The San Francisco call., 1897-10-18
REVIEW OF THE
MAIL SERVICE
Annual Report of the
Second Assistant
Chief.
General Shallenberger Makes
General ShaIlenberger Makes
Some Very important
SuggeS ions.
Deficiencies Of the Present Year
Might Be Made Less by Charg-
Ing Newspapers More.
Special Dispatch to TIE CALL.

WASHINGTON. D. c., Oct 1.-THE
| annual report of w. S. ShaIlenb berger, Sec
| ond Assistant Pos lma aster r General, mad e
| public tonight. gives an interesting re-
view OF the principal developments in the
entire postal transportation service of the
United States and connecting foreign
| mails. 1t shows an aggregate of appro-
prIations for this large part of the postal
service Tor the current year f SOL 041, 23S
The probable deficiency is 500 600, max
ing the estimated expenditures this year
$51 541, 23S This will be 81. .623. .045. or
3H per cent, more than for the fiscal year
just clio ed. The estimate for the II cal
year 1899 is $j3, 337 ECO, which is 81, ,796. 921
more than the estimated expenditure ior
the inland mail service in the year just
closed, which was $49, $50, ,O74, and for for
e'gn ruall service 81. 791 10 after deduct
ing $25S 029 for intermediary service TO
foreign coun ries.
The summary Of all classes of service in
operation June 80 last follows: Numbe
ofroutes, 81, 491; length of routes, 470, o32
miles; annua. rate of expenditures $49,-
S62 074; mum Der of miles travelled per an
mum, 42O, $50, 4I9; rate of cost per mile
travelled, $11 "a; rate OF cost per mile of
length, $l06 08; average number of trips
per week, $50.
For star mail service the estimate for
the Escal year ending June so, 1899. is
So, 495, 600. Last year there was an in
crease OF $3.50, 749 miles OF travel in star
service, so essential to rural districts.
current year deficiency of S30, 900 is es-
II mated for the steam boat mail service.
The estimates for the fiscal year 1899 IN
clude steamboat service, $4,000; mail
messenger service, $3.50, 600; 'transporta-
tion by pneumatic tubes or other similar
services by purchase or otherwise" 1925,
600, and wagon service $3.50 600 Last
year there was only ore pneumatic postal
tube ii operation in the country, that in
Philadelphia. Since then lonr more con-
tracts have been executed in Phi. al ell phia,
New York, Boston and between New York
and Brooklyn.
Concerning this new postal feature Gen.
eral ShaIlen berger reports:
"1t is quite possible TO carry sec 1nd
third and iourth-ciass matters as we'll as
first, when it can be made profitable. Ex-
tension to stations several miles distant
from the main office eventually will save
clerical force as weN as expedite delivery
IN distant cities from twelve TO twenty-four
hours. The most Important source of
revenue to the department will be the
large increase of local correspondents and
special delivery letters. The extension of
the tubular system will be neces ariIy
slow and probably confined to populous
centers."
The amount reported withheld from the
Pacific railroads ON account OF transpor-
tatlon is 81, 312023; estimate for railroad
tran porlation for fi>c year 1899 is $50 =
100000 No estimate for special fast mail
service is submitted, as ii is stated that
| the serv ce in general will be better if the
srecial facility appropriation is discon-
tiDped. The estimate for electric and
| ca ble- car service is 1919. 900 and 130 appli-
cations for esta blish ment of new service
OF this character are on file.
The report takes an important position
as TO newspaper mail and plan to make
he profils on short haus offset the long
runs. General Saallenbereer says:
There seems TO be no good reason WHY
the great bulk of legitimate newspapers
carrie by the Government at great loss
TO remote places should be permitted to
be taken away from the mails by railroad
ana express companies whenever there is
short haul that would make the car
riage of them profitable to the Govern
ment. The carriage oil newspapers, pack
ages, etc., by railroads and express COM
panles Tor the year have been iu titled
perhaps years ago. when the railway mail
service was less efficient, but with our
present facilities such NAV be easily
abandoned l am convinced that the de-
partm MT should carry the great bulk of
newspaper matter that has teen held
from the mails and sent in baggage cars
and special express trains"