The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-11-16

Report
General Jones.
Washington. Nov. i1.-First Assistant
Postmaster General Jores has submit.
ted his report. II calls attention TO a
saving In his branch of the service dur
ing the past year OF $l,395.577. Mr..
Jones recommends an appropriation OF
sI7 100000 TO cover compensation Of
postmnstcrs for the next fiscal year and
SIC. 100000 for clerk hire at first and
second-class post Offices.
The salaries OF all presidential post
masters amounted 10 $5.S97 200. and
the gross receipts of post Offices $780,
58s.097. The number OF presidential
ptstmasters are 3.f9l. OF which l59 are
iirst-class; 700 second-class and 2.632
third-class. The total number OF posi-
tions brought within the classified
service during the year was 2,305.
An estimate OF $4,000. 800 is made for
the free delivery service next year.
The money-order report shows that
there are Is, 60l domestic money-order
Offices, aud orders 10 the amount OF
Sl50. 709,0 s0 were issued and $3.50. l59,-
GeO paid. MIR. Jones recommends leg
islation requiring clerks handling
Inoney-order business 10 give bonds.
Concerning dead-letter matter, the
report says: The number of pieces Of
original dead mail matter received dur
ing the year for treatment was 6.3i9,-
673. II decrease of 1Sl.l71.
He recommends the order recently
promulgated by the president providing
for the consolidation of fourth-class
post offices, and says the Only positions
at first-ciass post offices that are now
excepted from civil service examination
are assistant postmaster. private secre-
tary and stenographer, cashier and as
sistant cashier; at second-class offices,
assistant postmaster, under whatever
legal designation known.
MIR. Jones does not favor maintaining
experimental free delivery service IN
towns and villages, but states that If
the people still demand il he assumes
congress will pass the necessary appro-
priation to establish the service. In
view of the great saving effected and
the general Improvement in the service,
especially in the large cities, Mr.. Jones
recommends the employment ofa mum
Der of men in the larger Offices whose
regular duty il shall be TO inspect the
work OF carriers, make suggestions as
10 extensions and changes OF routes,
and, in fact, TO have general super
vision OF the work of carriers outside of
post offices.
Mr.. Jones says that besides the ac-
tual saving effected. the improved ell
cheney In the service in the Offices in
,estigated must be credited TO the Sc
cret service. At every Office the dis
cipline of the force and efficiency OF
the service have been much improved,
the work more equally distributed
among the letter carriers. and Mt many
offices extensions made and facilities
increased without additional cost.
The assistant postmaster general rec
ommends that the attention Of congress
should be called To the advisability OF
providing a penalty for the use OF the
postmarking stamp for unlawful pur-
poses. or for counterfeiting il, or for
placing an impression thereof upon an
envelope or postal card for the purpose
of deception. He says some penalty for
the unlawful use OF the franking privi-
lcge should be imposed.
Mr.. Jones renews several recommen-
dations mnde i'm his last report. such as
more stringent Legislation against oh
scene mail matter; the power to sus-
pend employees; the employment of
temporary and substitute clerks; care
for disabled employees; the better class
ihcation of salaries of clerks In larger
uiiiccs, anu the employ mrnt of subsfi-.
tute carriers.
49,. ,,....t......... 1890