The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1897-10-29
THE POSTAL SERVICE
REPORT OF ASSISTANT POST
MASTER GENERAL HEATH.
Free Delivery One of the Coming De-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Concerning the
Estimates for the Year Ending June
80, 1899.
The Postomce business.

WASHINGTON, Oct 23.-The report
of First Assistant Postmaster General
Perry S. Heath for the fiscal year end
ed June 80 has been made public. The
following is an abstract:
Special attention is called to the ne
cessity of additional facilities for the
division 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 fa-
miliar with real estate values, to in
quire in the field into postmasters' re-
uuisitions and demands, and to reach a
Just ascertainment Of merit in such
purely business matters as cannot be
obtained by correspondence. Ihere
should also be fixed more severe pen
atty for the punishment of postmasters
who peddel postage stamps with view
to increasing their own salaries, re-
sulting in the diminutiOn or the net
receipts of the government. Authority
should be given to secure leases OF
postoffice stations for a period Of five
instead of ten years. So much is
gained by our recent policy of CONSOLE
dation of postoffices and the establish
ment or extension of the free delivery
that I urge such action by congress
as will give greater latitude Of discre-
ton in the use of specific approprla-
tions. Two assistant superlntendents
of free delivery system have been ap-
pointed, one to be located at New
York and the other at Chicago, with
proper plenary powers and primary
Jurisdiction.
On July 1 there were 1888 presiden-
tial postoffices, embracing 1859 first
class, $50 second-class and 2,S14 third
class. The net increase for the year
in the salaries of the postmasters at
these offices is S97 800. Their aggregate
salaries are $23O,SOO. With the con-
solidation of the present Independent
postoffices within the limits of the new
city of New York saving OF at least
S62,723 in salaries and commissions or
postmasters will be effected. Another
considerable reduction in expenses
may be made by the merging, or the
abolishment, in many cases, Of the
several heads of divisions and other
officials receiving the higher salaries.
Congress should not only repeal the
law providing that no postoffices be es-
tablished at any county seat shall be
abolished or discontinued by reason OF
any consolidation of postoffices under
the existing law, but should also au-
thorize the postmaster general to eX-
tend consolidation wherever, in his be-
lief, the service may be thereby bene-
flied.
The estimates for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1899, embrace SIG 6,250, ,O0U
for compensation of postmasters; Tor
clerk hire, S11 100000; rental and pur-
chase of cancelling machines, S125,OOO;
rental, fuel and light, $1,75O,OOO; mis-
cellaneous items and furniture, S2OO,-
DOO and advertising, $4,000.
A plea is made for the purchase OF
the postal stations in the larger cities
and that for the re-ciassification OF
postofice clerks renewed. The esti-
mate for the free delivery service for
the fiscal year ending in June, 1899, is
s13,S1O,4OO. Since the close of the fis-
cal year, June, 1897, the service mas
been ESTABLISHED in more than forty
offices and before the close of the cur
rent year all offices entitled to the SER
vice will receive the same.
Rural free delivery has been put tc
the test of practical experiment IN
tWenty-nine states and over forty dlf'
ferent routes. The cooperation OF the
communities served has in every in
stance been effectively given. The gen.
eralIv satisfactory results suggest the
feasibility of making rural delivery q
permanent feature of postal admins
tration in the United States; not i'm
mediately or in all districts at once
but in some gradual and graduated
form regulated by the present expert
onfc