The herald., 1897-10-18
BY EXTENSION OF PNEUMATIC
TUBE SERVICE
In the Opinion Of Officials Short-Route
Newspaper Carriage May Be
Found Profitable
Associated Press Special Wire.


report of W. S. Shallenberger, second as
sistant postmaster general, made pub
lie today, gives an interesting review OF
the principal developments in the entire
postal transportation service of the
United States and connecting foreign
mails 1t shows an aggregate of appro-
priations for this large part Of the pos
tai service for the current year of SOL
04123S The probable deficiency is
100000, making the estimated expendi-
lures this year $51 541,2 ,23S. This will be
$1,623,O45, or three and one-quarter per
cent more than for the fiscal year just
closed. The estimate for the fiscal year
1899 is $685., ,26O.
The estimated expenditure for inter-
national mail service in the year just
closed was S49, 1862 074, and for foreign
mail service $1,791,170, after deducting
s25S, ,029 for intermediary service to for
eign countries.
The summary Of all classes Of SER
vice In operation June 30th, last, fol-
lows:
Number of routes, 32,491; length of
routes, 470,032 miles; annual rate Of ex-
pendtures $49,S62,074; number of miles
Travelled per annum, 420,S50,279; rate of
cost per mile Travelled, 1184 cents; rate
of cost per mile Of length, $1O60s; aver
age number of trips per week. S.6.
For star mail service the estimate for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1899, Is
$5.495, 900. Last year there was an in
crease of 5.330,749 miles of travel in the
star service so essential to rural districts.
A current year deficiency Of $50, 900 Is
estimated for the steamboat mail serv-
ice The estimates for the fiscal year
1899 include steamboat service $470,0O0;
mail messenger service. $95O,0OO; trans
portation by pneumatic tubes or other
similar service by purchase or other
wise, $225,0OO, and wagon service, $780,
O00 Last year there was only one pneu-
matte postal tube in operation in the
country, that in Philadelphia Since
then four more contracts have been ex-
ecuted in Philadelphia, New York, Bos-
ton and between New York and Brook
lyn Concerning this new postal feature
General Shallenberger reports:
1T is quite possible to carry second,
third and fourth class matter, as we'll
as first, when it can be made profitable.
tant from the main office eventually
will save clerical force, as we'll as expe-
dite delivery in distant cities from
twelve to twenty-four hours. The most
important source of revenue to the de-
partment will be the large increase of
local correspondence and special deliv-
cry letters. The extension of the tubular
system will be necessarily slow, and
IL a. IN mt
The amount reported withheld from
the Pacific railroads on account of trans
portation is 81, ,312, ,O23 Estimate for rail-
road transportation for the fiscal year
1899 is $50, $50, ,0O0 No estimate for spe-
cial fast mail service is submitted, asit
is stated that the service in general will
be better if the special facility appropri-
alton is discontinued. The estimate for
electric and cable car service is $375,0O0,
ard 110 applications for establishment
of new service of this character are on
file.
The report takes an important position
a. to newspaper mail, and plan to
make the profits on short hauls offset
the long runs.
General Shallenberger says: "Ther re
seems to be no good reason why the
great bulk of legitimate newspapers car
ried by the government at great loss to
remote places should be permitted to
be taken away from the mails by rail-
road and express companies whenever
there is short haul that would make
the carriage profitable to the govern
ment. The carriage of newspapers,
packages, ETC.. by railroads and express
companies by the year may have been
justified, perhaps, years ago, when the
railway mail service was less efficient,
but with our present facilities such may
be easily abandoned, and am convinced
that the department should carry the
great bulk of newspaper matter that has
been for years held from the mails and
sent in baggage cars and special express
trains"