The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-11-12
POSTAL REPORT.
First Assistant Postmaster General
Gives Out His Annual

|
Washington, Nov. S.-The annual re-
port of Frank III. Jones, first assistant
postmaster general, gives review of II.
large part of the years postal business
and makes numerous recommendations
| for the improvement of the service. 1t
| shows that during the three fiscal years
the aggregate savings in the divisions
of salaries and allowances of postmasters
were $545, 1884; in free delivery $2,314, 415
and l-pl ostoffces' supplies $21S,540; total
$3,27S,9S5. For that period there was
an aggregate reduction of 3,030,134 in
the number of pieces of mail sent from
postoffices to the dead letter office. The
| total number of presidential Offices July
l, last, was 1861, of which 1863 were first
class, TAG second class and 2736 third
class. The aggregate gross receipts ifs
the first, second and third class postoi
fees was $50, 2S2 1865 and the total sala-
ries $6,203,900 Since November ..
1894, there have been 2459 positions in
the postoffices added to the classified
| service. This leaves as the only posi-
| tons Mt first class pOst0ffices that are
not excepted from civil service examine
| tons, assistant postmasters and princi-
pal cashiers: second class Offices, assist
ant postmasters under legal designation.
| Adoption is called TO the fact that
Notwithstanding the increase in gross re-
cepts, the numerical increase in the force
was less than 80 per cent of the previous
years.
During the year twenty-nine stations
and 120 sub-stations were established
and 100 stations and seven sub-stations
were discontinued, n net increase of 14I
stations and sub-stations Fifty-hvc
postoffices of the second, third and fourth
class were discontinued during the year
and fftyfour stations and sub-stations
were established.
Mr.. Jones says the postoffice depart
ment should be ut liberty to execute
leases for postoffice premises for a period
in excess of five years, wherein the opin'
ion of the superintendent Is necessary
Canceling machines are highly recon-
mended and there are 1000 of one Rat'
tern and 237 of another now in use
under contract
1t is expected that the investigation
of overtime carrier claims will be com.
pleted during the current fiscal year aud
about 100000 more will be necessary
to pay all claims accrued.
The experiment of free delivery in
forty-fve towns and villages cost the de-
jpartment $S247, leaving an unexpended
that in n majority of the Offices the
gross receipts had decreased since the
establishment of the free delivery sys-
TEN, the department being compelled to
send money to some Offices for the pay
ment of letter carriers services. Con
gress did not appropriate for further per
manent or experimental service and the
experiment was necessarily discontinued
with the close of the fiscal year. There
are sixty-three Offices which were en-
titled to the establishment of the free
deliver service during the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1896, but the service
could not be established at more than
nineteen, Offices without entailing n.
greater expense upon the limited appro-
priations for the current year than the.
maintenance of the service would per
init. The rural free delivery expert
ment, in operation at points in thirty
states by the first of this month, will ".
covered in n special report to congress
in December.
The aggregate number of domestic
and international money orders issued
during the year was 24,047 $40, amount
ing to $1S5,933, 264, and their payments
and re-payments was "a, 14O,S4S, amount
ing to $177,0S7, 567.
There was an increase of over per
cent in the whole number of money or
ders issued, showing growth of the sys-
TEN, and the total increase in revenue
from both the domestic and International
business was STA, 141.
The total amount of bills of exchange
resulting from exchange of International
money orders sent to foreign countries
during the year was 1921, 100, the lvff-
ances received from abroad for the samn,
purpose being S201,S70.
In the dead letter office G,2J3, 3G3
pieces of original dead mail matter were
received, about 1850 being incIoscV
and 81 per cent of the money restored
Letters also came containing drafts.
checks, etc, of the apparent value of
$506, 095, about OF per cent Of this being
restored to owners.
! The report closes with summary of
the administration of Mr.. Jones, showinG
pruning of expenses wherever possible
and improved facilities and shows nuiner-
Gus recommendations.
The first assistant says: "'rbe atten-
ton of congress ought to be called to the;
private letter box abuse in large cities
1t Is, in some cases, impossible to locate
persons engaged in conducting fraud
ulent and unlawful correspondence
through the mails who, for a compare
lively small sum, can rent box in SONIC
cigar or stationery store, through which
| to receive letters addressed TO Them
| Several bills have been introduced with
in the past few years, designed to put
an end to the practice of boycotting post
masters Mt offices Of the fourth class,
thereby depriving them of the compen--
sation properly belonging to them. This
matter should be called up and some
action taken that would result in post
masters receiving at least the compeI-
sation which properly belongs to theif
respective Offices"
Other recommendations are:
Placing dealers In obscene matter upon
the fraud list; penalty for unlawful use
of the frank Of Il member OF congress-
| authority for suspension of postOffice en-
| For ath =.