O0C
larger than it ever was before Almost
5000 new postofaces, more than in any
one year before, have been established
upon the petition of communities which
have needed them. A decreasing limit
for the extension or the free delivery has
permitted the employment of letter car
riers in over fifty towns.
"Three times as many sub-stations and
stamp agencies, which will soon pay for
themselves, were established as during
the previous year. Over 5000 miles of
r. P. o. service, SO called (where travel
ing postoffices distribute the mails for
instant dispatch), have been put on. The
68, 600 transportation schedules have
been examined, and adjusted OF extended
where it has been possible, Thirty-six
per cont. more of city mails have been
distributed on trains for instant dispatch
than during the previous year. The star
route mileage has increased over $780,
600 miles and the railroad mileage over
100000. The railway postal clerks
have reduced the number of pieces
usually sent to the Dead Letter Office by
1900, 900. By encouraging postmasters
in free delivery cities to prepare supple
mentary directories, and by general sug-
gestions to the public through the news
papers to take greater care in the direc-
ton Of matter, the Dead Letter Office
expects a reduction of its labors by at
least one-third."
Referring to needed reforms, the Post
master-General says:
81 shall have the honor to advocate this
year, as last, with whatever persuasive
ness it is possible for me properly to use,
certain measures, legislative and admin
istrative, which I believe to be for the
benefit of the service.
''The postal telegraph bill again re-
spectfully commend to the favor of Con-
gress. The Recommendation that the
fairly tried is again renewed. The dis
cussion of the eight-hour question can
not be shirked; hope the postal clerks
will be certain during the next year who
their friends are.
"The questions whether the division of
the country into postal districts for the
better instruction and encouragement of
postmasters, new and old, and whether
an additional permanent officer of the
very highest order of experience and or
iginality would not be good thing for
the department., may well be pressed.
Within the department itself many re-
forms can be worked out, but only slowly.
partly because legislation is necessary
and partly because even small revolu-
tions are not desired by all. In the mat
ter of simple and uniform accounting the
coming year ought to show excellent re-
suits. I hope to see the civil service ex-
aminations, especially with reference to
the railway mail, improved; for only in
proportion as these yield tAe most eff
Gent civil servants can the benefits of
the civil service system be extended.
The whole postoffice clerical force needs
to be scanned thoroughly with view to
Congre ssional action looking to its better
classification