The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-18
POSTAL SERVICE REPORT.
ReVfeyv of the Developments in Pos
tnI TRANSPORTATION.


Washington Oct. 1.-THE annual report
of w. s. Shallenberger, second assistant
postmaster general. made public tonight,
cives an interesting review of the princi-
nal developments in the entire postal
transportation service of the United States
and connecting foreign mails.
1t shows an aggregate of appropriations
for this large part of the postal service
for the current year of S5O.Of, 23S; the prob
able deficiency is $4,000, making the es-
timated expenditures this year $51, 81, 23S.
This will be S., 623, 045, or q per cent more
Than for the fiscal year just closed. The es-
inmates for the fiscal year 1899 is 1871, 260,
which is s., 1876, 021 more than the eXpendi-
ture for the current year. The annual rate
of expenditure for the inland mail ser
vice in the year just closed was $49,S620 GA,
and for foreign mail service, $l,79llIO, af-
ter deducdng $25sO29 for Intermediary
service TO foreign countries. The sum-
mary of all classes of service in opera
ZION June 80, last. follows:
Number of routes, 80, 491; length of
routes. 47OO32 miles; annual rate of eXpen
diture. $40, S62 ,074; number of miles travers>
cd Der annum, APO, $50. 479: rate of cost per
mile travelled, 11.S4 cents; rate of cost per
mile oil lens ILL., 94Vu.uoB eNIleA AAbAAApNA VI
trims per week. $50. For star mail SER
vice the estimate for the fiscal year end
ing June &c. 1899, is $5,495 COO. Last year
there was an increase of 533O,749 miles of
travel in star service essential to rural
districts. A current deficiency of $4,000
Is estimated for the steamboat mail SER
wee. Che estimates for the fiscal year
1899 include steamboat service, $4,000;
mail messenger service, $950,000; transport
tation By pneumatic tubes or other SINH
lar devices, by purchase or otherwise $685.
GOO and wagon service, $750,000 Last year
there was only one pneumatic postal tube
i'm oDeration in the country-that in Phila-
delphia Since then four more contracts
have been executed in Philadelphia, New
York and between New York and Brook
Ign.
Concerning this new postal feature, Gen.
Shallenberger reports:
Ii is quite possible to carry second, third
and fourth-class matter as well as first,
when it can be made profitable Extension
10 stations several miles distant from the
main office. eventually, will save clerical
force as well as expedite delivery in dis
tant cities from twelve to twenty-four
hours.
The most important source Of revenue to
the department will be the large increase
of local correspondence and special deliv-
cry letters.
The extension of the tubular system will
be necessarily slow and probably confined
TO populous centers.
The amount reported withheld from the
Pacific railroads on account of transpor-
tation is $1,312,O23; estimate for railroad
transportation for fiscal year 1899 is $780,
$50, 1000 No estimate for special fast mail
service is submitted as it is stated the
service in general will be better if the spe-
cial facility appropriation is discontinued.
The estimate for electric and cable car
service is 1915, 000 and 1879 applications for
the establishment of news service of this
character are on file.
AS to foreign mails, the report makes an
estimate of 81 ,901, 260 for transportation and
$142 600 for balances due foreign countries.
The aggregate cost of this service was
81 049, 199 including 81, ,276 for transatlan-
tic and $179 1872 for transpacific service.
The report takes an important position
as to newspaper mall and a plan is sug
gested to make the profits on short hauls
offset the long runs.