New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-30
A NEEDED POSTAL REFORM.
NO MORE ILLECIBLE MARKING OF MAIL
MATTER TO BE TOLERATED.

NO MORE ILLECIBLE MARNlNH Or "i"A
MATTER TO BE TOLERATED.
fpY TELEGRAPH To TIE TRIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON. June ao-Perry 8. Heath First AS
s!s,ant Postmaster-Gencrad deserves 10 De co's'a'
ulatd on a refo' n in the conduct OF the seveh''
thousand third and fourth cass postoihces Oh '''e
country which Is OF vast Importance to the business
world and to the public everywhere. For some
time COMPLAINTS rave been coming TO the Depart
ment calling attention to rleg!ble postmarkins vi
mail matter. The frequency or THESE Complaints
aroused the Department and the subject WAS -.
Gently taken up with View to reTnecyihs 'ne ~
which had grown 20 be Inconvenience to the DC
partmcnt Itself, account not only OF uoiee''
posmark!ng but Of the use of absolutely wor,"'.'s
stunning outnts Accordingly the Postal GUIDE foi
June has given special instructions relative 10 post
marking ard backstampng. The postmaster - re-
CURED TO make the impression OF every o''c'''
stamp so distinct that each letter and hsure may
not be mistaken. Postnasters heretofore nave pec"
using stamps OF rubber. .ead and iron, many Oh
them old and worn out. and some OF them not iu'
nished by the Government. The use OF stamps moi
furnished by the Department Is now prohlpted
The Instructions sent out by the FIRST Assistant
Postmaster-General are Gear explicit and positive.
They close with the following paragraph OF genera'
Instructions: .
reform in the method Of postmarklng and post
office inspectors will be required 10 give spec1aa as
en mI'D To- roport fv any failure OF duty the part
of postmasters in this respect All postmaasters VIII
feet order at once and If for any they are
unable to get perfect impressions CT their stamps
should Commitments with this office Nhe Division
of Postofice SUPPLIES. furnishing ~ Their
their stamps, with n specihc sta't"e"' Vi '
difficulties in the matter.
An important feature OF perfecting this "orK OF
reform has been accomplished by changing the
manner Of making acquisitions. 1t is done through
ard ia
master. who fills the blanks. stamps the card ana
returns 1t to the Department. where 1t Is hied Tor
reference This furnishes perfect and constah am
check on ali postmas who fail strictly to OBJ
The Division of Postofce Suppies has been , ex
remey busy working out TINS reI rre sp senG dee
tail clerks having been made for the purpose pesn
Thus far 49, Gt Of pay the reeeSeG ecmp
stamping outfits The new stamps are OF steel. IN.
e eIs G prng Evidences Of the good accomplished by
the Departments instructions Careless p os,m,a,s.
ers under the simple and intelligent but imperang;e
instructions Of the Department. have either mad ,e
acquisitions for new supplies or prusiGu up or no
cause ca ou for co SD Of defective postmarkng
Before the reform was undertaken fpon, all
parts of the country. many Of them ron iarse
business concerns doing yolumn9us .sps,ys
correspondence. . -. $40 ,,roo,,v
annoyed by defective postmarking are members OF
Congress who frequently receive from their cor coz
stituentS letters asking Tor
seeds the letters being badly postmnrked cou-
pled with illegible writing or insuficient lnent
ncation OF place and date on the inside that INC
Communications have to be consigned to the waste
ho sket II has not been long since II murder cas-,
i'm Southern State hinged upon evidence furnished
nv a nostmark A postmaster COMPOUNDED pottie
~ nnisoned whiskey which he took To another
town he knew had n defective posmarkng outht
and there remailed his implement or destruction
10 his enemy. . ~, -, ,,..,,
That postmasters have undoubtedly been awak
ened 70 The realization OF their new duties Is
evinced nv the character Of the responses TO the
DEPARTMENTS instructions which have been dairy
coming TO hand Some of the postmasters are not
90 literntr as patrons Of the service desire. ana
the discovery Of this fact itself Will contribute 10
tho improvenlent OF business through the mails