The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-04
POSTAL SERVICE.
Report Of Postmaster General
Wanamaker.
Interesting Statement Of The Improve
mentS in the Department.
Recommendations TO Congress to Increase
the Efficiency Of the Service.
Free Mail-DeliVery.
Epeeial to THE MORNING CALI

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-The annual report
of Postmaster General Wanamaker is very
lengthy. 1t shows that, in spite of the fact
that over S1.000,0O0 worth of lottery revenue
was lost during the past year, the postal de-
felt of Sc, 200, 600 is surely disappearing, and
provided the same rate of revenue aud ex-
penses obtains by July /, 1893, it will have
entirely disappeared. The extension of the
merit system of promotion-so successfully
put into operation in the department lately
to the larger postoffices and railway mail
has begun. Much is expected from it. Re-
ferring to the lottery matter, the Postmaster
General says the disproporton of the trials
and convictions to the number Of arrests
and indictments is accounted for by unusual
delays of law, and not to any lack Of judg-
ment on the part of the inspectors. He re-
fers to the action of certain express COM
panies in carrying lottery mails, and says
he shall report this question to the AttOr-
ney-General. with view of obtaining a
decision upon tire constitutional question in
volved. Since the prohibition of the Louis
lana Lottery mail foreign lottery companies
have sought to make capital cut of the fact,
under the Supposition that foreign mails are
not to be subjected to a like surveillance
with domestic, and have greatly increased
their mailing of circulars, etc. The depart
partment is now struggling with this prob
lem and the evil is decreasing. The Post
masteT-Generai rec0unts the successes Of sea
postoffices in quickening the incoming for
eign mails received at New York, and
recommends the employment of a postoffice
e.. -IA- fc
shown by figures that nine-tenths of the
causes why letters go astray are due to the
careessness of the public, and Mr.. Wana-
maker not only endeavors TO show how the
work of the Dead Letter Office NAV be re-
duced, but recommends the establishment
of branch in San Francisco to save the
time and expense of transfer and re-
transfer across the continent. The Post
master-General renews his recommendation
for a division of the country into postal dis
trictS, and adduces many reasons why it
would be beneficial
UTILIZING MODERN SCIENCE.
Mr. Wanamaker recommends this year the
adaptation of the telephone. as we'll as the
telegraph, to the postal system, showing
that it is not only the constitutional privi-
lege, but the duty of Congress, to utilize all
means of modern science for Quickening
the transmission Of intelligence. He argues
at much length on the point combats the
arguments against it and details his struggle
with the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany. Mr.. Wanamaker believes in a full
parcel post. but does not recommend it at
present. lie urges the abolition OF the Ter
sonaI suretyships of Postmasters, as they
are too frequently under obligations, which
damage the service. He proposes to eX-
tend the money order system everywhere.
1t appears that nearly 5000 miles Of addi-
tional railway postoffice service have been
established; 1900 miles in the Pacific Coast
States, $500 in other Western States, 2400 in
Southern States and about 1000 in North
eastern States in recognizing the old routes
to meet the rapidly changing centers of
business and population.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
Mr. Wanamaker describes the pneumatic
| tube system of Berlin and London, and
strongly recommends their ption in this
| country. He insists that they would pay,
| and records several attempts at beginning
| of such service. Much space is devoted to
| the question of rura- Nee delivery, which
| has been on trial in forty-six communities
| with surprisingly gratifying results. in
| crease OF receipts, service more than self
| supporting, etc. Numerous arguments are
adduced why the service should be en-
larged, and recommendation is made for
the passage of u bill providing free delivery
| in towns of population between 5000 and
| 10000 The special delivery service in
| cities increased this year one-third over the
| average of the last four years. Speaking of
| the postal accommodations through the
| country, the PoStmaster-General says:
| The plan of putting up expensive public
| buildings Ill certain places and leaving
| other meritOrlous towns without any is not
a good one. The Investigations of the year
| adduce that there are plenty of good
reasons why it would be useful, economi-
| cal ana patriotic thing to build generally
| small public buildings for pCstoffices. The
| ostmaster-General argues strongly for the
| system of postal savings banks. reiterating
| his plan OF last year aud adding TO It.
| ASSISTED MAIL SERVICE.
| The bids under the Postal Aid Act are
| treated at length, and after speaking of the
| recent awards the report adds: ITO ac-
| complish the above schedule the Pacific
Mail Company will have to spend from So
000, 900 to 100000 for new ships, and the
line to the Argentine Republic, if accepted,
| will require nearly S., 100000 for three new
ships. The tortnlghtly service to China dis
| places an English line, which has already
| arranged to withdraw. 1t is stated with
some credence that one or more of the very
| few American lines would have been
obliged to 60 out OF business but for the
prospect of assistance from the Govern
ment, which now enables them TO compete
with other subsidized lines, WHO otherwise
would have monopolized the trade with
other countries.
THE SUBSIDY REQUIRED.
"H the contracts arescompleted with all
the companies whose bids seem in proper
form, the service will probably begin from
| the Ist of March, and the sum necessary to be
appropriated for the remainder of the fiscal
year will not be.more than S247, 354. In ad-
dtion, an appropriation for sea and inland
postage has been already put into the esti-
mates tor this year. For the next fiscal
year, from June 80, 1892, to June so. 1898,
there will probably be needed S561.51S, ior
which an appropriation will ba necessary,
as the estimates for that year only include
the amount of sea and inland postage. The
exact amount cannot be ascertained un til
the contracts are executed. 1t is estimated
that under this act there will be ships of a
total tonnage of 10000 tons carrying the
American flag, in addition to tonnage under
the flag, but not under the act. Some of the
old ships will give way TO new. and addi-
tional ships will be necessary for the in
creased speed required. The companies
will be obliged to build fifteen ships imme-
diately."