Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-10
POSTAL POINTS.


ice-Extending Free Delivery and the
Money Order Service to small Towns
The Prospects for American Shipping.
In the report of the Postmaster General,
some very gratifying results are exhibited,
| and many betterments of the service sug-
gested. A perusal of the report gives
| abundant evidence that the supervision and
| direction of the postal system have been
| characterized by an intelligent and con-
scientious desire to improve the service.
The revenues of the department show an
increase of over $4,000, 900, while the esti-
mate for the year 1898 shows q surplus of
| receipts over expenditures.
Ocean mail postoffices have been estab-
lished upon the steamers of the North Ger
man Lloyd and Hamburg lines, saving by
the distribution on shipboard from to IA
hours time in the delivery of mail at the
port of entry, and often much more than
this in the delivery at interior places. So
thoroughly has this system, initiated by
Germany and the United States, evidenced
its usefulness, that it cannot be long before
it is installed upon all the great ocean mail
carrying steamships.
Mails En- Route and in Small Towns.
Eight thousavd miles of new postal serv-
ice has been established upon railroads
The car distribution to sub-stations in the
great cities has been increased about IL per
cent, while the percentage of errors in dis
tributiOn has, during the past year, been re-
duced over one-half.
An appropriation was given by the last
Congress for the purpose of making
some experiments in free delivery in the
o,I h. of
these experiments have been so satisfactory
that the Postmaster General recommends,
and l concur in the recommendation, that
the free delivery system be at once extended
to towns OF 5000 population. His discus
sion OF the inadequate facilities extended
under the present system to rural commune
ties, and his suggestions, with a view to
give these communities fuller part1cipa-
tion in the benefits of the postal service, are
worthy of vour careful consideration. 1t is
not just that the farmer, who receives his mail
at a neighboring town, should not only be
compelled to send to the postoifice for it, but
to pay considerable rent for box in which
to place it or TO wait his turn at a general
delivery window, while the city resident
has his mail brought to his door.
The Ri ghts of Small Communities.
1t is stated that over "a, 900 neighbor-
hoods are, under the present system, receiv-
ing mail at pOstoffices where money orders
and postal notes are not issued. The ex-
tension of this system to these communities
is especially desirable, as the patrons of
such offices are not possessed of the other
facilities offered in more populous commu-
mites for the transmission OF small sums OF
money.
have, in message to the preceding
Congress, expressed my views as to
modified use of the telegraph in connection
with the postal service.
In pursuance Of the ocean mail law Of
March 2 1891 and after q most careful
study of the whole subject and frequent
conferences with shipOwners, boards of
trade and Others, advertisements were issued
by the Postmaster General for % lines of
ocean mail service; to Great Britain and
the Continent, q; to South America, 3; to
China and Japan, 1; 10 Australia and the
Pacific islands, :; to the West Indies and
Mexico, ..
1t was not, Of course, expected that bids
for all these lines would be received, or
that service upon them all would be con-
tracted for. 1t was intended, in further
ance of the act, to secure as many new lines
as possible. while including in the list most
or all of the foreign lines now occupied by
American ships.
Difficulty in Establishing New Lines.
1t wis HODeu llldJ u line 10 Elgl10Q, ana
perhaps one to the continent. 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
deferred bidders whose interest
had been enlisted. 1t is hoped that a way
may yet be found of overcoming these diff
eulties. The Brazil Steamship Company,
by reason of a miscalculation as to the speed
of its vessels was not able to bid under the
terms of the advertisement.
The policy of the department was to
secure from the established lines an i'm
proved service as condition of giving to
hem the benefits of tine law. This, in all
instances, has been attained. The Post
master General estimates that an expendi-
lure in American shipvards of about S10,-
lOO, ,OoO will be necessary to enable the bid
lers to construct the ships called for BY the
service which they have accepted.
The Future of American shipping.
do not think there is any reason for dis
enlargement or for any turning back from
he policy of this legislation. Indeed, a
rood beginning has been made, and as the
subject is further considered and understood
Dy capitalists and shipping people new
Ines will be ready to meet future proposals,
md We may date from the passage of this
new law the revival of American shipping
interests and the recovery of a fair share of
he CARRYING trade of the world.
We were receiving for foreign postage
nearly s., ,000, 900 under the old system, and