Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-03
BIG STAMPS UNPOPULAR.
Report of the Third Assistant Postmaster
General Today.
Finances of the Observation-Disclosures
LEGATIONS Admitted and Rejected.

Mr.. Kerr Craige, third assistant post
master general, today submitted his an
nual report to Postmaster General Bissell.
HIS financial statement is as follows: Let
ter postage paid in money (made UP prin-
cipally of balances due from foreign postal
administrations, s72.3o5.sl; box rents, S.
1872 $50: fines and penalties, so 347OS; sales
OF postage stamps, stamped envelopes.
newspaper wrappers and postal cards, ST.
359,2l3.o9; receipts from unclaimed dead let
tiers, sn,537.57; miscellaneous receipts, s24,-
l27.l2; total ordinary postal revenue, S4,-
9S2, SSI77
Receipts from money order business,
1914. 1888; total receipts from all sources,
SIS, S96, sS3 16
The actual expenditures for the service Of
the year ending June 80, 1893, including all
expenditures made on account of the year
up to three months after it's close, So GA,
104.9o; excess of expenditures over receipts.
SIT, lila
If the amounts earned during the year
for transportation of the mails by subsi-
died Pacific railroad companies and GER
titled to the Secretary of the Treasury in
favor of these companies were added to the
above the deficit in the postal revenue
would be Sc, 95,0l757. If to this were added
the outstanding liabilities on account of the
\
deficiency would be s.. 266. 229.66.
The postal receipts for 1888 show an in
crease of 81 $50. 45I.18 over the preceding
year. and the increase in expenditures for
the same period, 81. $50. 1920. In the deficit
there was a decrease of S2l6l
During the year. in cases where compro-
misses with debtors were found to be neces-
sary, and in others where the debts could
loss of $50, 0io5s.
Columbian Stamps.
The appropriations for the service of the
office of the third assistant were $751;
s42 60, exclusive of the amounts paid special
delivery messengers. OF this there Is an
unexpended balance of $146, 722.35.
The increase in expenditures over 1892 was
s267, 1850. This increase was due TO the In
PRODUCTION of the Columbian stamps and
the use of the largest and most costly OF
the three kinds OF postal cards. Inc IN
crease for the compensation of special de-
livery messengers was Si4,SO2-2i.
The estimates of appropriation for the
service of the Office during the next fiscal
year amount to sl,7eO,3OO. or $226,0oc less
than the current year.
The Operations of the finance division
were as follows: Number of certificates Of
deposit received and entered in ledgers.
302, 23S; number of accounts OF contractors
and other creditors of the government ON
account of mail service received and eN-
amined, Ill, la; number of new mail con-
tracts received and examined. 7,210, and the
number of orders of the Post Master Gen.
eral affecting the mail service was $3.50.
Twenty-four thousand circulars were sent
to postmasters instructing them as to the
deposit of their postal balances and demand
ing from delinquent postmasters such
amounts as were due them.
The money received from postmasters
enormously RENTING to this Office balances
due the government, from collections made
by the chief post Office inspector, from
stamp collectors, and from bills of exchange
covering balances due by foreign postal ad-
ministra tons amounted to $66,S6S.I.
The amount taken from dead letters and
Melted from the sale of dead articles ag-
gregated sl3S94.92.
The number of pieces received for special
delivery at all the letter carrier offices was
q sG9, $40.
The average number of special delivery
messengers employed at the letter carrier
offices was ], 49O.
The average time consumed in the deliv-
cry Of special matter after 1t reached the
Office was nineteen minutes.
The profit to the government on special
delivery business was sso.976.59. The num-
Der of pieces of stamped paper issued to
postmasters through the work of the stamp
division was 3943, 6S5,00l, an increase over
the preceding year of 26s. $50 Gee. The gross
value of all stamped envelopes and news
paper wrappers issued mot including letter
sheet envelopeS was 81. l4s,0sS. and their
postage value was 81, 81, 643.55. leaving
expense Of issue. The issue of letter sheet
envelopes has decreased during the year.
1t is questionable says the report whether
their use ought to be continued. There were
also issued, for official use, SO, 76O, 400 I'M
stamped envelopes. There were also issued
$50 newspaper and periodical receipt
books.
Publications Handled.
The number of publications admitted to
the nails at the cent-a-pound rate was
), 492; number of publica tons denied second
class rate Of postage, 3l5. The weight of
second-class matter sent through the mails
was 255, 3d., 213 pounds, an increase over last
year of 1872 per cent. The number of offices
at which this matter was mailed was $685.
The introduction of three sizes of postal
cards was unfortunate. The popularity of
the reply postal cards has warranted the
expectation of the department.
When the Columbian stamp was a nov
city its sale was heavy, now the public
prefers the smaller stamps. The estimate
of Mr.. Wanamaker as TO the number of
stamps which would be sold exceeded those
actually sold by 100 per cent The depart
ment will be embarrassed in getting into
use the Columbian stamps yet to be shipped
by the manufacturers.
There was a decrease in the amount of
registry fees, owing to a reduction in the
rate of 10 to s cents ordered by Mr.. Wanna
maker. The restoration of the old rate
is recommended. The chief post Office in
spector reports that during the year his
office has received 5.546 complaints touching
registered matter. OF this number 1893 were
fully investigated and losses in 2.577 cases
were ascertained. More space should be
given to registry divisions in post Office
buildings. The new manifold registration
book is commended. The third assistant
renevs the recomme ndation that a limited
tlyI nftx he IAd 70