Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-22
stamps under artificial conditions.

living or doing business within the delivery
of another post Office or the mailing of
matter at his office Gf of the fourth class)
rather than at another. The department
has always endeavored to secure a post
master whose friends would not sacrifice
the public interest for the postmaster's pri-
vate gain. and whose compensation would
be regulated by the business that properly
belonged to his Office Notwithstanding
the fact that violations of this rule are fol-
lowed by removal, there is ample evidence
at hand to demonstrate that many post
masters particularly those at post offices
col. tiguous to great business and CONNER
cial centerS) are actively engaged in the
Irregular sale of postage stamps, thereby
increasing their official compensation, and
incidentally their clerk hire, rent, light,
fuel and miscellaneous allowances
Mr.. Heath suggests that this evil may be
cured by consolidating small post offices
about great cities with the main Office
through an extension of the free delivery
service.
Purchase Of Sites.
A strong recommendation is made for the
purchase by the government of sites Cor
postal stations. On this subject Mr.. Heath
says:
The government would effect a consij-
cradle saving if it were to purchase out
right property conveniently located for its
postal stations in the larger cities Rem
tails for postal stations in New York city
A.b
per annum. This amount would erect and
equip several postal stations annually de-
peEdent, or course, On the value of the real
estate In the particular locality. Compe-
luton Tor the location of stations among
the large real estate holders, in New York
city especially, would be so sharp that de-
slfaole property could frequently be secured
at a nominal figure. High one-story build
lhss' with large skylights, and mezzanine
moor for storage of records, carriers swing
room, employees lockers. and iavatories af-
IorolnS a floor space of about 5000 sUua re
Ieet' would answer our purpose admirably.
ana Wltnln ten years the government would
prdcticaliy enjoy a free rental. The local
governments of both New York and Brook
i!n long since found ii necessary to p,Ir-
quarters.
why, then. should the United States
government longer pay large rentals, when
by an increased appropriation of SION OOD
Tor ten consecutive years-onIy double ,ha
present rentals-the government wo,,Id
own the premises occupied by every postal
stallon In the United States? Government
t uuIuinss are practically free from taxa
tioh, yet owners of buildings used for most
oihce purposes are obliged TO consider this
Item IN submitting their proposals
ohuer present conditions the post Office
, eiaipnent does not revert to the govern
ihent at the expiration of the lease vet tba
lessons IN estimating their cost usually fp-
e. F 20 pay TOR the equipment during the
lrst live years of the lease. and iustiy so
tb ba ohs reason that they have no assurance
that the department will longer confirms
as tenant. Thus the government is Mt
olIS required to pay taxes upon such build
ihss, put for equipment as weTl.''
Free Delivery Service.
OF the free delivery service the report
says:
My estimate of the funds that will be
necessary 20 meet all the requirements of
the free delivery service during the fiscal
year beginning July /, 1898, is 13S1O 400
an increase over the appropriat ton for the
current fiscal year of 1886. 400, or As Der
cent OF this increase. SOS, 800 is necessary
10 provide for the payment of the increase
IN salaries of letter carriers required nv
me law OF August ., 1882, promoting them
from lower to a higher salary grade
There is today in the service the largest
number of highest salary letter carriers
yet reached, the average salary for the
current year Icing SD33.JS. while that for
Inc next fiscal year Will amount to S.,3i Ga
The report shows :;2S changes in the per-
sonnet of the service during the past fiscal
year. 1t says:
Carriers removed:
For intaxication "a
For arrest for violation of postal laws
and regulations. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. %
FOR gross violation of postal laws and
For physical NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. disability 's
Iotal ....................1 3I
Carriers deceased 1oe
carriers resigned. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. IS
Grand total. 1913
The total number of separations in all
classes was 32S, only 2.54 per cent of the
total number of carriers employed u2a3l).
As against 81 per cent for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1896. 80 per cent for ism.
and 6.3 per cent for 1894
Ihe removals equal but LOG per cert
OF Inc entire force. while last year they
were 81 per cent and for the wear ISa,
per cent, and 1874 per cent. This very
small number of removals is evidence of
the strict enforcement: of the regulations
which forbid the removal of letter car
rier except for cause, after he has had du.,
hotlce, by a copy of the written charges
ana an opportunity to submit his defense
TO the same. 1t also marks an improve
ment during the last year il the disci ,line
ana conduct of letter carriers, which had
already reached very high standard of
efficiency
Letter Carriers Bonds.
OF letter carr iers' bonds. the report saws:
Paragraph 1870 Of the Revised Statutes
requires that every letter carrier shall
give bonds. with sureties to be approved by
the Postmaster General. for the safe Gus
tody and delivery of all mail matter. and
the faithful account and payment of all
money received by him. and section GO4.
Amended Postal Laws and Regulations for
the Free Delivery Service, 1886, provides
that the postmaster will also require car
riers ard substitutes to furnish new bonds
whenever from any cause, the sureties
nave become insufficient and will forward
all bonds to the first assistant postmaster
general, free delivery division;' also that
every letter carrier must promptly inform
the postmaster, on pain Of dismissal, of
the occurrence of any event or change of
condition affecting unfavorably the respon-
sibility Of his sureties'
The bond of q letter carrier and a sub
stitute carrier is fixed at 81 900. There are
or file in the free delivery division of this
bureau about 1900 bonds, of which prob
ably % per cent are supplied by surety
companies. Many of the Individual bonds
are from fifteen TO twenty years old. The
fact that very few new bonds are being
received to replace those that have be-
come worth less on account of death or in
soivency of one or more of the sureties is
satisfactory evidence to this Office that
Inc regulations above quoted have not been
strictly complied with, and that therefore
there are many bonds on file now prscti-
caily' worthless. To ascertain Just which
bonds have become insufficient, and 10 re-
place them with new ones. would consume
much time Of corps of clerks in search
ing the files, examining each individual
bond and conducting almost endless CORE
spondence With postmasters at free deliy-