The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-18
POSTAL STATISTICS.
Some Interesting Figurss-Rsvisw Of De
vslopnlsntS OF the Service.


vsIopn.snts OF the Service.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.--The annual
report of W. S. shaIlenberger, second as
sIstant postmaster general, made public
tonight gives an interesting review OF
the principal developments In the entire
postal transportation service of the
United States and connecting foreign
mails. II shows an aggregate OF appro-
priations for this large part OF the postal
service for the current year OF s5l,Oil,-
2sS; the probable deficiency Is 100000,
making the estimated expenditures this
year 1854, ,93S. THIS will be sf,62S,8id
or three and one-quarter per cent more
than for the fiscal year just closed. RThe
estimate for the fiscal year 1893 Is SSS,-
337, ,260, which is $l796,O2l more than the
estimated expenditures for the current
year The annual rate OF expenditure
for the inland mall service tn the year
Just closed was $40, SCI, ,074 and for foreign
mall service $l,79l,l70, after deducting
$95S, ,02g for intermediary service to for
eign countries. The summary OF all
classes OF service in operation June 80
las follows:
Number OF routes, 32,49l; length OF
routes, f70,032 miles; annual rate OF eS-
pendltures, $4s. O74; number OF miles
Travelled per annum, 420,S50,479; rate of
cost per mile Travelled, 1884 cents;'rate
OF cost per mile OF length, SlO6 OS; aver
age number OF trips per week, $50, For
star line mail service the estimate for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1888 Is $685.
900. Last year there was an Increase OF
$780, 749 miles OF travel in star service, so
essential to rural districts.
The current year deficiency OF $4,000
Is estimated for the steamboat mall SER
vice The estimates for the fiscal year
1899 includes steamboat service, $4,000;
mail messenger service. $960000; trans
portation by pneumatic tubes or other
service, $72o,oO0 Last year there was
only one pneumatic tube In operation in
the country, that In Philadelphia, Since
then four more contracts have been exc
cuted in Philadelphia, New York, Bos-
ton and between New York and Brook
lyn.
As to foreign mails. the report makes
an estimate OF $t,901, ,260 for transporta-
ton and Sl42, 900 for balances due foreign
countries. The aggregate cost Of THIS
service was $2,049,199 including H,1O6,275
for transatlantic and S179, ,lS2 for trans
Pacific service.
The report takes an important position
as to newspaper mail and a plan TO make
the profits on short hauls offset the long
runs. Mr.. Shallenberger says: There
seems to be no good reason why the
great bulk of legitimate newspapers car
rled by the government at great loss to
remote places should be permitted TO be
taken away from the mails by railroad
and express companies whenever there is
a short haul that would make the car
riage OF them profitable to the govern
ment. The carriage OF newspapers, pack
ages. ETC. by raiIroads and express COM
panies may have been justified, perhaps
years ago. when the railway mail service
was less efficient, but with our present
facilities such as may easily be obtained,
am convinced that the department can
and would carry the great bulk Of news
paper matter that has been for years
withheld from the mails and sent in bag
gage cars and special express trains"