Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-11-25

and. Il was thought that there would be
a great demand for them, but they DID
not sell. The people did not want them,
and d was 60 thc interest Of the depart
ment to be released from their contract
After considerable negoiilu o., the
American Bank Note Company agreed
10 let the Postmaster General OIL from
the last billion. bee C0uscutiug 90 lake
up to the amount NJ two billions Of The
stamps. The contractors could have
held the department. but they did not
and thus Uncle sam will have just
100000 profit oft OF the operation
tins SEw POSTAL CARDS.
Another economy has Just been In.
augurated In the making Of the postal
cards. During the past NV years we
have been using three different styles Of
cards There was little white card for
"a cent for the ladies. ayelIow barn door
al the same price for the big business
man, aud a middle sized card Tor general
use. ID has cost considerably more 20
make the three different styles than one.
and the Postmaster General has decided
70 use but one card, and the one fixed
upon IS OF the size used by the Inter.
national Postal Union. and postal cards
will now be the same an the world over.
We use such an immense quantity of
these cards that the saving in the new
/ contract amounts to f5o,og1 q year. The
contract is made for four years, and the
/ total saving will thus be flso,ooo. 70 b
one cent business, but the saving
means a fortune.
MILLIONS ~ lost MONEY ORDERS.
II will be surprising 20 many people
that the postal service OF the United
States by no means pays It's own cNpcn'
| ses. Uncle sam has for years been
carrying letters aud mail below cost, and
| Il Is estimated that the Post Office De.
parimcni will need about 100000 every
year from the appropriations Of Con-
grcss. This ig 50 Notwithstanding that
the mails are carried over the Pacific
roads without any cash outlay ON the
part ui the post office. These roads
Owe the government. and the amount Of
money due for carrying the mail Is cree
ditcd 10 their account II Il were not
40 the department would have to pay
out about 100000 additional every
year so that Il really costs 100000 a
year more than II brings In. The most
expensive part Of the business Is the
carrying Of second.class matter which
pays only a cent pound, and which
costs ON an average about seven cents q
pound to deliver All OF these items
are being closely looked into during
.hesc hard times and every bit OF postal
revenue is being scra MiIed. The Post
master general, IN fact, has been mater-
, ally helped through the money order
fund. We have had a money order sys.
tenn since 1864, aud during all this time
/ orders have been issued and paid for.
/ but the money has not been called Tor nj
the other end. Either the order, have
been lost or stolen, or the parties fecciv.
/ ing them have failed to collect them.
I These sums have accumulated until they
have now between two and three million
dollars Of such money In the Treasury
/ Department. From this fund there was
recently credited to the Post Office De-
patiment sf,25o,ooo, and this Is now be.
ing applied 10 the deficiency Of the
current year.
made some Inquiries NJ the depart.
/ ment us to whether any improvements
were contemplated in the postal service,
and find that II Is the Postmaster Gen.
| erals idea not TO attempt any expert
meuts 10 the present time. Huis great
advocate Of thorough organization and
/ OF complete development lie believes
that the postal service can be improved
| By investigating rs needs, strengthening
| lbs weak spots, and perlcc,Ing It's pres.
/ cnt system lie Is not at present
seriously considering any matters con,
nectcd with the postal Telegraph, pc al
telephone or the pneumatic tube system
for cities, evidently believing that such
experiments, ncccssilaung the eNpcndi.
| ture OF great sums Of money, should be
left to more prosperous times,
uissELL AND civil SERVICE.
During my call had few words with
him about the service and find that he Is