Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-12-07
TIE POsTM ASTER'S REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT or THE PosTMAs-
TER GENERAL.
Mr.. Btssen Rccomynends the AssSlf-
ton OF Postal Sotes-An Estimated
Deficiency of something Like Sin
Millions of Dollars.

Washington, Nov. 2S.-The following
abstract of he annual report OF Post
master General Bissell was given out to-
day. 1t shows that the deficiency for the
year ended June 80, 1893, was $5,171,iI
instead of $1,552,423, rs estimated by
Mr.. Wanamaker, and that instead OF a
surplus Of $S72,24S for the current fiscal
year, as estimated by Mr.. Wanamaker,
there win be on estimated deficit of ST.
S30,473. The postmaster general es-
Inmates the gross revenue for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1895, at SSi,429,-
74S, and the gross expenditures at $3o,-
399,4S5, leaving an estimated deficiency
of $5,971, 1876, which, however, will DO
decreased S1,250,000 from the fund taken
from the unpaid money order accounts.
There are now 610 free delivery Of
fees. After a thorough trial of W and
a half years, the experiments In free
delivery tried in 400 towns OF
populations ranging from 200 TO
1000 have not proved the de-
STABILITY Of establishing the system gem
orally, which the postmaster general es~
Inmates would necessitate an annual out
lay of $10,00O,000. The appropriation Of
$4,000 made for the trial of rural free
delivery has been found inadequate for
a fair test, and the plan is not approved.
The postmaster general by one stroke has
settled the carrier overtime question un-
der the aight-hour law. Claims for over
time amounting to nearly a million dol
lars We're on file in the department when
he assumed his duties. Under his order
of April 4 last, however, postmasters
have been held so strictly accountable for
the time of their carriers hat the making
of overtime has practically ceased. de
suggests that
Postal Notes to he Abolished
and that the rates charged for all do
mestic money orders should be reduced
and the form of ord ,r simplified.
Great improvement is noticed IN the
star, railroad and steamboat transpor-
tation service, the length of the routes
being 453, S32.S3 miles. The postmaster
general states that his desire is that
wherever the general service can be ad-
yanced, use should be made of rapid
transit city and suburban car lines. He
pays particular attention to the railway
mail service, and requirements sf his
will, he estimates, call for an increase OF
employees from G,645 men to 1000 man.
He urges such legislation as will provide
q reasonable amount to be paid widows
and minor children Of railway mail clerks
killed while ON duty, and estimates that
$40, 900 annually will be sufficient for
this purpose.
Regarding ocean mail subsidy, the post
master general says that he is unable to
ascertain that any positive advantages
have accrued by reason of the contracts
AA.,a faw MAJ In nvapnttnn HnHAr thn nRf
of March 3, 1893. and that therefore, no
new contracts have been entered into.
There has been a marked increase in the
special delivery business, the entire
number of such pieces of mail matter
delivered being 3,315,6 Coz, an increase
over last years business of - per cent.
The department carried last year 3Ol,-
COCO pounds of second-class matter,
an increase of IA per cent. Concerning
this the postmaster general remarks that
he Is afraid that this indicates not so
much a healthy growth in the periodical
of enterprising publishers in securing
the entry Of many publications into this
favored class that are really not en-
titled to the privilege. While Mr.. Wanna
maker estimated that the profits from the
sale of Columbian postage stamps would
be. $2,500,0O0, Mr.. Bissells estimate is
only $1,000,000.
Concerning the fixing of government
! telegraph rates, Mr.. Bissell recites the
protest of the telegraph companies
against tie rates fixed by his predeces-
sor and the suits which have been insti-
tuted against the government to recover
at the rates charged the public. The
| rates liked by Postmaster General Bis
sell were accepted by the companies, and
are about 3 per cent below those fixed by
Postmaster General Dickinson in 1888.
On June 80, 1893, there were 6S, 4O3 post
offices in the United States, an increase
Of 1,2S4 over the previous year. There
are 1890 presidential postoffices, o net
increase of 1913 offices.
Civil Service Reform,
The postmaster general devotes con-
siderable space to discussion of civil