The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-09
7HB POSTAL SERVICE.
report of the First Assistant
Postmaster General.
FREE DELIVERY EXPERIMENTS.
special Report On This Point to Re
Made 10 Congress Next MONTH
over Two Thousand Positions
Added to the Classified Service
What Mr. Jones Has saved In SAL
aries and Allowances of Post.
masters.

Washington City. Nov S-The annual
report OF Frank III. Jones, first assistant
postmaster general gives a review OF n
large part OF the years postal business Of
the government. and makes numerous
recommendations for the Improvement OF
the service. 1t shows that during the last
three fiscal years the aggregate saving
in the division of salaries and allowances
OF postmasters. were ss<5. sss: in free de-
livery s2.sli4Is. and postofisce supplies
s2is.ase. total. Ss.7S. aS. For that period
there was an aggregate reduction of 3eao :
lSs in the number of pieces OF mail sent
from postoifices TO the deadietter Office.
The total number Of presidential Offices
July last was S.sSi. of which ls9 were
frs, class. 7is second class and . 7ss third
class. The aggregate gross receipts az
tho tirst. second and fhrd-class Offices were
s5S 1855. and the total salaries Sc, ,2ns 900.
Since November 3 1894 there have been
af5a positions in the postofiices attached
10 the classified service. This leaves as
the only positions at first-elass pestoffices
that are now excepted from civil service
examinations. the assistant postmssters,
, and principal cashiers of second-cIass
Offices
Attention is called to the fact that not
ceipts. the numerical increase in the force
was less than 80 per cent. of previous
years. During the year - stations and 10
sub-stations were established, one station
and seven sub-statlons were discontinued
during the year. and fifty-four stations
and sub-stations were established 10 take
their place.
Mr.. Jones says the postofiice depart-
ment should be at liberty to execute leases
fif-A fara aFtafE for snI fx.
excess of five years. where. i'm the opinion
OF the department, IL Is necessary. Can
ceiling machines are highly commended.
and there are 100 of one pattern and 2s7
of another now in use under contract. IL
is understood that the Investigations OF
carrier claims will be completed during
the present fiscal year. and about 100000
more Will be necessary TO pay all claims
accrued.
The experiment Of free delivery In *
towns and villages cost the department
$S,2a1. leaving an unexpended balance of
I.753 Investigations showed that In q
majority of the Offices the gross receipts
had increased since the establishment OF
the service. the department bein. COM
PEELED to send money to some Offices for
the payment of letter carriers salaries.
Congress did not appropriate for further
permanent or experimental service. and
the experiment was necessarily discon-
tinued with the close OF the fiscal year.
There are sixty-three Offices entitled to
the establishment of free delivery service
during the fiscal year ended June 20, 1896,
but the service could not be established at
more than nineteen Offices without en-
failing greater expense upon the limited
appropriations for the current year than
the maintenance of the established service
would permit. The rural free delivery ex-
pertinent was In operation at points in
1xrstI<. th.f 1t ~ II
month and the result OF this test will he
received in special report to congress in
December.
The aggregate number OF domestic ard
international money orders issued during
the year was 24.947, ,s49. amounting to sis6.-
953, pa, and their payments AMI repayments
was 4.iio.S4s. amounting to slT7.0s7 ,y57.
There was an increase OF over per cent.
in the whole number of money orders is
sued. showing the growth OF the system,
and the total increase in revenue from
both the domestic and international busi-
mes was s74l47 The total amount OF bills
OF exchange resulting from exchange OF
international money orders sent to for
eign countries during the year was SOL
7a9 the balances received from abroad for
the same purpose being sol go.
In the dead letter office s.253, 1853 pieces OF
original dead mail matter was received.
about ss3 sc0 being inclosed and 81 per cent.
containing drafts. checks. etc, OF the ap-
paren. value OF s955.195. about 90 per cent.
of this hesrg returned to owners.
The report closes with a summary Of tho
administrator OF Mr.. Jones, showing tho
pruning OF expenses wherever possible.
without impsiring the service. and makes
numerous recommendation The first as
sistant says:
1.-The attention of congress ought TO he
called to the private letter box abuse in
large cites. II is in some cases impossible
TO focgtte persons engaged in conducting
fraudulent and unlawful correspondence
through the mails who, for a comparative
ly small sum, can rent box In some cigar
or stationery store through which 10 re-
ceive letters addressed TO them. Several
bills have been introduced within the past
few years designed 10 put an end to the
practice OF boycotting posfnasters at Of
fees of the fourth class thereby deprlv-
Ing them OF tne compensation properly
belonging 70 them This matter should be
called Up ard action taken that would re-
suit IN Fsostuasters receiving at least the
compensation which properly belongs to
their respective Offices"
Other recommendations are: Placing
0ealtes In obscene matter on the fraudu-
lent list; penalty for the unlawful Use OF
the frank OF a member OF congress: au-
rhor!fy for suspension OF postoffice en-
pioyes. for substitute clerks. with pay. In
the place Of regular clerks necessarily abb
sent leave. with fun pay. To clerks or car
riers disabled while on duty. substitutes
10 assist regular carriess on holidays and
other emergencies; 10 require bonds COW
ering negligence or dishonesty of money
order clerks.
For the fiscal year ending June 20. fsas
the report asks for appropriations OF si7,-
01s 90 for the compensation OF rcstrnas-
ters: s1f.eoo,oo for clerk hire allowances:
81 .sse 900 TO cover rent. fuel and light AZ
first, sec5ni and third class offices: $780, 30
for miscellaneous and incidental items, IN
cluding furniture; $4,000 for canceIing ma
| chimes. s15.oyo for advertising. s1 for
postofice supplies. and 81. go for free
| delivery. including salaries Of 1880 regu-
lar carriers
United states Army Changes.