The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-03
MAIL TRANSPORTATION.
Annual Report of the Second Assist
ant POstmaster-Genera

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-The annual re-
port of Second Assistant Postmaster-gen-
eral Charles Nelson shows the annual rate
of expenditure for all mail transportation
at the close of the fiscal year to be s49,523,-
&c., of which $47, 9e3, o67 for inland mail
and the remainder for the foreign service.
For inland mail the cost is an increase Of
81, 656, 500 for the year. The annual travel in
star service alone was over 1920 600 miles
The report says the experiments with the
horseless wagons to be tried this winter
will, it is hoped. prove successful, and they
are expected to be mucn less expensive
than horse wagons. Concerning pneumatic
tube service only one tube-at philadelphia
now being in operation in the entire pos
tai service the report says 1t eXpedites the
mail and makes closer connections both
ways, in greatly reduced time Tor prac-
tically the same money. For establishing
this service $4,000 is asked for, and three
tubes. one each in Philadelphia, New York
and Boston, are expected to be contracted
for. The second assistant says: AT the
large depots small subpoStofceS should be
established in charge of regular Superln-
tendents, with full postoffice privileges, ex-
cept money orders and free delivery. Many
applications have been made for establish
ing mails on electric car lines which cam
not be allowed owing to lack of funds:
The hope of the railway mail service is
stated to be to diminish the local work in
pOstoffices to a minimum in the mailing and
free delivery divisions
SO per cent. of letters handled were cor
rectly distributed.
During the year 495 accidents occurred to
railway post offices, five clerks were killed
and 112 injured The most marked advance
of the year in the transportation service
was the establishment of steel railway pos
tai car lines, of which there are now
twenty-six in operation. an increase of six
teen lines and these handled 5,4S1 pieces
of mail daily. These facilities are made by
the roads. conditioned commensurate
compensation by appropriation
The report. which embraces thai of Gen.
eral Superintendent White. of the railway
mail service, urges reorganization and re-
classification of that service, which, among
other things cOntemplates great SuperviS-
ion by the railway mail over star routes
and mail messenger service. and the adjust
ment of clerks, salaries on more equitable
basis.
The net cost of the foreign mail service
was $1.53O5S4, of which s9i0SS5 was for
transatlantic and $1,000 for transpacfic
service. Recommendation is made for the
foreign mails from Washington to New
York, relieving the New York postmaster
of the delays of the foreign service.
June 80. 1898. include 50, 525 900 for star serv-
ice. 100000 for steamboat service, $1,000, 900
for mail messenger service, $4,000 for reg
ulatiOn and screen wagon service. $50. 200. 600
for railroad transportation. s5O. 600 for pneu-
matte tube service. 1928 900 for electric and
cable car service: ssoo ;oCe for full railway
office clerks. s373.500 for mail equipment
81, S5S. 600 for foreign mail service and $40 COO
for steamboat for use in The transfer of
foreign mail in New York harbor.
General Notes.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.-Chief Justice
Fuller to-day gave notice that the Supreme
Court would take a recess Nov 16 until
Dec. 1.
The treasury to-day lost s.. 351 900 in gold
coin and SIG 100 in bars. which leaves the
true amount of the gold reserve $l15 Az, 567