The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-26

fourth-cIass postmasters. But while the
first assistants office has been relieved Of
this labor, it has become more important
in purely business way. 1t has long
been the idea Of Postmaster General
Wanamaker that the postoffice depart
ment needed better business compact
ness, regularity and promptness. Early
in his official career he recommended the
appointment of a comptroller or actuary,
of the department., who should be per-
manent officer paid $4,000 year. His
proposition was not received with favor
however, the creation of the office OF
fourth assistant postmaster general.
The domestic money order system went
into operation in 1854 in 14l postoffces.
One hundred thousand dollars were appro-
priated from the public treasury to defray
the expense. OF this amount the sum Of
of $7.047.97 only was expended. The post
master general was authorized by the
above mentioned act ito establish and
maintain, under such rules and regula-
tons as he may deem expedient, uniform
money order system at all suitable post
Offices" He was further authorized by
act of July u. 1863, ito conclude arrange
ments with the post departments of for
eign governments, with which postal con-
ventionS have been or may be concluded,
for the exchange. by means Of postal
orders, of small sums Of money at such
rates of exchange and compensation to
postmasters, and under snch rules and reg
ulations as he may deem expedient." The
object of the money order system is Ito
promote public convenience and to insure
greater security in the transfer of money
through the mails"
The free delivery Of mail matter BY car
riers took effect July 1, 1868, and was put
in operation at fOrty-nine offices with
about 40 carries at an aggregate annual
compensation OF about 100000. Post
master General Blair, in his annual report
for 1868, said:
Our own experience aud that OF Europe de-
monxtrates that correspondence increases with
every facility OF its conduct, and free delivery
in the principal towns and cities has been
proved In the mother country to b facility
attended with very remarkable results. Further
time will be- required to prove whether IL will
operate in the same way here, but, as far As as
certained. the results are highly satisfactory.
In the City Of New York. for the first
quarter. there were delivered by carriers
2O69.4iS letters and 1sl0, III collected, or
an increase of about % per cent. over the
of the service was slow until
1887 and 1883, when the num-
Der Of offices was nearly doubled. Pre-
vious 10 January 3. 1887, the requirement
for the service was that Il city should have
a population OF 20 900 within the delivery
OF It's p0StOEiCS. ne law Oh january 5.
1887. made any place eligible that had
population of 10. 0OD or a revenue from its
postoiiice for the preceding fiscal year of
$1,000.
There are now over 600 free delivery
offices in the country, and the letter car
riers attached to this service deliver and
collect mail from 2u0v0. 900 people. The
annual expense IS between $4,000 600 and
$ll, OOO.0 900. law has been repeatedly
proposed to congress TO extend the service
TO towns OF 5000 population or OF S, coo
postal receipts for the last fiscal year. The
dead letter office IS by no means a dead
and-aive place but the busiest bureau Of
the entire department. MANY OF the
clerks, notably those At the opening table,
are in the habit of measuring oil their
work by the clock, that not q single mo-
ment may be wasted. The force of the
Office had not for several years been large
enough to do its legitimate work without
extra effort, and occasionally extra hours
of service: but now the work Is always
practically up to date, with no increase IN
the number of clerAs-tne natural result
of careful supervision and high degree
of individual. efficiency. Certainly no
more earnest and faithful body OF
employees can be found In the
pubic service than the l07 clerks
of this Office. The total number OF errors
in the transmission of mail matter in the
United States is very small compared with
the correct deliveries ttor letters alone an
the ratio of about l TO 323l