Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-25
THOSE P. 0. FIGURES.
The Remarkable Showing Leads to a
Rapid Glance at
RECORDS THAT ARE INTERESTING,
And Which Seem to Indicate That the
Statistics Err.
MISTAKES PROBABLY MADE SOMEWHERE

A special telegram from Washington has
this to say concerning the alleged falling off
in Pittsburg's postal business: Mr.. Albert
H. Scott, Chief Statistician and head of
Salary and Allowance Division of the Post
office Department, could not be found last
night, nor could the Third Assistant Post
master General, in whose Office the COM
parsons telegraphed THE DISPATCH yes
terday were made, so that q verifcation
cannot be had until Monday.
The showing is bad for Pittsburg, as there
should have been an increase of 9 to 13 per
cent, as has been the case for many years.
1t is especially bad in view of the increased
facilities given by new quarters, increase OF
forces, additional help and the impetus
these changes should bring.
The comparisons are for the months of
October, November and December, the first
quarter in the new building, as against the
same months of previous year in the old
building. There must be some mistake
about the figures; either that or the COM
mercial statistics of the Pittsburg Postofice
have been wide of the mark.
The report of the First Assistant Post
handled in 1891 over 1890 of9, ,691, TAO pieces,
or net gain for last fiscal year of % per
cent
Must Be q Mistake Somewhere.
In 1890 Pittsburg had 104 carriers who
handled 33O, ,55S pieces each, at an average
cost per carrier of S9O7 6S. In 1891 she
increased her carriers to 1873 and they, in
turn, increased the number of pieces
handled to 331, ,S54, while the average cost per
carrier was reduced, by the introduction of
new men at lower grade, to $500 81. For
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1890,
Pittsburg Postoffice on local matter col
lected over and above cost of free delivery
of all kinds of matter S35, ,461 40, and for
the year ending June 30, 1891, the local
postage amounted to S51, 700 81 above cost
of delivery, or net gain of 45 per cent.
The same Office collected on second-class
matter for the fiscal wear 1890, S17, ,S06 "a,
and in 1891, $20,S74 S5, or a net gain of H. %
per cent.
While these figures do not show the gross
cash receipts. they indicate largely in
creased business and Justify the statement
that there must be some error in the COM
parison sent out by the Third Assistant
Postmaster General
Pittsburg has generally figured as eighth
in volume of business compared with the
large cities of the country, but the last
showing looks like the lowest of the Presi-
dental offices in per centage of gain, and
compared with Philadelphia shows loss of
about IS per cent. In other words, Phila-
delphia has about five times the population
of Pittsburg and in postal matters, as one is
70 fvo. hnu tado oph hou n nj
of S3S, 900, Pittsburg should have gain of
81 200. In place Of that it seems to be only
81 900. Investigation will, however, show
that officials at one or the other end of the
linehave fumbled their figures.
The increase of suburban population
should increase the business of the Pitts
burg Postofice, and the country towns that
are being organized around and about it
should add to its Importance and revenue
ANY other conclusion would reverse an
order of things that has prevailed since the
formation of communities, and argues that
the new Government building will not be
needed for postoffice purposes after the out
side or tributary towns have attained their
growth.
Allegheny Has Not Hurt Pittsburg.
While looking over the statistics, and in
view of the statement recently made by
Postmaster Gilleland, glance at what
Allegheny has done in the past year may
not be amiss and it is very evident at the
start that the removal of the Heinz estab-
lishment to Allegheny has not helped her
postoffice, even though the loss to the
Pittsburg office is, as stated, $4,000. |
This would mean an additional col
lection in Allegheny of 100000 pieces
of matter, all first class, or posi-
of 4oI
mail Allegheny collected for the year
ending June 80, $780, (official reports)
II, ,526, ia pieces of all kinds of matter. |
During the year ending June 30, 1891, she !
collected only 9,953. .56S pieces, or net loss |
in pieces of 1,772, 546 or 13 40 per cent. |
This statement is fully sustained bv the |
figures: Allegheny had q car
riers in 1890, at an average cost of 1921 20, !
while each carrier handled 426 S39 pieces
In 1891 she had 80 carriers at an average !
cost of s7s5,57, and drop in the number of |
pieces handled by each to 331, 1856 pieces
Figures That Tell the Story.
Allegheny collected for the fiscal year |
ending June so. 1890, from local matter S23,- |
621 20, and tor the year ending June 30, |
1891, only S21, 500 08, ora loss over the pre-
vious year OF 5000 GO, or almost per
cent and notwithstanding the reduction in
carriers wages, by introduction Of new men
1t lower rate, there is net loss to
he Government in postage on local
matter of s54 60 over the previous year,
when it was 81, 264 %. Allegheny collected
postage on second class matter in 1890
amounting to 1857 81; in 1891 the same
,lass of matter yielded revenue of $56S 81,
or net gain of 81 cents.
Allegheny seems to be going steadily
backward, or else the official figures do not
igure as reliable indicators. The figures so
ar as obtainable, are correct, and may be
aiken as the measure of the general business
If both Offices, although the cash receipts
md disbursements only will show the net
7alue of each office compared with last year.
The increase of over SIG, 900 in postage on
ocal matter and $1,000 on. second-class mat
er in the report of the Pittsburg Postoffice
or 1891 demonstrates that Postmaster Nc
Nean is wrong in the statement that last
'ear was bad business year, or that Pitts
,urg suffered from any of the causes stated,
md the growth of small towns ON the out
ide increased rather than retarded the
,rowth of her postal business. Unless there
S some sort of jugglery in the above figures,
);+teburo ie oil riohf and A11ephenv