Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-02
cousIY posToFfIces.


Abstract q ~ Repod = pessNesses S'HseH
On NJ cssssy Offices.
Postmaster ssinsen. accompanied by Su-
perinsensent Of Mails Carson, arrived home
SATURDAY evening from the official visitation
of rostofHees In this county. They have
travelled between 800 and 800 niiies. most
~ by team and. in accomplishing this IN
,u~etion. have VISITED all bat four small Of
fees in this county. We are permitted to
uubIi.l, the folIoring abstract from the re-
rprt made 10 Postmaster General wanna
maker. 4 large part Of the report u Heees-
.arily Of confidential nature but much Of
j, IL Of public interest.
After mentioning the rates and certain
other matters, the report says;
Although this is my first visitation, 1
can but add word Of eommsnda,ion To the
general idea Of the county seat visitation.
II i.am most evident thing that the Offices
have greatly improved over the past year
when the first visitation Was made. They
are cleaner. better and more intelligenfly
KEEP, and the posiniasters, as a rule, take
more interest in the public service and this
interes, on the part Of the postmastsrs evi-
IDENTIFY extends to the public Itself, which
shows grea. interest in the visitation, or, az
II is generally known by the eouatry peo-
pie the inspection" No better proof of
this can be found than the many inquiries
male concerning the offices themselves and
the directions that have been taken from
inhabitants on country roads, showed that
the ordinary inhabitsnt appreciated
that the Office was to be locked
over AMI that there had
been an Improvement since the first vista
ton. With very few exceptions the Offices
are clean and neat, and there IL not so
much disposition TO allow waste matter to
accumulate and render the Office untidy (
desire in tins connection 10 cay that Of
whatever offices woman took care, there
was a neatness and cleanliness which would
be noticeable to any observer. have also
found that the postmasters themselves have
anticipated this visit for long time, and
have kept their offices in readiness for 1t
and made a memorandum Of such questions
as they might from time to time find
pazzling them.
With single exception, have found
little or no complaint Of offices and the
management of them. while in most cases
service and the willingness of postmasters
to accommodate the public"
Though, of course, as fine clean service
cannot he expected of an office having a
patronage Of 20 or 30 families as would be
expected from an Office in large village
and it has seemed 10 me that, speaking gen
orally, the county of kcnnebec may be
proud Of the postal service in this district.
\ Majority Of the Offices are very well
fitted and a large number have neat and
compact Yale outfit. costing some So,
which seems To make the most convenient
arrangement Of any method adopted
Il have found but very few offices in
which the lottery card was not prominently
displayed and in every case where it was
not II was becaurc the card had been worn
ont
This portion of the report re
fers to certain technical matters in the mail
In conclusion, | would say that my per
.onal experience has been such that | am
absolutely certain that this county seat yi-I-
tation il the means of making \ marked
improvement in the country Offices. The
postmaster himself is inspired to give bet
Ter service, he becomes more anxious that
the public shall be satisfied with his admin
lstrs,ion Of the office, and, knowing that the
inhabitants are looking for this "iu-pcc-
ton il becomes a matter of pride with him
tina, his office shall be found in good shapo,
that he himself is familiar with postal mat
ters that the public shall speak well of his
Nlb'ft hili NliHt NAf bih'f AN appearance aiti
service shall compare favorabIy with that
of every other Office. II is At once
evident to the most casual observer
what an advantage this must
be to the postal service itself. At the sam
tine, this inspection or visitation should be
general in every part of the country. 1t
l., I..Ff 70, ..,ft Of
county seat postmaster whether he will 60
or not, and vet it is an injustice to ask any
man to 90 through the hardships and trouble
that this visitation involves and that he
should not be recompensed to the extent of
paving hi' necessary expenses. II would
be my suggestion that in no case should the
county seat postmaster be asked to examine
the accounts ot an office further than to see
that they are neatly and correctly kept I'M
less there was some cause for rigid inspec
ton. great majority of these small case.
could be easily adjusted by the county seat
postmaster to the great relief of the post
office inspectors dil he have the proper
authority vested in him.
To carry out this visitation to its full
extent would practically give the county
sea, office charge of the whole county. He
should he allowed a certain per diem
amount for his expenses, and HI. time of
irritation restricted TO a certain number o
DAYS. to be determined by the size of the
county. Accessibility of Offices. ct cetera
allowing two or three extra days above the
necessary time of visitation Tor eNtraord-
nary cases. He should not be restricted to
any particular season of the year, but
should make the visitation or any part of it
at such time as his Judgment shows him To
he best for the interest of the service. and
not so that every postal official in The
county would be expecting him at about the
same time
Solid Home Institution.
An article of great interest to business
Il