Evening star., 1898-12-10
IN POR TO RICO.
Report Of the Post Office Committee
j, Made Public.
IMPORTANT RECOMMEND ATOMS
Domestic Rates Of Postage Should
. BE- Applied.
A NJ E RICANS IN CHARGE E

"A vi Il IL l. y ~ N . L N y II "A NV T.
The report of the committee appointed by
the Postmaster General to investigate the
condition of the postal service on the Island
of Porto Rico has been made public.
This committee. 1t will be recalled. was
composed of the following: Major James
E. Stuart of the inspectors division; Chas.
F. Trotter of the salary and allowance di
vision; John NJ. Masten of the railway mail
service. D. H. Fenton of the auditors Office
and VIM. NJ. Mooney. NJ. A. Macdonald of
the contract division accompanied the COM
mittee as clerk. This committee sailed Au-
gust 81 from New York and arrived at San
Juan September g.
In the instructions of the Postmaster
General the committee was required to in
vestigate the. postal service of the island.
and especially into the measures which
may be necessary in making the existing
service conform far as practicable to the
rules and regulations which govern the
postal service oS the United States.
Ihe report of the committee is an eX-
hauStive document. 1t discusses the Span
ish system and gives In detail the method
OF transportation of the mails between the
several cities, their schedule and cost.
In all there We're ninety-one post offices
prior to the occupation of the island by the
American forces. and the salaries of the
postmasters ranged from $40 per annum to
Sl,i3o per annum, which latter amount was
palo 70 the postmasters at San Juan, Ponce
ana Mayaguez. At the larger offices clerks
were employed at salaries ranging from
$3.50 to $3.50 per annum.
A description of the various land and wa
ter routes tstar routes) of the island is
given, together with recommendation of
such changes as 1t Is thought proper to
make.
The total revenues of both telegraphfc
ana postal services for the year ended De-
cember 81, 1897, were S197 oS3. OIL and the
expenses. $3.50 $40, leaving q deficit of SS9-
o56.99, or 81 per cent. The salaries of posi-
masters and allowances for clerks amount
ed to $loS,;'io per annum, or IS per cent of
the expenses; the star route service to $685.
90, or per cent of the expenses the
transatlantic and intercolonial mail service
to sI9 4o6, Or 30 per cent of the expenses
Inc san Juan office furnished SIC. .994. 80. or
70 per cent of the revenue, and cost S23-
o''o' OF IL per cent of the expenses.
Recommendations.
Says the report,
We recommend the appointment of
chief postal supervisor or with some such
distingushabie title, with a suitable number
of assistants INSPECTORS and clerks, and
suggest an erga nization which will accom-
plish the desired results
Ihe commiae ee recommends the establish
ment of posEi offices at such points as they
We're locatedspndff the Spanish administra-
The same ffuless, which govern the estal,-
iishment of post offices in the United States
should govern the establishment of pro-
posed new Offices in Porto Rico which may
hereafter be- applied for. 1t will be neces-
sary, especially at the larger Offices viz:
san Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Aguadilla Ar
ecibo. Guayama and Humacao, to have
Americans as pQStmasters, but in the judg-
ment of the conimittee, suitable natives
should be appointed as clerks in such offices
ana poStmasteTS in the smaller Offices and
no one should heaconsidered suitable unless
ne can read ana write the English language
and is possessed of sufficient intelligence to
enable him to perform his duties without
the constant assistance OF an American.
In Porto Rico 1t should be the aim to pay
all the expenses of the service direct from
the revenues of the post Offices and to en-
able this to be done 1t will be necessary
that certain changes be made in the system
to meet the different conditions caused by
the distance from this country the infre-
quent communication. the difference of lam
suage and the extreme poverty of the la
boring classes.
1t is also recommended that the registry
system Of the United States be introduced
into the island under the present regula-
ions in place of the system of certifying
letters, which has hitherto been In vogue.
The report continues:
and extension of the money order system
in the island in place of the Spanish sys-
tenn of sending letters of declared value
and of insurance of contents of letters of
declared value. at the offices doing yearly
business of more than $500 and recommend
that offices doing yearly business of 81 800
or more be designated as international
money order offices.
We also recommend that the free deliy-
cry system he introduced into the service
cf the island wherever allowable under the
existing law, and that, in computing rev.
enues. Ponce and Playa de Ponce be con-
sdered as one Office, and that Mayaguez
and Playa de Mayaguez be considered also
one office.
I'VE think that the special-delivery sys-
tenn can be introduced into the service with
satisfactory results, and recomm nd that
it be done
THE private letter carriers can be utiIiz-
ed in making these deliveries, or suitable
special-deliyery messenger boys can be en-
ployed at any office at very low wages as
compared with the scale prevailing In the
United States.
Domestic Rates of Postage