Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-12-18
The Postal department..

In the report of the postmaster general
some very gratifying results are exhibited
and many betterments of the service sng.
gested. perusal of the report gives
abundant evidence that the supervision
and direction of the postal system have
been characterized by an Intelligent and
conscientious desire TO improve the service
The revenues of the department show an
increase of over 5000. 900, while The esti-
mate for the year 1898 shows surplus OF
receipts over expenditures.
Ocean mail postoffices have been estab
llshed upon the steamers of the North GerI
man Lloyd and Hamburg lines, saving, by
the distribution ON shipboard, from two to
fourteen hours time in the delivery of
mail at the port OF entry, and often much
more than this in the delivery at interior
places.
Eight thousand miles OF new postal SER
vice has been established upon railroads;
the car distribution to sub-stations in the
great cities has been increased about II
per cent while the percentage or errors in
distribution has, during the la. year, been
reduced over one-half An appropriation
was given by the last congress for the pur-
pose OF making some experiments in free
delivery in the smaller cities and towns
The results of the Sc experiments nave been
so satisfactory that the postmaster general
recommends and | concur in the recon-
mendation that the free delivery system be
at once extended to towns OF 5000 popu-
latlon.
have, in a message to the preceding
congress, expressed my views as to a modi
ned use OF the telegraph in connection
with the states in view.
In pursuance OF mail law Of March 81
1891. and after most careful study OF the
whole subject and frequent conferences
with ship officers, advertisements were
issued by the postmaster for ifty-three to
ri In nd tha
seven to South America; three to China
and Japan; forty to Australia and the Pacific
Islands; seven to the West Indies and two to
Mexico. 1t was not, of course. expected that
bids for all these lines should be received,
or that service upon all would be contracted
Tor. 1t is intended in furtherance of tho
act to secure as many new lines as posi-
BILE, while including In the list most or all
OF the foreign lines now occupied by Amer
lean ships. 1t was hoped that a line to
England, and perhaps one to the continent,
would be secured, but the outlay required
TO equip such lines wholly with new shipg
OF the tirst-class, and the difficulty of es-
tablishlng new lines in competition with
those already established, deferred bidders
whose interest had been enlisted. The
postmaster general estimates tina: an ex-
penditure in ATericon shipyards of about
Sl0000,000 will be necessary to enable the
bidders to construct the ships called for by
the service which they have accepted
We were receiving for foreign postage
nearly s., 000, 900 under the old system, and
the outlay for ocean mail service did not
exceed SOU0, 900 per annum. 1t Is estimated
by the postmaster general, that, if all the
contracts proposed are completed, it will
require s217.3.,I, for this year, in addition
TO the approximation tor sea and inland
postage already in the estimates and that
for the next fiscal year, ending June 80,
1898, there would probably be needed about
sjG0,000.