Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-15
TRANSPORTING THE MAILS
What It Costs to Garry Uncle Sans
+ Letters.
Utilizing New Methods and Among
Them the Electric Lines
MIR. Stones Report.

Owing to the illness Of Second Assistant
Postmaster General Nelson, the report OF
his office is made by George IT. Stone. who
is acting in his stead. In his report Mr..
Stone deals with that branch of the postal
service which looks after mail transpor-
tatiOn. For the star service 1t Is shown
that there are 1875 routes. with an ag-
gregate length Of 251,5S7 miles, and the
total Of miles travelled Is 113.57O.33S, at an
expense Of $5.S46.S55; estimate for next
year, $5,S75.OOO. The decrease In the es-
innate Is due to the reletting of many con-
tracts.
The steamboat service covers 127 routes,
1,O54 miles long, with total travel of
3.376,s67 miles. costing $4O7.125; estimate
for next year s42O,OOO.
Mail messenger service cost 81, 1877, 693, and
the estimate for next year $1,275,OOO.
Railroad transportation Of mail is the
most important of all. There are 2,6O6
routes, with an aggregate length Of 169,76S,
an increase of Il routes and 2,s16 miles.
The appropriation for the last fiscal year
was s24,5OO.O0O. which, with the sum of
81, 269,OOO appropriated by the deficiency
act, approved August %, 1894, made to-
tai amount of S25 100000 available for rail-
road transportation for that year. The
sum expended to September 80 1894, Is
So, 661, 567.26.
The amount reported by the auditor as
withheld from the Pacific railroads Is ST.
$50, 1854. The amount estimated as neceS-
Sary tor the fiscal year ending June 30,
1896, Is 100000, being 100000 more
than the appropriation for the current tiS-
cal year.
The report says the electric car line is
becoming each year q more important fac
tor in mail transportation. Service is now
in operation on forty-seven such lines at
the rates liked by law for the carriage OF
malls on steam roads.
The routes thus far established are COM
paratively short the longest being eigh-
teen miles in length.
They are principally employed for the
supply of suburban towns, and naturally
give a much more expeditions and salts
factory service than could be acquired
by the use of star or mail messenger SER
vice.
The report continues: Consideration Is
now being given to the feasibility Of utiliz-
ing electric ard other rapid motor street
car lines to facilitate the transportation of
mails in the important cities between the
main post offices and branch offices, and
to and from the railway stations. plan
of this kind would probably include the
running Of a special car over the several
street lines for the exclusive use of the
mail service. not only for carrying locked
pouches, but In which certain amount of
distribution would be possible. OF course
such an Arrangement could be effected
only by the hearty cooperation of the
street-car companies with the department
for the Improvement of the service. This
Office hopes to acc omplish some substantial
results in the direction Indicated within the
next year."
The cost of railway mail post Office cars
was $3.212,356 and the estimates for next
year, So, 205,0CO. Railway post office clerks
cost S6,S7S 1914, and the estimate for next
year is $7,433OO0. The total number of
pieces of mail handled was 10, 53i, 234. 255.
in which but /, PSI ,094 errors were made.
The foreign mail service cost 81 .239,362;
estimates for next year, $1,919, 400.