New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-15
THE POSTMASTERS CONFERENCE.
NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENTS RECOMMENDED
GROWTH OF THE SERVICE IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION.


GROWTH OF THE SERVICE IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
Washington, March IA (SpeciaD.-The recent con-
ference Of postmasters held in this city VIII result IL
e. believed in noticeable improvement Of the postal
service II IL were that the recommendations
u the BODY rs formulated and adopted would De
carried out By enactment Of Congress, there would be
no doubt at all the subject; but In view OF We
nggardly policy deemed necessary by the present
House Of Representatives. that outcome, greatly as Is
10 be desired Is not probable But 1t WILL neverthc-
less result In bctterments to the service winch
may be made without great expenditure OF money,
by the use OF other methods than those now employed
Postmastcr-General Wanamakcr. ut Whose suggestion
the conference was held. kept the members constantly
nj work. presiding personally over the three SESSIONS
a day during It's continuance. The delegates present
actively direct than half the entire postal work
Of the United states. What that work is and how
rapidly It growing probably not recognized or
appreciated even By the members of the conference
themselves until put before them in concise statement
OF the growth Of the service since the present Al
m!nistration inauCuratcd.
The figures are suggestive rot - say startling.
From March s, I-so TO March >, le02, there were
established lO540 new poStotices. more than one
sixth Of the whole number In existence. To the
> 80 Presidential Offices Of 1889. there have been
added I'm three years 467-about i per cent of the
entire number OF such Offices, which Is now 3,l3l.
In the matter Of the revenue, the three years PRIOR
10 the present Administration increased postal receipts
gu 900 600 more than Is per cent The three years
Of this Administration carried the revenue from S15i
900 10 over $9j 100000 increase OF more than
20 per cent in other words. the s"ioooooo gained
by the last Administration was maintained and over
$40, 800 900 added To- IT, The registration fees In the
same time were increased half million dollars. In
these three years to the miles travelled with mails
were added exactly 5i.SlG,193 miles by railroad
steamboat and service The rate of pay In star
and steamboat service has been decreased. There
have been 2.l29 routes opened. 255 new railway
postonce and compartment cars put on and l'olo
additional clerks employed IN railway mails, mainly
on account OF new service.
The increase IN tho number Of money-orler Offices
during the three years Of the last Administration was
1855 or lG per cent the increase in the three years
Of this Administration has been 1.520 or % per cent,
and the present year viii probbly double TIE totli
OF the money order offices.
F,e delivery has been established in the last three
years at $50 Offices and the entire service has been
strengthened and extended by the addition Of 2,f00
carriers The last report OF the last Administration
showed total Of 3J8 lettcrcaricr Offices, up TO date
there are sol.
These are the bare facts II the whole story Of tie
thr.c years to be told there should be added the
sub,,tatons and stamp stations established the i'm
proved railroad connections and fast trains put on. the
sea po,tofcc, begun the lottery expulsion from the
mails, experimental foe delivery at small places the
system Of promotions based on merit as ascertaned
from actual records. system formulated and intro
dnced by the Po,tOnicc Department new postal cards
lntrs,uced. and score Of minor improvements III
methods say nothing Of the reduction in the ratio OF
increase of expenses. For example. great reductions
have been made In the cost Of procuring the supplies
Of the DEPARTMENT In the matter of adhesive postage
stamps stamped envelopes. postal carus and Official
envelopes. It was shown In the annual report OF last
year that there had been an annual reduction OF about
IL per cent I'm the cost Of procuring these articles under
contract, made during the last three years and there
l. the authority of the Thrill Assistant po'tmastcrGen
,l for saving that ~ under the present contracts will
purcbnse n, great quantity OF the supplies mentioned
A. - "a did under The contracts in force only fifteen
The Recommendations of the conference were referred
IN y committee of eight. who VIII remain IN the city for
several DAYS and present them T. the Postal committees
~ The two houses Of Congress and the Appropriations
committee, to urge their enactment Into law