The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-06
THE POSTOFFICE.
Annual Report of the POST
master-General.
The Experiments Relating to tho Free
Delivery Service IN the Oouutry-Pensions
for Old and Disabled Clerks.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5-The postmaster
general in his annual report mentions
among the chief developments of the year
were IS. OOO, 900 added to the gross revenue,
and the deficit reduced nearly LOCO, 900;
money order Offices increased from 1000
to 1869. Eighty-two cities were supplied
with free delivery, 1890 offices wers es-
tsblished. 26S advanced to presidential
grade, H, 100000 miles additional service,
1880 new mail routes established, embrace
ing $500 miles new service; ocean mail
service extended; pneumatic tube service
introduced, saving 100000 on mail con-
tracts and $50, 900 on stamped papers. Up
to July l last for foreign mail service per-
formed and expedited under new policy
was $780, 79, aud the cost of the service
for the present fiscal year will be greater.
On free delivery the postmaster general
says the experiments have related to
villages, but it has been daily service
and cleared profit. 1t is easy enough,
therefore, to say that free delivery can be
extended further and further, and it
ought TO De done, whether it pays profit
TO the department or not. He believes
fully that great advances could be made
in the direction of country free de-
livery by an evolution of the star route
service, and we would see free delivery
TO persons living along the highways
travsrsed by star route contractors with
little if any increased cost to the depart
ment in very fen years. Postal tels-
graphs and telephones are strenuously ad-
vocated as in former years. OF one cent
postage he says it is a near possibility. He
urges reduction Of money order fees,
simplifcation of the postal note so it bet
ter answers the need of fractional cur
rency, the abolition Of COX rents.
The organization of the department
should be permanent, except in the case of
the postmaster general and the fourth
assistant and Wanamaker would add
three new offices, viz: deputy postmaster
general at New York, one at San Fran
cisco, and a controller in Washington.
All postmasters presidential and fourth
class and all employees in branches of the
department should have specific term of
four years on good behavior and re-aeDoint-
ment subject 10 the controller. He
would unity work, hold 1t up by
strong controlling hand, reduce hours
advance pay, make promotions in every
branch for merit alone, anG retire old or
disabled clerks perhRp5 on pension fund
to be provided by an annual payment Of
ope-hslf of l per cent. on each months
salary. Postal telegraph and telephone
service, postal savings repositories, pneu-
matte tubes, or some electric device
between city sub-stetions and main
Offices, ferrys. railroad stations and
central offices Ia all the large
cities should be employed without delay.
The erection Of immense costly buildings
for postoff1ces ought TO be stopped and the
department be allowed to sxpend fixed
sum OF from enc to five millions each year
in the erection OF buildings upon fixed
plan, such as Postmaster General Villas
recommended. He would modify the sys-
tenn of fines and deductions upon railroads
and establish q system of compensation
based upon a speed of twenty, thirty, forty
fifty and sixty miles per hour.
In closing, he says his idea for an Aneri-
can postal service is system modelled upon
the district plan with fewer officers, and
those grouped around central Offices aud
under thorough supervision. By this means
at least twenty thousand offices could be
abandoned that produce nothing TO the de-
partment In the place of every one
abolished might be put an automatic
stamp sellings machine and letter box to
receive mail. With the money thus saved
should be instituted system of collection
snd delivery by mounted carriers, bicycles
and star route and messenger contractors
all over the country. The classes of post
age should be reduced to three, and the
rate of postage the world over to l cent
each half ounce.