The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-12
MR.. JONES SO COMPLAINS
I'm His Annual Report to the
Postmaster-General.
THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.
Interesting Recommendations Are
Made for the Improvement
of the Service.

Postmaster General Frank Jones has sub
mitted his annual report 10 the postmaster
General II is a review of the work In the
department. under his charge for the year
ending June 80, 1894. and contains his
recommendations for impr0 vement OF the
service. Mr.. Jones recommends leglsla-
ton to protect the postmarking stamp IL
use at postoffices. as the stamp is now
being used for unlawful purposes.
He reviews his recomme datiou for lsgis-
lation to prevent the boycottlng OF post
masters by the mailing OF letters a place
other than the Office, which results In re-
ducing the salaries of The postmasters boy
cOtled. lie calls especial attention to the
misuse of the ranking privilege. He says:
There seems to be some msapprehen-
sion among members of Congress as 10
the scope of the franking privilege, which
has resulted in some D0stmasters declining
10 send speeches or other matter presented
for mailing, and this department has been
called upon to give special instructions In
such matters.
"Instead of the name being written or
placed on the envelope by the hand stamp
it has been in some Instances improperly
printed thereon; the speeches therein con-
tanned have borne advertisements for the
printer, which formed 10 part Of the Con-
gressional Record, and therefore are sub
ject to postage as tbiTd-ciaSS matter. In
addition to this some of the packages sent
by mail under the frank OF the msm Der
have been found after delivery to contain
printed matter outside OF the Congress
siona Record and public documents, and
are therefore not frankable under the
laws above quoted. The literature being
sent under seal the departments Of coarse
unable to detect every violation.
There is no penalty attached to the
misuse of the franking privilege. hence no
action can be taken by me further than to
call the attention of the member TO the
matter.
"As this department is required to carry
without one cent Of revenue hundreds OF
tons of franked matter additional lmita-
tons should be placed on the use OF the
frank or penalty of some kind imposed
for its unlawful use, and l respectfully
suggest that the a,ten ton of Congress be
called TO this matter for such action as it
should deem proper."
Mr. Jones recommends legislation allow
ing the suspension without pay. not to
exceed ten days, of employees violating the
postal rules; also that disabled employees
may be granted leaves of absence with
continued pay: also some changes In the
classification Of salaries which were here
tofore commended.
The reports give details of the different
divisions of the First Assistants Office.
1t is shown by the salary and allowance
division that there are 149 first-clasS tffices,
466 second class and 1887 third class. The
aggregate salaries of these were S. 7O9, 200
and aggregate receipts SIS, 6S5,024.
The following estimates are made for
salaries, clerks, ETC., for the next year:
Compensation OF PostmasterS, SIC, 500. 600;
clerks in posloffices, $40, 100000; rent, fuel
and light, first and second class, 5000 600:
miscellaneous incidentals and furniture of
first and second class pOstofli -es, $50, COO;
advertis ng, first and second class post
offices. $4,000; rental canceling machines,
$4,000.
Mr.. Jones says owing to the scant APP
pr, priation the work of the free delivery
system has been curtailed There have
been no new offices made free delivery
during the year. There has been a slight
increase in the number of carriers. There
udo bccu q StIIicUtUb VI HIduy UssTlIfnt
claims of carriers during the year.
Mr.. Jones condemns as heartily as he
did last year the experimental free de-
livery and the rural free delivery tried by
his predecessor. He estimates the free de-
livery service for the next year at So, 327,
6S5. The estimate FIR supplies al post
Office departments is S444,50O. a decrease
of 81, 900 from the present year.
The money order business shows that
$50 offices were constituted money order
offices during the year. The amount of
orders issued was S16S. 793, $50; amount
paid, $l3S, 729, 229; recelp pts, 81, 212 33S; ex-
penses. 1856 TAT. The issue of postal notes
was S12. 649 094; postal notes paid. $12.-
GA, S44. The postal notes have never been
discontinued by act of Congress. The
amount of International money orders
issued was $13, 753. 455; foreign issues paid.
Sc, 56S, A93 OF the operations of the dead
letter Office. Mr.. Jones says:
"The number of pieces OF original dead
mail matter received during the year for
treatment was 7,101,044, decrease of 29-
9S3 pieces from the preceding year, instead
of an annual increase of this class of mat
ter, which in 1893 amounted to 349S47
These figures show a difference in favor of
the last year over the preceding one of
$3.50, and indicates a larger degree OF
efficiency on the part of the general postaI
service"
The number of parcels and letters de-
livered was 2.975,097. a gain of 267. $40
pieces, the highest percentage In delivery
of mail matter yet attained by the dead
letter office. OF the letters and parcels
opened and recorded, 2S5Sl contained
money amounting to $3S.255; 5000 con-
tanned drafts. money orders etc, with n
face value of Successes; 4170 con tanned
postal notes, value $5S9S; 40.2l4 contained
paid notes, receipts, legal and other papers
of a miscellaneous character; IS. 041 con-
tanned photographs; 151.S6S contained
postage stamps; "a, 452 contained articles
OF merchandise. books, etc.; 1000 con-
tanned manuscripts, and 5,915,645 were
without separate Enclosures and were re-
turned to the writer's, when practicable !;
otherwise destroyed without record.
There were restored to the owners Is. 1O8
letters containing S2S.077; 27.9l0 contain
ing gratis, notes, money orders. ETC., with
face value of 5000. 979; 4o33 postal note
letters. value $500; Sc. o7S containing mis-
ceilaneous papers; SO, 491 containing mer-
chandise, books, ETC.; 27.137 containing
photographs; 14,740 containing postage
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