The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-10-30
OFFICIAL ''HEADSMAN."
Fourth Assistant Bristow Gives Ac-
count of His Stewardship.
IutsrestIng Figures Regarding the Most
Important Branch of Uncle Sans serv-
ice-New Post Ofices Established
Suggestions to Improve Service.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26.-The follow
ing abstract of the annual report of
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow was made public yesterday:
In the establishment OF post offices it has
been the policy OF this bureau since the begin
ming OF the present administration to establish
q new post office wherever it Is desired, and ID
Is shown that it will accommodate q reasonable
number OF people. the purpose being to give
the people the most convenient mail facilities
possible believing that such policy contrib
utes to popular intelligence and good citizen
ship
In the amount of business transacted New
York ranks first with t2. l2 per capita expended
In the use of the mails, and South Carolina Is
the lowest, with t029 per capita During the
year there were: Post offices established, l.
col; post offices discontinued, o39: names and
sites changed. 1067; appointments on changes
OF name and site, 552; appointments OF fourth
class pOstmaSterS upon resignation, 800; ap-
pointments OF fourth-class postmasters upon
removal, 5,I15; appointments of fourth-class
postmasters upon deaths, 72e: offices relegated
to fourth class, % During the year 1874 ofices
became presidential
The report on the appointment lewiston
closes with table showing the number OF post
of1ces in operation in the United States from
1870. when there were 20. to 1897. with q. 0s2.
During the year there have been 800 post
masters reported to the bond division by the
auditor for delinQuencies and 4,S15 notices
have been sent sureties OF postmasters advising
them OF the tardiness OF postmasters In their
remittances. For various causes 80 acting
postmasters have been designated by bonds
men during the year
The total number of pieces of registered mail
handled by the post ONCE department for the
fiscal year ended June 80, 1897. is estimated at
IS 100 000 Four thousand two hundred and
seventy-fve OF these cases were investigated
and closed. In 9, 80 of these cases 1t was dis
covered that no actual loss had occurred. and
in .067 cases the full amount OF loss alleged
was recovered. leaving only ass cases In which
actual loss was sustained or only one loss for
every p, $40 pieces OF registered mail handled.
During the year there were o. 775 complaints
received Affecting ordinary mail matter; S.714
referred to letters: 81 O0i referred to packages;
an increase of 2, 1856 over the number OF COM
plants received during the previous year.
There were on hand at the beginning of the
fiscal year % tT7 cases Adding the number re-
ceived during the year we have SO 955 for con-
sideration. OF which %. 800 were disposed of.
The total number OF arrests for onenses
against the postal laws made during the year
was i.dSS OF this number lO5 were postmas-
ters, A were assistant postmasters. n clerks
in post ofnces, II railway postal clerks. "a let
ter carriers. 80 mail carriers, and II others en-
ployed IN minor positions in the postal service
The total number of post ONCE burglars ar
rested was S4s and the remaining 9e4 we're per-
sons in no way connected with the postal sery-
ice.
The following are a number of the
most important recommendations
made:
That a severer penalty be provided for en-
Dloyes OF the service who may be found guilty
Of embezzling or destroying newspaper mail
An amendment to the statute making the
depredations by railway postal clerks a con-
tinuous offense. in order to avoid the difflcult
task Of proving In which particular district
the onense was committed
That more stringent statutes be enacted COW
ering green goods and obscene matter, and
in this connection the amending of section 1884,
postal laws and regulations OF 1898 (revised
statutes section 54S0). relating to green
goods" and schemes to defraud. making those
onenses continuous. as is now the law concern
and regulations OF 1898 as amended. The pur-
pose being TO avoid distractions to and miscar-
riage OF justice incident to trials in some large
cities where criminals may have friends and
sympathizers
That. In order to provide greater safety and
security TO letters sent In the registered mails.
both foreign and domestic. special stamped
envelope OF superior material OF the denomina-
ton of ten cents be adopted; and that all per-
sons who desire to register letters be induced
to purchase these envelopes at the face value
OF the stamp, as is now the case with postal
cards
That the subject Of the use OF postage stamps
IS currency be taken up and considered. with
the view OF effecting some legislation, which,
II It would not entirely do away with them O
medium OF exchange, may at least curtail the
extent of their use in this manner