The herald., 1897-10-23
Ought to Be Punished for
PeddIing Stamps
FIRST ASSISTANT P. S. HEATH
REPORTS ON THE WORK OF HIS
DEPARTMENT
Saving Results From the Consolida-
tion of Ofices-Extension of Ru-
raj Delivery Recommended
ssociated Press Special Wire.

Associated PreSs Speclal wire.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-The report
of the first assistant postmaster-ge general,
Perry S. Heath, for the fiscal year ended
June 3Oth was made public today, The
following is an abstract:
Special attention is called to the neces-
sity of additional facilities for the df-
vision of salaries and allowances, but
above all other recommendations is
placed one making provision for
small corps of special agents-about ten
who are expert accountants, familiar
with real estate values, to inquire into
postmasters requisitions and demands
and to reach a just ascert tainment of
merit in such purely business matters
as cannot be obtained by Correspondence
There should also be fixed a more Sc
we're penalty for the punishment of post
masters who peddle postage stamps
with a view to increasing their own sal
aries, resulting in the diminution of the
net receipts of the government. Author
ity should be given to secure leases of
postoffice stations for a period, of ten
years, instead of five.
So much is gained, by our recent policy
of consolidation of postoffices and the
establishment or extension of the free
delivery that urge such action by con-
gress as will give greater latitude of dis
cretion in the use of specific appropria-
tions Two assistant superintendent Of
free delivery system have been appoint
ed, one to be located at New York and
the other at Chicago, with proper plen-
ary power and primary jurisdiction.
On July 1st there We're 1878 presiden-
tial postoffices, embracing 1859 first class
$50 second class and 2S16 third, class
The net increase for the year in the SAL
aries of postmasters at these offices is
S238, 800 With the consolidation of the
present Independent postoffices within
the limits of the new city of New York
a saving of al least $62,7 ,723 in salaries and
commissions of postmasters will be ef-
fected. Another considerable reduction
in expenses may be made by the merg-
ing or abolishment in many cases, of
ficials receiving salaries Congress
should not only repeal the law provid.
ing that no postoffice established at any
county seat shall be abolished or discon-
| tinued by reason of any consolidation
of any postoffices under the existing law,
but should authorize the postmaster
general to extend consolidation wherever
in his belief, the service may be thereby
benefited.
The estimates for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1899, embrace SIG, ,250 COO for
compensa ton of postmasters'; for clerk
hire, $11, SOC, 900; rental and purchase of
canceling machines $125,OOO; rent fuel
and light, 81, $50, 900; miscellaneous items
and furniture, 5000 900, and advertising,
500 900.
A plea is made for the purchase of
postal stations in the larger cities.
The estimate for the free delivery SER
vice for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1899, is $13,810, 400. Since the close OF
the fiscal year 1897 the service has been
established in more than forty offices
and before the close of the current year
all offices entitled to the service will re-
ceive the same
Domestic and international money or
ders issued aggregated 26,113, ,240.
amounting to s1SS ,O71, ,O56; aggregate
number of payments and repayment
5,7SO,5 566, amounting to $3.50, 141, $50.
There were 5,967, $50 pieces of original
unclaimed matter received at the dead
letter office, decrease of 267,47O.
The special letter and collection boxes
operated in Baltimore in connection
with the public street car service are
held to be successful, and when appro-
priations permit will be extended to
other cities. The affixing of letter boxes
to the ordinary street cars Is also to be
taken up.
The total appropriations made by con-
gress for settling claims of Carriers ur
to date aggregate $2,S7O,OOO The total
claims allowed on this ratio will reach
SO, 500, 000
Rural free delivery has been put to
the test Of practical experiment in TWEEN
ty-nine states, and over forty-four diff
ferent routes. The cooperation Of the
communities served has in every in
stance been effectively given. The gen.
eral satisfactory results suggest the
feasibility of making rural delivery a
permanent feature Of postal admins
tration in the United States, not imme-
diately and in all districts at once, but
in some gradual and graduated form
regulated by the present experiments
Public policy requires some advance
ment to be made, and that the posta
service should be brought more into
| line with advancing prosperity and IN
creasing population. Sooner or later
the United States will have to follow the
lead of the more densely populated
countries and establish delivery SER
vice all over the settled portions of its
vast territory. Under wise restriction
it can be extended with great advantage
to class Of our citizens who, rightly OF
wrongly, deem themselves neglected ii
legislation-the agricultural class-and
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