Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-04
POSTAL MATTERS.
POSTMASTER GENERAL wANAMAAkRS An
NUAL REPORT.
He Opposes One-Csnt Postage and FaV0rs ne
telegraph ana Telephone Rural free
Delivery Discussed -Na1y
Recommendations

~ Lottery revenue has been LOST uuI'uS
tbo rssf wear. the postal dehclt OF
a. COO 600 is surely disappearing pIO-
vided The same rate Of revenue anu cA-
renses obtains on July /, 1875
Tho Postmaster General prOnouuceS
+bst the extension of the merit system
~ promotions. so successfully put Ia
oreration i'm the Department lalely' 70
- LARGER DOst-ofices and the rah"a!
mai. has already been begun. .so
IL reaches down 10 the lowest sia aIe
clerk. and there is no Limitation Vi 'no
time when the next promotion may '"No
-Ioca IN creates no list Of eliglO!eS 10
"a ,,,rn out with waiting, but gives
tbe Mace promptly TO the person WIN
ming it: and the same people can CON-
Dete again for the next vacancy II tne!
n appears that all Of the lottery mall
bos nractically been driven from the
The Postmaster General recounts the
s,ccoss of the sea pOStOthceS, whlch
oricl,en an incoming foreign mans re-
csive6 AZ New York from TWO hours 10
a week. and recommends the employ
mont of UoStofiice steam tug TO ply IN
Nev York harbOr between arriving
steamers and the Jersey CIty anu up
rown ferries, so that several hours per
hans day I'm some cases, may Oe Sa'eu'
II appears that 375 pOstmastorS wrote
reviews of the last annual report Two
hundred and sixteen Of the poStmaSterS
discussed postal telegraphy, 2lf IaVor-
obIv and Two unfavorably. One hundred
and sevcDty-eight discussed postal saw
frgs hanks, 1865 70 favor them, twelve TO
onuose them. One hundred and forty
f0nr discussed l-cent postage, thirteen
10 favor it, I3l 10 oppose 10 for the pres
ent. Ic0nsider these figures very sig
nifcant. first, as illustrating the relative
interest which these three leading top
les excited among the persons most ike
~ 20 think Of them aud discuss them
from practical st2ndpOintS; and, secOnu'
as showing I'm another way the differing
degrees OF favor with which the propo-
sitions are received by the same well-ln-
formed and iuQuiriug minds.
Two of the most interesting items
which every county-Seat postmaster was
asked TO report upon were the distance
from the postUrice TO the nearest tele-
graDh office, and the distance 20 the
nearest savings bank. New England
Stqtes-Average distance 20 the nearest
telegraph office, miles; average dis
lance 10 the nearest savings bank, 10
miles; Middle StateS-Average distance
10 the nearest telegraph Office, miles;
average distance 70 the nearest savings
bank, % miles: Southern StateS-Aver-
Nhn fnIaurn nh
office. @ miles; average distance 20 the
nearest savings bank, 25 miles; Western
StateS-Average distance 20 the nearest
telegraph Office. miles; average dis
lance 20 the nearest savings bank, %
miles; Pacific Slope StateS-Average
distance 10 the nearest telegraph Office,
13miles; average distance TO the nearest
savings bank, 81 miles.
The PostmaSter-General recommends
this year the adaptation OF the tele-
phone, as well as the telegraph, to the
postal system, showing that IL is not
only the constitutional privilege, but
the duty of Congress, 10 utilize all the
means OF modern science for quicken
ing the transmission of intelligence.
Mr.. Nauamaker describes the pneu-
matic-tube system OF Berlin and LONDON,
and strongly recommends their adopt
ion i'm this country. He insists that
they would pay, and records several
attempts aJ beginning such a service.
A wonderful CanCelng machine, which
prevents the delay Of letters in the
poSt-OfficeS in stamping, have been EN-
ployed, and a still more wonderful auto
matte electric Stamper is in process Of
examination. The POStmaSter-General
urges the necessity of a new building,
and the consequent reconstruction of
the service in New York city.
The rural free-deliyery experiment Is
on trial In fOrty-SiX communities. In
two places, HillSboro, y. Oak, and
Hanover, y. H., this service was begun,
but was discontinued because the post
masters failed 90 secure responsible car
rierS for the maximum compensation OF
SIP per auuum for one or two hours
service per day. In Appendix a APP
pears tabUlated statement showing
total increase Of gross receipts In thir-
ty-niue of the fOrty-SiX experimental
free-delvery offices amounting TO
S6,2l3.49, and a total decrease of gross
receipts ia seven Of the Offices, amount
ing 90 SIO1.3Q. This leaves balance
OF Sj,JO6.1O Of increase of gross re-
CeiptS.
NumberleSS arguments why this Serv-
ice ought % be continued aud enlarged
are adduced, and 10 is shown how much
similar efforts 90 extend the free deliv-
cry into the country are 10 be made
along star routes aud by means OF sub
urban electric roads. Mr.. Wan&maker
recommends the passage of bill TO en-
title towns OF a population between
5000 and 5000 20 the free delivery, and
shows that the Specisi-delivery service
in cities has increased One-third this
year over the average Of the last four
years. He argues StvenuouSly for post
al savings He reiterateS his plan Of
last year, and adds:
Another plan, quite simple and thor
Oughly practical, would be 20 issue at
the post Offices nOn-negOtiable certia-
Gates of postal deposit in sums Of $40,
$50, $50 and 500, bearing interest at the
rate of hall a cent day on the dollar
G.SS& per year, after the first Of the
month following the date Of deposit,
and the principal aud interest payable
on demand 40 any money order Office by
proper Endorsement aud Identification
under regulations of che Postmaster
General The money deposited in each
State 20 be reinveSted, so far as possible,
in the same State ia school or municipal
bonds by the Postmaster General, sub
jet to the approval Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury.
The POStmaSter-General recommends
the abolition of box rents at free-de-
livery Offices in small places, urges the
erection Of Smallera and more useful pub
lie buildings, and says on the l-eent