The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-12-11
POSTOFFlCE DEPARTMENT.
The Conscientious Desire OF Its Head to
Improve the Service.

The Conscientious Desire OF Its Head to
Improve the Service.
In the report Of the postmaster gener al some
very gratifying results are exhibited and many
bettermentS OF the service suggested. A peru
sal Of the report gives abundant evidence that
the supervision and direction of the postal sys-
tenn have been characterized by an Intelligent
and conscientious desire to improve the service.
The revenues OF the department show an in
crease of over $5,OO0,OO, while the estimate for
@ ssn OF TecS aTs
established upon the steamers of the North
German, Lloyd and Hamburg lines, saving, by
fourteen hours time in the delivery of mail Mt
the port of entity and often much more than
this in the delivery at interior places. So thor
and the United States evinced its use
before that installed not up Ss i0nG
the great ocean mail carrying steamships.
Eight thousand miles of new postal service
have been established upon railroads, the car
has been increased about u per cent, while the
percentage of errors in distribution has, dur
ing the past year, been reduced over one-half.
Experiments in FREQ Delivery.
An appropriation was given by the last con-
gress for the purpose of making some expert
ments in free delivery in small cities and
towns. The results Of these experiments have
been satisfactory that the postmaster gen.
mendation. that the free delivery system be at
once extended to towns of 5000 population.
His discussion of the inadequate facilities ex-
tended under our present system of rural com
munities and his suggestions, with a. view to
give these communities fuller participation
in the benefits of the postal service, are
1t is not just that the farmer who receives
his mail at a, neighboring town, should not
only be compelled to send to the post Office for
it but to pay considerable rent for box in
which to place it or wait his turn at a general
delivery window, while the city resident hiss
mail brought to his door 1t is stated that over
54,0O0 neighborhoods are under the present sys-
TEN, receiving mail Mt post offices where money
orders and postal notes are e not issued The
Is especially desirable, as the patrons of such
offices are not possessed of the other facilities
IN more n M fGr tne
in a message to the proceeding congress, ex-
pressed my views as to modified use OF the
telegraph in connection with the postal service
Ocean Mail Service.
In pursuance Of the ocean mail law of March
3, 1891, and after a most careful study OF the
whole subject, and frequent conferences with
shipowners, boards of trade, and Others adver.
erai for fifty.three lines of ocean mail service:
ten to Great Britaian and the continent; twenty
seven to South America; three to China and
Japan; four to Australia and the Pacific Islands;
seven to the West Indies; and two to Mexico
1t was not of course, expected bids for all these
5S be ct er y
tended. in furtherance of the act TO secure as
many new lines as possible. while including in
tne ISL most OF Ill INC IOTelRn lines now OcCu-
pied by American ships. 1t was hoped that
line TO England and perhaps one to the CONT
nent would be secured; but the outlay required
TO equip such lines wholly with new ships of
the first class and the difficulty of establishing
new lines in competition with those already
established deferred bidders whose interest had
been enlisted. 1t is hoped that a way may be
yet found overcoming these difficulties. The
Brazil Steamship Company, by reason of mis-
calculation to the speed of its vessels, not
able to bid under the terms of the advertise
ment. The policy of the department was to
secure from the established lines an improved
service as a condition of giving to them the
been attain ed.
The postmaster general estimates that an
expenditure in American ship yards Of about
ten millions of dollars will be necessary to
enable the bidders II construct the ships called