The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-10-28
MAIL SERVICE REVIEW.
Annual Report of the Second As
SiStant Chief.
SOME IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS.
Deficiencies of the Present Year Might
BE Made Less By Charging News
papers More.

port of W. S. Shallenberger, Second
Assistant Postmaster General, gives an
interesting review of the principal de-
Yelopments in the entire postal trans.
portation service of the United States
and connecting foreign mails. It
shows an aggregate of appropriation
for this large part of the postal service
for the current year of $5i ,O41, 238,
The probable deficiency is $500, 900,
making the estimated expenditures
this year SOL ,541 1888. This will be
sl,G23, O45, or per cent, more than
for the fiscal year 1899 is $50, 1897, 26O.
which is $l,796,921 more than the
estimated expenditure for the inland
mail service in the year just closed,
which was $49, S62,074 and for for
eign mail service $l,79l, ITO after de.
Quoting $25S,O29 for intermediary
service to foreign countries.
The summary of all classes of service
in operation June 80 last is as follows:
Number of routes, 2,491; length of
routes, 400 miles; annual rate of
expenditure, 49,S62,074; number of
miles travelled per annum, 42O,85O,-
479; rate of cost per mile travelled.
81 "a; rate of cost per mile of length,
SlO6.OS; average number of trips per
week, $50.
| For star mail service tn estimate
for the fiscal year ending J une so,
| 1899, is So, 495, 900. Last year there
was an increase of $3.50, 749 miles of
travel in star service, SO essential to
rural districts
A current year deficiency of $50, 900
is estimated for the fiscal year 1899 in
clude steamboat service, $47O, 900;
mail messenger service, $3.50, 900;
transportation by pneumatic tubes or
other similar services by purchase or
otherwise, $225,000, and wagon SER
vice, $7S0,000. 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 Phila-
delphia, New York, Boston and be-
tween New York and Brooklyn. Con-
corning this new postal feature Gen.
eral Shallenberger reports:
1t is quite possible to carry second,
third and fourth-class matters as we'll
as hrst, when it can be made profitable
Extension to stations several miles dis
tant from the main office eventually
Will save clerical force as well as ex-
pedlte delivery in distant cities from
twelve to twenty -four hours. The
most important source ofs{revenue to
the department will be the large in
crease CT local correspondents and
special delivery letters. The extern
sion of the tubular system will be
necessarily slow and probably confined
to populos centers.
The amount reported withheld from
the Pacific railroads on account of
transportation is $1,312, 023; estimate
for railroad transportation for fiscal
year 1899 is $50, $50, 900. No estimate
for special fast mail service is sub
mitted, as it is stated that the service
, in general will be better if the special
facility appropriation is dicontinued.
The estimate for electric and cable.car
/, service is 1915, 900 and 1870 APPLICATIONS
for establishment of new service of this
.. character are on file.
The report takes an important posi-
ton as TO newspaper mail and plan to
!, make the profits on short hauls offset
: the long runs. General Shallenberger
. says:
!, There seems to be no good reason
why the great bulk Of legitimate news
. papers carried by the Government at
great loss to remote places should be
/, permitted to be taken away from the
mails by railroad and express com
!, panies whenever there is a short haul
T. that would make the carriage of them
= profitable to the Government, The
: carriage of newspapers, packages, etc.
4 by railroads ana express companies fol
' the year have been justified, perhaps
:. years ago, when the railway mail ser.
y vice was less efficient, but with on,
. present facilities such may be easily
:. abandoned / am convinced that the
= department should carry the great bulk
!, of newspaper matter that mas been held
: from the mails and sent in baggage
cals and special express trains"