Evening star., 1898-09-17
OUTSIDE POSTAL SERVICE
No More Assignments to Be Made For a
While.
Many Applications From Those Who
Want to Go to Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines.

There will be no more assignments to the
postal service in Cuba, Porto Rico or the
Philippines until a report has been re-
ceived from the committee of postal eX-
perts now in the Island of Porto Rico,'
said Mr. Heath, the first assistant post
master general, today.
IAN the requirements of the service in
the newly acquired territory have been
met, SO far as the department is informed,
and We will now await the report of the
committee proposing plan of reorganiza-
ton and permanent establishment of the
postal service. The United States postal
service will not be! extended in the Island
of Cuba until the evacuation of the Span
ish troops has taken place, and L see the
evacuation commission has not yet fully
entered upon its duties, that it may be
some weeks before il is possible to take up
for consideration the extension of the pos
tai service In that island, although the de-
partmsnt will push forward the service as
rapidly as the military necessities permit.
AT this time the nails are going into Ha-
vana regularly and are coming out of Ha-
Vana to our county under the old regime.
The department. continues to receive
hundreds of applications every day from
men already in thei postal service and their
friends asking for assignment TO the postal
service in Cuba, Pprto Rico or the Philip
pines, and scores and scores of letters and
kilograms are pouring N almost hourly from
repr esentatves inf Congress and senators
and other infuentt tal men throughout the
country asking forSthe appointment of men
In the postal service to positions in connec-
tion with the service in the new territory
All or this work can avail nothing at this
time. When the report of the Forto Rican
postal committee is received the public Will
be informed, and # will also learn at the
same time whether IT is contemplated to
Ia carrf al
Inc government transport sailing at
noon on next Wednesday for Santiago and
Ponce Will carry probably five or six ad-
ditional postal clerks to relieve some of
those who are either temporarily disabled
by illness or desire to return. This will
positively be the last batch of clerks that
VIII be sent to Cuba, Porto Rico or the
philippines until the postal committee have
determined the necessities of the service
and the report is before the departemnt for
final action.'
Operations In Porto Rico.
The report Of Postal Agent Robinson at
Ponce, Porto Rico gives some interesting
data regarding the. postal business done on
the island during the month Of August.
There was a totalio of 1872 pouches received
during the month aud 116 registered letters
and packages. Thirty-seven pouches of
mail We're dispatches from the island 1877
money orders were issued amounting to
IS, ,22s.2S. Three hundred and seventeen
foreign registered fetters and 456 domestic
registered letters were received.
There has been daily messenger service
from Ponce to Yauca, with connection for
Mayaguez; q daily service from Juan Diaz
with connection for Coamo; daily. except
Sunday, service to Adjuntas, with connec-
ton for Utuado, and to San Isabelle. with
connection to Salinas. All Of this service
Is performed by native carriers without ex-
pense to the United States government.
On the 9th of August seven sacks of
sealed mail, one Of which contained 242
registered packages and letters. were de-
livered to the alcalde Of Ccamo by direction
of Gen. Ernst. This mail had been ac-
cumulating since August 6. owing to the
state of war. Since August 2s mail connec-
tions with San JUAN the advanced military
post has been daily by native carrier SER
vice.
The army and native mail has been for
warded in separate Enclosures, properly Ia
beled the army mail being delivered to car
riers designated by the commander of each
army station and the island mail. In most