Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-29
Annual Report Of Postmaster General
Wanamaker.
CURRENCY IN CIRCULATION.
Gold Medal Presented to President
Harrison by the Brazilian
Government.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE REcoEDUsIos.l /
POSTAL SERVICE.
Annual Report of Postmaster-Gener
Wanamaker.

WASHINGTON, Novembe 2Sth.-The Post
master General, in his annual report, shows
that during the past year over $500 600 was
saved Oh postal card contracts. The cards,
though inferior at first, were quickly
brought up to the required standard. Four
hundred thousand dollars was saved in the
stamped envelopes contract, and SOC, coo in
certain mail-carryiBg. At the same time
mail routes have been extended over al
most 1000 600 miles Of railway. steamboat
and stage lines. The gross revenue is
nearly S. 600 600 larger than ever before.
Almost 5000 new postofices more than
any one year before have been established
upon the petitions of communities. The
sub-station and stamp agencies service,
railway postoffice service, the free delivery
and other matters have been greatly ex-
tended during the year. The star route
mileage has increased over 5000, coo miles
and the railroad mileage over II, ,000 900.
The work of the Gead-letter office has
been greatly reduced during the year.
Touching the postal telegraph scheme,
the Postmaster. General says: The swift
est mail is not fast enough in these days
for all the needs of commerce and social
correspondence. In one form or another
the public imperatively demands cheaper
telegraph and the Postoffice Department
can supply it at a less cost than any cor
poration unless the latter has rent, light,
fuel, carriers and clerks free. The plan
proposed for postal telegraph involves no
outlay of money, no appointment of
clerks, no financial liability. Ii is surely
entitled to fair consideration
Under the head of new plan for postal
savings banks, the report recommends that
the Postoffice Department be authorized TO
establish postal savings banks under regu-
lations fol mulated by the Postmaster Gen.
eral, these to be located in States having no
laws regulating savings banks. In any
other States, upon petition of consider
able number of residents in eny one local.
ity, and not more numerously than one for
every ten miles Of area. The interest rate
is to be fixed BY the Secretary of the Treas
ury at the beginning of each year, and be
one-half of one per cent. less than the
average rate paid depositors by private
bankers. All the postal savings received
within a State will be placed ON deposit
with the National Banks of that State on
application, in such amount and at such
interest as the Secretary of the Treasury
may prescribe, such deposits to be declared
preferred claims.
The press has sided the Department by its
very general approval, and the public at
large has seconded it's efforts to make the
new law effective"
The report shows that IA ,072 Postmasters
were removed during the past two years,
and 266S0 appointed in the same time.
The PostmasterGeneTal hopes the way
will soon be clear to connect the Executive
Departments and the Senate and House
with the Washington Postoffiee by pneu-
matte system, and that it may then be ex-
tended TO the sub-slations and Postoffices
of large cities. He would especially like
to see the pneumatic system working per-
fectly in Chicago when the Worlds Fair is
in progress so that the postal system there
would really show this high development
Of the service.
He favors, wherever practicable, one
story, inexpensive buildings for Postoffices,
and says that to move out of q 5000 rented
room, safe and ample fsr postal business,
into 100000 building, where the janitor
alone gets more salary than the rent of the
former place, cannot be justified Oh any
business principle.
Regarding reduced postage, the Postmas-
ter General says, in part: In point OF fact
there is a gain Of nearly thirty million
dollars from letter postage. This large pro-
fit, with an annual deficit (which last year
amounted TO $5,766, 800 is all swallowed
up by losses on other classes OF mail matter
carried at less than the cost of distribution
and handling. The amount received from
letter postage last year was about thirty
eight millions. A reduction to one. cent
rate would bring this down to $4,000 600.
The deficiency for the current year is about
81, SOC, COO This deficiency would be re-
duced by the natural increase of business
due to the stimulus of low rate, and
by the completion of legislation
to collect the proper postage from it. In
the sample copy business alone over one
million is annually lost to the revenue, and
in the transportation of paper-covered
books considerably more thsn one million
dollars is kept out of the postal income for
the benefit of certain book publishers. The
deficiency under q one-cent rate might be
still further reduced by the adoption of i'm
proved devices from time to time, which
would save time and money. The most
formidable item, however, is eight million
dollars worth of work performed annually,
without pay, for the Executive Depart
ments. If they had paid postage the reve-
nue. would have been SS,000,0 900 more an
nually than now.
The revenues of the Department for the
fiscal year we're $50, ,s5S,7S3; expenditures
and liabilities. s66, ,0S3. The deficiency
for the year, therefore, was $3.50, 500.