The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-26
ANNUAL REPORT
THE SERVICE IN CUBA


Warrington. Nov. 25.-The most IN
oerosting review of the postal service
Ioe some years owing TO Its operations
q military and naval fields, Ii the re-
port OF Postmaster General Charles
Dmory Smith. Aside from h discus
sion Of the regular branches Of the de-
s<partment. Il tells OF the work accomp-
1ished and policies adopted in our terri
sorial acquisitions. The postmaster
general ays
IN war entailed the necessity of a
military postal service and prompt
slnoasures were required for handling
he mails OF an army OF a quarter OF
- million OF men. Large postohices
Were suddenly created at the camps OF
construction and the exigencies of con-
slant changes N movements were met
I, and h military and naval forces on
active service In the West Indies and
philippines had prompt and constant
stboetal communication at home. These
Ss3uflitary postof1ces were clothed with
Ill possible powers. Some OF the larg-
err camps Increased the volume OF pos
: tai business to that OF cities OF high
ranks. Quick n intelligent manage
ment was demanded. n trained clerks
were detailed from available points"
A Continuing. the report lays:
bnD when our troops advanced into Gu
be- the postal service also advanced
with them. When Santiago surrender
ed. United States Postal Agent Eben
Brewer Dol possession OF the postofice
Of that city, which was made the mill
tary postofice. He removed the Span
ish director and 10 OF its large force of
clerks. retaining SOM as interpreters.
Dnd gave the Office a far better foot
ing with q much smaller force. Now
there are . deliveries in the ousi-
mesa portion OF Santiago city N reg
ular mall communication has been es-
eablished with Havana and intermedi-
ate .eaports and with Jamaica and 9TH
er West Indian islands Service has
been extended into Santiago province.
The postal service accompanied our
arms and our flag to Porto Rico. From
Ponce Il was extended as rapidly as
the different places passed into u
possession until now there are IL mill
tary postal stations there. having pos
tai connections with many smaller
places. They are under the direction of
. superintendent detailed from the rail-
ray mail service. who acts IN conjunc-
hon with the military commander with
force OF ak railway mail clerks
through postal agents and 30 clerks.
Including o Spanish translators. In
h Philippines two military postal
stations have been established at Ma
nilla and Cavite. supervised by a vet
eron division superintendent detailed
from San Francisco and onducted by
. force OF railway mail and postofice
clerks and agents. assisted by details
from the army OF occupation"
Referring to the method of extend
Ing the postal service in the acquired
territory. the report says:
The general postal service was as
ISOLATED with the military postal serv-
ice and operated by the same IA
chinery. No new appointments. save
In a or two instances. were made
Trained men from our home service
were detailed as superintendents and
agents placed In charge of the large
ofhces. retaining such OF the old en-
ployes as were needed or could be
made available. In the smaller places
the old postmasters are continued or
other local officers are found. There
has already been a great Improvement
over the old Spanish service and the
work has only just begun.
The acquisition Of Hawaii has not
thus far been followed by any change
I'm our postal relations with that coun-
try. The absorption of It's postal sys-
TEN into our own and the exercise ~
our control. like the incorporation of
other features of it's local administra-
ton. have awaited the report Of the
congressional commission and the Leg
Saation which will follow. There was
the more reason for observing this OBJ
legation. as Hawaii already a a good
mail service. which is more than SELF
usufaiufuC