The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-23
MA1 sEnrIon Nv oIrIrn.
Some Features or Perry .. rueath,s Fir., An.
nunt Report,

nunt Report.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-Pcrry s.. Heath. the
First Assistant Postmastcr-G General, hns Just
submitted his annual report to Postmaster
General Gary. In referring to tho consolida.
ton OF Post Offices, Mr.. Heath points out the
fact that along the north shore Of Staten Island
six Presidential offices, with Postmasters' sal
aries ranging from 81. 5oO:to g., 900 a year, are
huddlcd together like ono continuous city. An
officer OF the department has looked over this
field for improvement and he found that con.
sclidation and free delivery for this section
alone would effect a saving of nearly SO, 1000 n
year. Concerning the Greater New York Post
Office situation he says:
"a careful estimate shows that, with the con.
solidation of tho present Independent Post
Offices within the limits of the new city of
New York, n saving of at least 500, 723 in tho
salaries and commissions Of Postmastors will
DO effected. Another considerable reduction
may be made by the merging, or the abolish
ment in many instances, Of the several heads of
divisions and other officials receiving the high.
cr salaries. such as superintendent Of mails,
money order, registry, city delivery, carriers,
cashiers, finance clerks, bookkecpcrs. &c.
''Thc law passed at the close of the first ses.
sion of the Fifty.fourth Congress provided that
no Post Office established Mt any county scat
snail be abolished or discontinued by reason Of
any consolidation of Post Offices made by the
Postmastcr.Gencral under tho existing law.
Congress. in my opinion, should not only re.
peal this law. but should at the same time au.
thorize the Postmaster General, to extend con.
solidntion wherever. in his belief, the service
may be- thereby benefited, the saving effected
in Postmasters' salaries to be made available for
the employment of superintcndents and clerks
necessary in the Post Offices thus consolidated
Mr.. Heath thinks the Government would
effect a considerable saving if it were to pur:
chase outright property conveniently located
for its postal stations in tho huge cities.
Rentals for postal stations in New York city
and d BrOSSlyn T alone om NOW aggregate snSs IT, SiHIS sa,b'
would erect and, equip several postal stations
annually. dependent. of course. on the value of
the real estate in the particular locality. Com
petition for the location of stations among the
large real estate holders. in New York city
property could frequently be secured at a nom.
inaf figure. Attention is directed by Mr.. Heath
to the scheme of affixing letter boxes to street
pertinent, and after it had been tried, a few
days the Postmaster reported that he had re.
of the service. In August the collections on
street cars in Dcs Moincs were Al ,s97, and in
Mir. Heath reviews the development of the
rural delivery idea, and concludes the subject
with these views:
II think the reports of rural free delivery hero
to annexed will prove conciusively that this
experimental service has rendered benetits fer
in excess OF the expenditures Involved, and that
under wise restrictions 1t can DO continued and
extended with great advantage to n class of
our citizens who. rightly. or wrongly, deem
themselves neglected in legisiation-the agri-
cultural class-and without serious detr!nlcnt
to the revenues
A statement Of what has been ttcmpte In
each state and Territory where the experiment
is being tried is given in the report. 1t con-
tains some original comment from beneticiaries
of the service, and n hearty lick from the only
objcctor. a Kansas farmer, who finds IN the sys.
TEN another evidence OF ''plutoCratic' tenden-
cics on the part of the Government. MIR.
Heath drops into poetry in describing the beau
Tempe. Maricopa county, Arizona. Two car
riers, he says, ride each thirty miles a day
through farms and fruit orchards. which are
described by the local land boomers as present.
ing a perpetual vision OF beauty, WHERE:
The baimy spirit of the Western gale,
Eternal Ores;hs on fruits untaaght to FAIL;
Where there ~ a constant succession OF crops,
blossoms, buds, and, ripening fruit appearing
Simultaneously on tho same tree
The transactions b. mail of the green
goods men nave been suppressed. Mr.. Heath
money, CIR what is known Jas green goods
have. after a period OF comparative inactivity.
renewed their crfortE to do business with the
unsusI ecting public, Or AT least persons who
are willing 70 purchase counterfeit money.
their business by. the telegraph, as they are I'M
able TO receive letters by mail. owing to the
strict enforcement OF the act of Congress ap-
proved March =, 1859, which authorizes the
addressed to such alleged dealers and
to require them to appear before the Postnias-
ter Tor thorough identification. The depart
ment has a IDS. OF 1900 names and addresses
70 any one of these is delivered, rs no attempt
Is made Gt Identification, the dealer depending
entirely upon the telegraph to put him into
communication with his intended victim"