The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-12-06
Interesting Postofice Statistics.

a draw.
Interesting POstoftice Statistics.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28.-The postmaster
general III his annual report reviews the
legislation of congress and dwells at, some
length upon the changes for the better dur
ing the year in administrative methods.
Eight hundred thousand dollars have been
saved on contracts, and yet the mail routes
have been extended over 100000 miles.
Inspectors have handled a larger number
of cases than heretofore and have fewer
on hand. The anti lottery legislation has
caused extra work but it has also removed
one form of temptation to thieving from
the clerks. Negotiations with Germany
for seaport offices have been successful.
The gross revenues nearly $4,000, 600 lager
than ever before. Almost 5000 more post
offices have been established than in any
one year heretofore; free delivery has been
established in fifty-three towns; star route
mileage 100000; clerks have reduced the
dead letter mail by two million. He says
swifter mail service is necessary and then
proceeds to argue for postal telegraph. 1t
is for the same method as he has hereto
fore explained. He says the new
lottery act accords with his former
recommendations and the press and the
people have helped the department by
their general approval. He favors ocean
mail service, for which a bill is now pend
ing in the house. There were 14,46S post
masters appointed during the year and
6,274 removed. The number of new offices
established during the year 1890 was 1926,
making a total of 62,401. He says the way
may soon be clear to connect the executive
with the Washington city p~ostofice by the
pneumatic system and that it may then be
extended to the Sub-StatiOGs and pOstOtices
of the large cities, He would especially
like to see the pneumatic system working
perfectly in Chicago by the time the
Worlds Far is in progress. He favors,
sive buildings for postofices, and says that
to 10Y out of a $500 rented
postal business, into a S1oo,ooo
building, where the %janitor alone gets a
salary equal to more than the rent in the
former place. cannot be justified
Ol dlV uuSlllcSS pIlllClp!eS. Tue NEW IOFk
p%OstOffice building he considers totally in
adequate for the work of the Office. If the
postal revenue arising from letter postage
could be set aside for its proper uses, mil
lions of the letter writer's OF this country
might quickly be permitted to enjoy re-
duced taxation on letter writing. In point
of fact, there is a clelr gain Of nearly $780,
profit, with the annual deficit (Which last
year amounted to $5,768,30O), appropriated
out of the general treasury is all swal-
lowed up by the losses on other classes of
mail matter carried at less than the cost of
distribution and handling. There need be
ne conjecture as to the principal item of
the cost i'll trying to drop to a one.cent
postage last year was something over $685.
100000. This sun would be cut exactly
get but little over $40, 1900. The defici-
cheney for the current year is likely to be
$4,530,0NO which would make a total defici-
ency OF $$2S, 500, 900 and more. This large
deficiency under the one cent rate would
business; second, by the stimulus Ut the
low rate of postage; and third, by compile
tion Of the pending legislation to collect
the proper hostages from the sample copies
of so called newspapers, and from paper
covered books. 1t is estimated that by the
sample copy business over $l,UUU,UUV is an.
nually lost to the ven and in the trans
portation of paper covered books consider
ably more than $1,000,00O is kept out of the
postal income, for the benefit of certain
book publishers. The deficiency under the
one cent rate might be still further reduced
by kthe adoption of improved devices
from time TO time, which would save
time and money: The most formidable
item at present for consideration is $8,OOO,-
600 worth of postal work performed annu-
ally without pay for the executive depart
ments. If each of the departments had
paid its postage, the. revenue of this de-
partment would have been $8,OO0,0OO more
annually than now. The report touches
upon the question of civil service as ap-
piled to the p~ostofice department.. favor
ing stricter examinations and certain pro-
motions for merit. The revenue of the de-
partment for the fiscal year, the report
shows. was $6O,858, 78y. The expenditures
and liabilities were 8 ,645 ,083. The def
cheney for the year was, therefore, s $780,
800. The report closes with q tribute to
ClarksOn and other chiefs in the depart
Gen. Miles in Washington.
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