Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1893-12-05
POSTOFFIcS DEPARTMENT,
Depression ia business Quickly Eetluccs
the Revenues

IIO@IfnN~Tef CNutfiI C,ffl-
,ans d, tailed staten 1T of tn operations OF
tae pus;o.Ilce department during the last fiscal
year aai much Interesting informant III touch
ing II : important branch OF the public serv-
ice. The business of tne mails indicat with
absolute certainty the CONDITION OF tn blsi-
n.,s OF the country and depression in financial
u reHehn.s. Therefore IA larger discrepancy
than usual between the pos,onc. rece pts and
sxpendi'ares i. IN expected and unavoidable
which has prevailed throughout the
c c H., curing .,, much Of the tins
NJ date when bette. t'i..as were anticipated
il was estimated 10y his predcces or that the
deficiency on the 3Rh day OF June lsgi, would
be but little over ! million and a half dollars
II amounted however. 20 more than five II IL
hons. Al the came time and under the infiu-
e'lcc of like ante patiuns estimates We're made
io the current fiscal year ending June 81 lS9;.
which exhibited q Surplus OF revenue over ex-
re,,diture. of >si..tj..i; but now in view of
the actual re, eipts and ex9cnditures durin;.
that mart OF tue current fiscal yelr already
expired. me present postmaster general esti-
mates that AT the close, instead Of
The posto.iice receipts foE the fiscal year Year
amounted to Sl.,.S'iI ii.ii and its expenditures
70 $500. iui..u. This po,toiiice de;,ciepcy
would disappear or be immensely d .cre;s ID If
les matter was EARNED free tn ough the
mails. an item of which is upward OF SO tons of
seeds and grain from the agricultural depart
men;.
Total Number of Omces.
States on the .svth day q! Iuna, lSEi was It's +E,
an increase ud i.:.6f over the plece ling wear
.; these 5.:iii were preside ltal an increase in
Forty two free delivery offices were added dur
ing he Year 10 those already existing. making
t,:al of SO cities and towns provided with
free delivery on Juae ~ lsa,. Ninety three
other cities and toNi,s are now entitled to til;
service Under the law. hut it has not been ac-
corded them ON account of insufficient funds to
meet tn expense nj its establishment. 1 am
decidedly OF The op Zion that tne provisions Of
the present law permit rs general an introduc
tion Of this feature Of mail service
rs is necessary or justfiable, and that
1t ought not To he extended to
smaller communities than are now designated.
line expense II tree delivery f,r the lis al wear
ending June n 1894. VIII lie more .han Sll.Wl-
vD and under legislation now existing there
pcndturc
There were a.i0l additions t. the domestic.
money order offices during the last fiscal year
b,lnS the largest Increase N any year since the
Inauguration ot the system. The total number
OF these offices at the c.osc o. the year was Is.
"A. There were l3.ia. az, money orders issued
from these offices. being IN increase over the
preceding year a: L2il,.s6 aud the value OF
these nrd.rs Snoli l.., to Sc: 1856.
also issued during the year pos
,al notes amounting 10 Sl..ar',u.d. .3 Dur
ing the year i.s' unconditional money-ortler fiji
c'S were added 10 those already provided.
m,a.Eg total OF -. IN operation on June 10
ISIS The nutnber Of internatio nal mo 'cv o.
dcrs Sisted aurilg tn. year was 10 5t.l an
inrl case over the prc,.tlu,, year Of a. ~ ~ nd
th.ir value was 81 .:.l. *, So an increase Of
Sl.2-l ~ 81. The nIimD n of tlcrs paid was
Jh."ls. an increase over the preceding year of
%. ~, and their value WAS SI..S i.3.5.. AL in
c ease Of s9..u.i.ss 7 oil she fore DIN state
mcnts. I a.Ipe IL that the total issue of money!
orders aud I'oe. al notes for the yea. amounted
foSptosi, 4-.2i.
sPcr!a, Delivery Stamps.
Tin. number OF letters and packages mailed
during the year for special deliver, was 3:s.5-
tsci. increase over the preceding wear of
nearly ss per cent. The SPECIAL delivery s,arl,Is
used upon tilc-s' letters and pa kals amounted
Ia s:si. ,,it.i. and the messenger fees paid for
their delivery amounted to s..G.sI..l. leaving,
n profit 10 The goyern,nont CT SsN.9.6.ia. The
railway mail service not only adds Ia the
prurptnes.s Of mail delivery az all offices. but it
Is the special instrunien,asity which puts the
smaller al. way places in the SER
vice on an equality in that regard
with the large and terminal o.ilcrs.
This i'ranch of the postal service has therefore
rccciv q niue, at, n,ion, from the postmaster
general. and though IL is gratifying To know
that Il Is m a condition of high efficiency and
great usefulness. I a,u led to agrc, with tb.
postmaster general that there is room for its
further improvement
There are now connected with the postoffice
establishment SEA employees. who are in the
classified service. The head Of this great de-
Iartmert gives conclusive evidence OF tin, value
Of civil service reform when. after an cxoeri.
ence that renders his Judgment on the subject
absolutely reiiable, he expresses the opinion
that without the teneht of this system
il would I've impossible to conduct
the vast business rintrvsted to-. him.
promP: attention the suggestions Of the post.
master general relating to q more sensible and
business like organization and "a better dis
tribution OF responsibility In his department.