The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-18

Will Be q Deficiency d Half I rlll-
llos for Trsasportatios.
INCREASE IN PNEUMATIC TUBES.
Indicated ~ The Eatimato Ger NsAo
Year--Abstract - @spsst On
Hallway Mail Service. NJ


sistant postmaster general, gives an insS
terestIns review Of the principal develops
men,s In the entire postal transportatlo1
service OF the United States and connectipg
foreign mails. 1t shows an aggregate Of
appropriations for this largo part Of the
postal service for the current year OF t5l.-
on,s Tho probable deficiency 10 $780,
900. making the estimated expenditures
this year s5i,5it.2ss, This will DO $i,S2S,-
oi5, or IA per cent morn than for the
fiscal year Just closed. The estimate for
the fiscal year 1899 10 ssa.as7, sSc. which u
N,7asoai more than the estimated expcn.
diturcs for the current year.
The annual rate OF expenditure for the
inland mail service In tho year Just closed
was saese2,o7i. and for foreign mail SER
Vice si.7si,i70, after dcthiotlng $25s.o29 for
intermediary service to foreign countries.
The summary Of all classes OF service In
operation June 80 last follows Number
OF routes. sa.4si; length Of routes, lT0,0s3
miles; annual expenditure. sis.a52.074;
number OF miles Travelled per annum. AGO.
sSo'iTa; rate of cost per mile Travelled.
slOe-os; average number OF trips per week.
$50.
For star mall service the estimate for the
fiscal year ending June 30. 1899 is $685.
900. Last year thoro was an increase OF
h,S4o.749 miles OF travel In star service, no
essential 10 rural districts,
current year deficiency OF $50. 900 is es-
timatod for the steamboat mail service. Tho
estimates for the fiscal year 1889 includes
steamboat service, $3.50. 900; mail nessen-
sers' service, 100000; Transportation by
pneumatic tubes or other similar devices,
by purchase or otherwise" $22h,0 00, and
wagon service $4,000. Last year there
was only ono pncumatio postal tube In
operation In the country. that In Philadel-
phia. Since then four more contracts have
been executed. in Philadelphia, Now York.
Boston and between New York and Brook
Ign.
Concerning this new postal feature, Gem
cral shallinberger reports. 1T is quite
possible to carry second and third and
fourth class matter as well as first, when
II can be made profitable. Extension to
stations several milcs distant from tho
main office eventually Will cave clerical
toroe as we'll as expedite delivery In dis
tant cities from twelve to twenty-four
hours. Tho most important source OF rev.
enno TO the department. win be the large
Increase OF local correspondence and spe-
cial delivery letters. The extension OF the
tubular system VIII be necessarily slow,
and probably confined TO populous GEN.
ters."
Tho amount reported withheld from the
Pacific railroads on account OF transporta-
| ton Is sl,3l2.0 estimate for railroad
transportation FOR the fiscal year 1899 10
| $50. $50. 900. No estimate for special fast
mail service 10 submitted, as 1t is stated
service In general will be improved II spe.
faa ~l.sl .t..lA.
| Tho report takes an important position
as to newspaper mail. and plan TO make
tho profits on short hauIs Offset the long
| runs. General Shallnberger says;
There seems 10 be no reason why the
| great bulk OF newspapers carried by tho
government at great loes to remote places
should be permitted TO be taken away from
tho mails by railroad and express compan-
les whenever there ia short haul that
would make the carriage OF newspapers,
packages, etc, somewhat proftable this
may have been justified perhaps years ago.
when tho railway mall service was less
efficient but with our present facilities
and such az may easily be obtained, | am
convinced that the department can and
should curry tho great bulk OF newspaper
matter that has been for years withheld
from the mails and sent in baggage cars
and special express trains"
RHlLMAl MAIL bthNiCE
Abstract Of the annual report OF tho
general superintendent OF the railway
mail service fellows:
Al the oioso OF tho year there were 1884
railway postoffice lines, manned by 1854
clerks: 3a electric and cable lines. With
102 clorkn AZ steamboat lines with 81
clerks; making The total number OF lines
1899 and total number OF clerks 70i3. In
addition to these there were 311 clerks ss-
signed to duty at important functions and
depots. and 2SS detailed 10 clerical duty
In the various offices OF the seryice. maxi
ing a grand total Of 1852 clerks
The miles of railroad covered by railroad
postoffice car service was ly4,225: Of cleo
trio and cable 303; and OF stian5ott lines
74bS. The grand total OF miles .rapt,ed
In all classes Of service was s2.slo, 03i.
There were 654 whole cars IN use ani i73
In reserve, and 2o26 apartment cars IN use
and $40 In reserve.
The number OF pieces NJ all tlssses OF
mail matter distributed on the cara uur-
ing the year was IL ,571 $40 $50, exclusive
OF registered matter and city mail. OF
registered matter there we're Ij..FC,663
pieces In all. Tho amount OF city null
distributed for stations and carriers dur
Ing the year aggregated 482,46so@ pieces.
The increase of ordinary mail landed
over the previous year was 81 per cent. a
comparative table covering period OF ten
years shows that there has been irt rense
In amount OF mall handled OF i7.2 per cepb
and an increase In the WORKING fotce or
1875 per cent
The number OF pieces of mail r'atter
handled correctly TO each error In distri-
button during the past ten years bas In
creased from 1894 to 1880 The number
u errors IN distribution during the year
was g67 ,5ss, decrease of lat per cent.
The number OF pieces Of natter intligibly
addressed handled during he yenr WAC