The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-11-09
POSTMASTER REPORT
A Review Of tn Postal Business BY
the First Assistant
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE
Attention Of Congress Should be
Called to the Private Letter
Boxes In Cigar and other
Stores In Large cities.

Washington. Nov. S.-The annual
report OF Frank H. Jones. first assist
ant postmaster general. gives a review
OF large part Of the years postal
business and makes numerous recon-
mendations for the Improvement of
the service. II shows that during the
last three fiscal years the aggregate
saving in the divisions of salaries and
allowances of postmasters was S545.994;
in free delivery, s2.sltil5. and post
office supplies, sgls5lO; total, s3.27S.ss5.
For that period there was an aggre-
gate reduction OF 5000. l3i In the num-
ber Of pieces OF mail sent from post
offices To the dead letter office.
The total number OF presidential Of
fees July last was 1851 The aggre-
gate gross receipts at the first and
second-class offices were s65. .9S2. 80 and
the total salaries SO. .203,900 Since Nov.
.. 1894. there have been 2,i59 persons
In the postoliice added to the classified
service. This leaves as the only per-
sons at flrst-class postofiices that are
now excepted from civii service exam
nations. assistant postmasters and
principal cashiers; at second-class OF
fees. assistant pOstmasters under any
legal designation
Attention is called to the fact that,
Notwithstanding the increase In gross
receipts the numerical increase in the
| force was less than 80 per cent. OF pre-
vious years. During the year 20 sta
| tions and 100 sub-stattons were estab-
| llshed, and one station and seven sub
stations we're discontinued. net In
| crease NJ lil stations and sub-stations.
| Fifty-hVe postofilces Of the second,
| txI ola 1ICgNn-
| tinued during the year and d stations
| and sub-stations were established 10
take their place.
Mr.. Jones SAYS the postofiice depart
ment should be az liberty to establish
| leases for postoiIlce premises for q Pc
riod In excess OF five years where. in
the opinion OF the department.. II Is
necessary. The experiment Of free de-
livery in IS towns and villages cost the
department ss.2il. leaving an unex-
| pended balance OF sl,153. lnvestigatoq
| showed that In majority OF the Of
fees gross receipts had decreased since
| the establishment Of the service. the
| department being compelled To send
| money To some offices for the payment
OF letter carriers salaries There are
So Offices entitled to the establishments
Of Gree delivery service during the rs
cal year ended June 49, 1896. but the
| service coulu not De estaphsueG a.
more tnan ~ oinees W'tnout en'sns
a greater expense upon the limited ap-
| preparations for the current year than
| the maintenance of the established
service would permit The rural free
| delivery experiment was In operation
at points in 30 states by the nrst OF
this month and the result of this test
will be received In special report to
congress In December.
The aggregate number OF oomestic
and international money orders ISSUED
during the year was .tTISi' ahoun.-
ing 10 siso,soS'zoi, ana their pay ments
and repayments were 4'tfo,s4s,
amounting to slidost,boI. There was
an increase OF over per cent. In the
whole number OF money orders issued,
showing the growth OF the system ana
the total Increase IN revenue from ooth
the domestic and international DUST
ness was Si.lF.
| The total amount or bills OF ex-
change resulting from exchanse OF IN
ternational money orders sent TO Tor
elgn countries during the year was
S29l,I99, the balance received trpm
abroad from the same purpose being
s20l $40. The dead letter once received
6,25S.3b3 pieces or original deau hlaai
matter. about S5.sso being lnclosed and
~ per cent. OF the money restored.
The report closes with summary
OF the administration OF Mr.. Johes
showing pruning OF expenses Wherever
possible ana Improved taciltles. ana
makes numerous recommshdatlohs.
The first assistant says: The atten-
tion OF congress ought to be called 10
the private letter box abuse IN large
cities. Ii Is in some cases lmposslole
to locate persons engaged in cnnduct-
Ing fraudulent and unlawrul cores
pondence through the mails, who Tor a
comparatively small sum. can rent Q
box In some cigar or stationary store
through which to receive letters ad-
dressed To them. Several bills have
been introduced within the past Few
years designed to put an end In the
practice Of boycotting postmasters at
Offices ot the fourth class, thereby ue-