Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-02-05
THE POST-OFFtCE DEPARTMENT

Af1h fODI-Oh FiCL IfEI q n VI Fs-N I
In a contribu ton to the New York
Independent on Postmaster-General
Wanamaker's administration, Hon.
Thos. l.. James, eX-pOstmaster of New
York city, and p0stmaster-general in
the cabinet of President Garfield,
points out the progress and the prin-
cipal achievements of the department
SINCE March 4, 1889 The deficiency of
SIS, s27, 919.43 for 1899 has been reduced
so far that for the present year il will
amount to S3,97S, 329.3s, as estimated,
and for 1893 there will probably be a
small surplus Of Sl2,949.93. Then the
department will be self-supporting.
This result has been reached despite
the loss of the lottery business during
1891 which is estimated at from ST.
100000 to 81 100000. OF other matters
accomplished we can give only brief
summary:
l. A closer communication between
~abo9ostofiices by visits of the postmaster of
NJ leading office, generally the one at the
sojoounty seat.
.. Increase Of postal service at the
West. In fifteen months 1,3S9,9O6
miles travelled in postal service were
added in Washington, Wyoming and
Idaho.
3. A saving Of time on many routes.
-Four hours have been saved on the
morning mail between New York, and
full days time on the fast mail from
\ the West.
Il 4. The enforcement of the lottery
law by which the lottery business has
been almost wholly driven from the
mails.
5. The passage of the postal aid bill,
to carry American mail under the
American flag.
6. The experiment of rural free de-
livery, which has proved successful in
forty-six communities.
Z. The addition of a fourth assistant
5 postmaster general to the organized
force at Washington, who acts as over
seer of appointments.
8. The founding of postal museum,
for which contributions have already
been received from Great Britain,
France, Germany and nearly all the
leading nations of the world
9. The sea postofiices on the large
ships, where the mails are sorted. This
expedites the arrival of foreign mails by
from two to four hours to a week.
10. The proposed extension of the
money-order system to 10, 600 additional
postoffices.
Here are some specifications relating
to Increase of service and facilities UNI
der the present administration:
Increase in the number of postoffices
from March 4, 1889, to date, 6,42l
Increase in the number of free-de.
livery offices for same period, 100.
Increase in the number of presiden.
tial offices for the same period, 465.
Total increase in length of routes o
mail service same period, miles, 25,
S50.65.
Total increase in miles travelled, same
period, A, ,5l7.6S.
Number of postal conventions signed
and ratified for same period, the same
being parcels-post conventions with the
I,eeward islands, Salvador, Costa Rics
1. slid the Danish West Indies, A.
Money-order conventions for the
same period being conventions with
Newfoundland, the Bahamas, Trinidad
aud Tobago, Chile and Ecuador, 5.
Improvements now being urged by
Mr.. Wanamaker are: Postal saving:
banks under government guarantee o.
the safety of deposits; house letter-boxe'
to facilitate the delivery of letters; in
demnity for lost registered mail; The
establishment of a dead-letter office on
.khe Pacific coast; the division of the