The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-01

June so. 1891 IL shows that the number of
free-delivery offices in operation at the
close of the year was 5l9. an increase of
sixty-tve over the preceding year. Inc
cost of this service was 50 072 060, which 8
~, 424 less than the appropriation for that
purpose. The number of carriers employed
on June 80 was 10. $50. which is an increase
OF 1,O64 during the year. The local post
age for the year amounted TO Sll,174. 754.
The number of pieces of mail handled was
5000. .354. $40.
Considerable attention is given in the re-
port tn the subject of overtime claims of
letter-carrIers under the act of May n, 1855.
limiting the hours that carriers shall be
employed per day. The practical result of
this act, the report states. has been the i'll
ing of an enormous number of overtime
claims, aggregatlng nearly half million
dollars, ana this does not by any means
represent the maximum amount OF claims
that are already prepared and will be filed
as soon as an adjustment: of the legal ques-
tions pending has been had. So many i'm
portant questions relating TO the construc-
tion of the act have arisen in attempting to
adjust these overtime claims that IL has
been deemed best, in the interest of the
service and also as an act of Justice TO the
carriers to await o construction of the law
by a court having competent jurisdiction.
The report then goes on to say: In
view. however. of the tendency of
the law to create these overtime
claims and the certainty, Judging
as long as the existing system continues
and with the further unfortunate expert
ence that the law puts premium on loiter-
ing and inefficiency rather than afford
cient work, respectfully suggest modi-
fication of the existing law that shall pro-
vide: First. that no carrier shall be re-
Quired to work in excess of fifty one hours
in any week of seven days at offices hav-
ing necessary and unavoidable Sunday ser
vice. and not in excess of forty eight
hours in any week OF six days where such
Sunday service Is not required. Second,
that In addition TO the salaries now pro-
vided by law, letter-carrieTs, after four
years service. mag, upon a certificate
of the respective postmasters that
they have been especially faithful and
efficient. be promoted from $1,000 to 81 200
per annum. and that when letter. carriers
become unfaithful and inefficient or unfit
ted for active work they shall. upon the
certificate of the respective postmasters 10
that effect, be reduced to a lower grade
commensurate TO their service, or removed,
aS the equities of their case may suggest
such an amendment would not only pro-
vide q just recOmpense to faithful and de-
serving carriers now IN the service, but
would tend to enlist some of our ablest and
best young men, and stimulate all the car
riers to earnest efforts in this important
branch of the public service. In many of
our offices large number of men impose on
the younger men. who are working at a
minimum compensation the great puruSn
of the work"
ID. Leibhardt. the superintendent of the
dead-letter office. In his annual report to
the Postm aster-general.s says 9, S29, AGO pieces
of original dead mail matter were received
during the year. This is an increase of
81. .o0i pieces over last year. OF the uu-
claimed and undelivered matter received,
Az, $50 were letters instructed. OF the
undelivered letters, 27,6T were entirely
blank bearing no superscription whatever.
Ynu nf han fQJr i'm "a
checks and other valuable commercial pa
per. There Were 104. .673 held for postage;
A. Gas were addressed to fictitious persons;
52273 contained money amounting to S47.-
9S3. OF these. 21.1S3 or 20 per cent, con-
tainlng S36. 759. were finally delivered to the
owners. while 90,040, containing 81. .223.
were unbelievable: 50SO2 were found to
contain drafts, checks, ETC.. representing
81, ,S62. $685. OF this number 95 per cent. were
finally restored to their owners: 316G con-
tained lottery tickets. OF 5716,4S2 letters
received containing no Enclosures. 1868, ,313
were finally returned to the writers.