The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-10-21
THE POST & SERVICE.
some Interestiae. Extracts from
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Coupie 81 ReDOrts.
Washington Oct. 1s.-Foll flowing are
some extracts from the annual report
Of Second Assistant Postmaster Shallen-
berger:
The report gives an interesting review of
the principal developments in the entire
postal service OF the United States, and
connecting foreign mails. It shows an ag-
gregate Of appropriations for this part Of
the postaa service for the current year OF
IS; on, 49,. the probable deficiency is $780,
this year $5l 81, 238, This will be. ,623046.
or 81 per cent more than for the fiscal
wear 1,lst closed. The. estimate for the
fiscal year 1899 is s.. s37.2eo. which is 81
798.OH more than the estimated expendi-
ture for the current year.
operation June 80 last, follows: Number Of
routes. 2,491; length of routes, 470.os2 miles:
annual rate Of expenditures, 1885, Oh:
number of miles Travelled per annum. 49,
50,479; rate Of cost per mile Travelled, 11.83
cents: rate of cost per mile of length, $106.0S:
average number OF trips per week, $50.
Last year there was an increase OF $780,
40 miles Of travel in Star service. SO es-
sential to rural districts.
Last year there was only one pneumatic
postal tube in operation in the country,
that in Philadelphia. Since then four more
contracts have been executed. in Philadel-
phia, New York, Boston and between New
postal feature, Gen. Shallenberger reports:
1T is quite possible to carry second. third
and fourth-class matter as well as first,
when it can be made profitable. Extension
to stations several miles distant from the
main office. eventually, will save clerical
force az well as expedite delivery in dis
tant cities from II to "a hours. The most
important source Of revenue to the de-
partment will be the large increase of local
correspondents and special delivery letters.
The. extension .of the tubular~system will
be necessarily slow, and probably confined
to populous: centers."
No estimate for special fast mail service
is submitted, as it is stated the service:tn
general will be better If the special facility
appropriation is discontinued. The est.
mate for electric and cable car service il
$s75,000. and 139 applications for es-
tablishment of new service Of this charac.
ter are on file. AS to foreign mails, the re-
transportation, and $142, 600 for balances due
foreign countries. The aggregate cost OF
this service was 5000. 1ss.
An abstract of the annual report of
the general superintendent of the rail-
way mail service follows:
The number of pieces Of all classes of
mail matter distributed on the cars during
the year was Il, 81, 54O, $50, exclusive of reg
1stered matter and city mail. OF registered
matter there were 16,256,663 pieces in all.
The amount Of city mail distributed for
stations and carriers during the year ag-
gregated 49,, 469, $40 pieces. The increase of
ordinary mail handled over the previous
year was 81 per cent. A comparative ia BILE
covering a period Of ten years shows that
there has been an increase in the amount OF
mail handled Of T.2 per cent, an increase
In the working force Of 1876 per cent. The
number of pieces Of matter, illegibly ad-
dressed, handled during the year was H.
072.764
There were $50 casualties during the year.
In Which IA clerks lost their lives, 80 were
seriously and rs slightly injured This is a
| larger number of casualties and fatalities
than have occurred during any previous
year since the organization of the service
The passage of bill for the relief of the
| families OF clerks killed in the line of DUTY
| Of clerks injured and untitled for service
permanently or temporarily. and for the
retirement on partial pay of clerks who
have served so long as to be untitled for
service, has again been urged.
The reorganization and recla ssif1ca ton of
| the service again is strongly urged by the
| general superintendent. Recommended ton
| is made for the enactment of some legsla-
ton to prevent unwarranted and unlaw-
| full interference with postal clerks while
on duty in mail cars.
At the close Of the year there were 1,l64
| railway post office lines, manned by 1854
| clerks; 80 electric and cable lines, with
| 102 clerks; AZ steamboat lines with 81
| clerks; making total number Of lines 1929.
| and total number of clerks 7,O13. In addi-
ton to these there: were 81 clerks assigned
to duty at important functions and-%de-
pots; and 23s detailed to clerical duty in the
various offices Of the service, making a
grand total of 1862 clerks The miles of
railroad covered by railway post office car
service was 154,225; Of electric and cable.
2oS; and of steamboat lines. 7,45e. The
grand total of miles Travelled OF all classes
of service was 262. Sc. 031. There were 65a
whole cars tn'usA land $40 in reserve.