Evening journal., 1896-11-09
OUR POSTAL BUSINESS.
Annual Report of the First AS
siStant Postmaster General
BETT8BMENTs or THE sERVIoB.

and Extent of Operations During the /
Past Fiscal Year Estimatos Tor the
Year Euding Jane 30. is0s.
WASHINGTON. Nov Q.-The annual re.
port Of Frank H. Jones. the nrst assistant
postmaster generni gives reyiew Of
largo part of the years postal business OF
the government and makes numerous
recommendations for the Improvement of
the service. lt shows that during tho last
three fiscal years tho aggregate savings in
the divisions of salaries and allowances OF
postnnstets were s1l5. a04. I'm free delivery
ss3lA4l5 and postoflce supplies. S2is,
oiOi total, s3,27S. 9S5. For that period
thcro was an aggrogate reduction Of 3, ,030,-
lS4 IN the number of pieces of mail sent
from postonioes TO the dond letter Office.
Tn, total number OF presidential Offices
July last was 3,6ai OF which 1869 were
nlai class, 5iG second GLASS and ., 736 third
GLASS The aggregate gross receipts at tho
first second and third class Offices wero
500, PSI, S65 and the total salaries SO, 203,-
300 since Nov. 2. 1894, thore have been
., i59 positions In the postoilicos added TO
the classified service This leaves as tho
only positions at first class postoilicos that
are now excepted from civil service exani-
nations, assistant postmasers and prinoi-
pol cashior At second class Offices, assist
ant postmaster under any legal designa-
tion Attention is called TO the fact that
Notwithstanding the increase in gross re-
oeipts- the numerical increase In the force
was loss than 50por cent Of previous years.
Carriers Overtime Claim.
IL Is expected that the Investigations OF
overtime carrier claims will ho completed
during the current fiscal year and about
5000 600 more will be necessary TO pay all
claims accrued
Tho experiment of free delivery In 40
towns and villages cost the department.
sS,249, leaving an unexpended balance Of
81, 753. Investigation showed that In a
majority of the Offices the gross receipts
had decreased since the establishment OF
the service, the department. being COM
PEELED TO send money Go some Offices for
the payment of the letter carriers salaries.
Congress did not appropriate for further
permanent or experimental service and
the experiment was necessarily disoontin-
ued with the close Of tho fiscal year
The rural FREQ delivery experiment was
In operation at points in 80 states by the
lst of this month, and the result of this
test will be received IN special report TO
congress in December.
The aggregate number OF domestic and
international money orders issued during
tho year was s4,g47.o40, amounting 60
s1S5, 958, 264 and thoir payments and re-
payments was 24.14O, S4s, amounting TO
si77. 9s7, ,5G7. There was an increase Of
over per cent in the whole number OF
money orders issued showing growth Of
the system and the total increase in reve-
nuo from both the domestic and interna-
tlonal business was S14.147 The total
amount OF bills of exchange resulting from
exchange q international money orders
sent 10 foreign countries during the year
was SIS. 291, zoe, the balances received from
abroad for the same purpose being f20l,-
/ $40.
The Dead Letter Omce.
In the dead letter Office &, ,253, 1868 pieces
Of Original dead mail matter wero received
about e33, $50 being inclosed and 81 pen
cent Of the money restored Letters also
came containing drafts, checks, etc. OF
the apparent value Of s956. O05, about 92
per cent of this being returned TO powers
Tho report closes with summary Of
the administration OF Mr.. Jones, showing
pruning OF expenses wherever possible and
improved facilities and make numerous
recommendations. The first assistant says:
The attention of congress ought to be
called 20 the private letter box abuse in
large cities IL is in some c. ses impossi-
BILE TO locate persons engaged in conduct
ing fraudulent and unlawful correspond
8nce through the mails who, for a COM
paratigely small sum, can rent a box I'm
some cigar or stationary store, through
which to receive letters addressed TO them.
! Several bills have been introduced within
the last few years designed TO put an end
to the practice Of boycotting postmastcrs
at Offices of the fourth class, thereby de-
priving them of the compensation proper
/ ~ belonging TO them. This matter should
be called up and some action taken that
would result in postmasters receiving at
least, the compensation which properly be-
longs to their respective Office.
Other recommendations are: Placing
dealers in obscene matter upon the fraud
list. penalty for unlawful use of the frank
of member Of congress; authority for
suspension of postonlce employees for
substitute clerks with pay in the place of
regular clerks necessarily absent; leave
with full pay To clerks or carriers disabled
while on duty; substitutes TO assist regu-
lar carriers on holidays and other omorgen-
cies and to require bonds covering negli-
gcnco or dishonesty Of money order clerks.
For the fiscal year ending June. 80,
1898, the report asks for appropriations of
Sl7.OO, 600 for compensation Of postmas.
tors, sll. 600, 900 for clerk hire allowances,
81 600 600 TO cover rent fuel and light at
first, second and third class offices; sl5.-
600 for miscellaneous and incidental
Items. including furniture; S75, 600 for
canceling machines, s15.0 600 forndyortis-
Ing, $4,000 for postonlcc supplies, and
sl3.326 500 for free delivery, including
salaries Of ~, $50 regular carriers.
Candidate For "a Cabinet Place.
LINCOLN, Neb. Nov 9.-The live stock
men OF Omaha and Kansas City and the
west generally have inaugurated cam
paign 20 secure for Farmer Samuel Allor-
ton the position OF secretary OF agriculture
In Mr. McKinley's cabinet. Harvey In
gerson has received a communication from