Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-10-28
NOT so MANY LICKED
Heavy Falling Off in the POST
office Receipts
CAUSED BY THE sTaISGlScY


Uncle Sam 10 usually pretty fortunate
IN escaping the effects of a financial
stringency. but during these pipsing
times % democrat prosperity certain
branches o. his business are badly
squeezed and he will be obliged 10 make
heavier demand on tho general fund
than forseveral years pssi-
The postofiiee department viii per.
haps suffer more from the general stag
nation OF business than any other branch
OF the federal government The depart
meat is not self -sustaining in the most
prosperous OF times and the annual
deficit has 20 be made up from the general
fund. bat this year the deficit will be
much larger than IL has been for some
time. The receipts Of the Grand Rapids
postofics since tho stringercy asserted
itself have fallen considerably below the
usual amount Ordinarily the annual
receipts Of this Office are about 100000.
but the reports 81 the last tao quarters
show = marked decrease. Grand Rap
Ids furnishes more patronage 10 Uncle
Sans postal service than many cities
twice It's sire on account OF its numerous
special Industries These firms are ex-
tensive patrons OF tho mail in various
ways
No Circulars Sent Out
For instance, the Bissell Carpet
Sweeper company. the Leonard Refrig
orator company. the Gum Folding Bed
company and many other manufacturers
OF special articles do vast amount OF
advertising through the mails. They
issue thousands Of descriptive cata-
logues OF their wares and send them To
the four quarters of the civilized world.
When the commercial situation Is in a
healthful condition aud the products OF
the industrial centers OF the country are
in demand a strife Is created among pro-
ducers to show the superiority OF their
wares TO the consumer. In former years
il has not been an unusual sight 10 see ex-
press wagons loaded with catalogues and
descriptive circulars driven 10 the back
door Of the postofiice and dumped into
the mailing department These loads
were worth in many instances eco and
$500 TO the postotfice department, as
stamps to that amount were required
10 send he matter through the
mail. This year business has been
dull, sales have been few and the
condition of business has not warranted
large expenditure in advertising,
consequently these large deposits Of
mail matter have been almost unknown
to the dapper young postofIice clerk.
Another Decrease Noticed.
Another source Of postofice patronage
has also noticeably decreased In pros
porous times business is conducted
Io~.~Atx spa1ff rufe NH s.h
makes the sending Of statements Of ac-
counts necessary. This is done largely
through the mails. The officials
find that the ordinary letter and postal
patronage is about equal To that Of
former years Friends write TO each
other as frequently when business is
dull az when they are making big sales
and working for high wages Business
depression does not chill the friendship
of'old acquaintance and loving missives
are sent by Uncle Sans agents in as
large numbers as in times OF prosperity.
While there has been largo falling
of in the receipts from these sources
there has been a slight increase from
others The increase will fall far below
the amount lost from business patron
age. however. During the summer
months and the lack OF confidence in
the banks OF the country the receipts
from money orders were much larger
than usual; but as confidence has been
nearly restored remittances again return
10 banking channels. Grand Rapids
posfotfce is usually source Of profit To
the United States. as while the income
is 100000 per year the expenses OF the
Office are only about $4,000 Post
master Briggs expects much smaller
surplus this year than for any year dur.
| ing his administration.