Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-07
POSTAL PROGRESS.
Remarkable Increase in the Revenues and
Number OF Offices-The Connection of
the Service With the Merchant Marine
Some Earnest Recommendation

Remarkable Increase in the Revenues and
Number OF Ofices-The Connection of
the Service With the Merchant Marine
Some Earnest Recommendations.
The report of the Postmaster General
efficient and progressive management of the
great business of that department. The re-
markable increase in revenues, in the num-
ber of postoffices and in the miles of mail
carriage furnishes further evidence of the
high state of prosperity which our people
are enjoying. New Offices mean new
hamlets and towns, new routes mean the
extension of our border settlements,
and increased revenue means an active
commerce. The Postmaster General re-
views the whole period of his administra-
+ tion of the office and brings some of his
statistics down to the month of November
last,
The postal revenues have increased dur
ing the last year nearly S., 900, 900. The
deficit for the year ending June 80, 1892, is
SS4S, 341 less than the deficiency of the pre-
ceding year. The deficiency of the present
fiscal year it is estimated will be reduced to
81, 552, ,423, which will not only be ex-
tinguished during the next fiscal year, but
a surplus of nearly 100000 should then
be shown. In these calculations the pay
ments to be made under the contracts for
ocean mail service have not been included.
There have been added 1,590 new mail
routes during the year with mileage of
1868 miles; and the total number of new
miles of mail trips added during the year is
nearly II, 900, 900. The number of miles of
mail Journeys added during the last
four years is about 10000, ,00C, this addition
being 21,0O0,000 miles more than were in
operation in the whole country in 1861.
The Increase in Business
The number of postofices has been in
creased by 2,790 during the year; and dur
ing the past four years and up to October
% last the total increase in the number of
offices has been nearly 5000. The number
of free delivery offices has been nearly
doubled in the past four years, and the
number OF money order offices more than
doubled within that time.
For the three years ending June 80, 1892,
the postal revenue amounted to S197, 744,-
359, which was an increase of $50. 263, $50
over the revenue for the three years ending
June 80, 1888, the increase during the last
three years being more than 81 times as
great as the increase during the three years
ending June 80, 1888. No such increase as
that shown for these three years has ever
department. The Postmaster General has
extended to the postofices in the larger
cities the merit system of promotion, in
troduced by nv direction into the depart
ments here, and it has resulted there, as in
the departments in large volume of work
and thnt better done.
Ever since our merchant marine was
driven from the sea by the rebel cruisers
during the War of the Rebellion, the United
States has been paying an enormous annual
tribute to foreign countries IN the shape'o of
freight and passage moneys. Our grain and
meats have been taken at our own docks
and our large imports there laid down by
foreign shipmssters
Americans Paying Tribute.
An increasing torrent of American travel
to Europe has contributed g vast sum an
nually to the dividends of foreign ship
owners The balance of trade shown by the
books of our custom houses has been very
largely reduced and in many years alto
gether extinguished by this constant drain.
In the year 1892 only 1913 per cent of our
imports were brought in American vessels.
These great foreign steamships maintained
by our traffic are, many of them, under con-
tracts with their respective governments by
which, in time Of war, they will become a
part of their armed naval establishments.
1TOuLlnp Dy our COmuleICc III pCdCc, bHoy
will become the most formidable destroyers
of our commerce in time of war. I have |
felt, and have before expressed the feeling,
that this condition OF things was both in |
and disgraceful.
A q wholesome change Of policy, and one
having in it much promise, as it seems to |
me, was begun by the law OF March 8, 1891
Under this law contracts have been made by |
the Postmaster General for IL mail routes. |
The expenditure involved by these con-
tracts for the next fiscal year appro1imates
1854, 123 80. AS one of the results already
reached 16 American steamships of an aggre-
gate tonnage Of 81, 400 tons, costing 81, ,4O0,-
BOO, have been built or contracted to be
built in American shipyards.
Prospects of Powerful Fleet.
The estimated tonnage of all steamships
required under existing contracts is 165, 1902,
and when that full service required by
these contracts is established, there will be
II mail steamers under the American flag,
With the probability of further necessary
additions in the. Brazilian and Argentine
service. The contracts recently let for