The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-25
CONDITION OF TIE
POSTAL DEPARTMENT,
Prosperous Times Have Made Them
selves Apparent In ALI Depart-
ments of the BUSINESS.

ments of the business.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-First Assistant
Postmaster General Perry 3 Heath has
completed his annual report, except the
portion relating to military pos,offices at
the army camps and in the Antilles and
Philippines. and the rural free delivery serv-
Ice, both Of which await further advices.
The general business OF the department
shows an increase OF over ss,a0o,eoo during
the fiscal year.
Prosperous Times shown.
In all departments OF the business the
prosperous times have made themselves APP
parent. This year there were 2s,I9s,07s do
nestle money orders issued. against %, 1884,
055 last year; the amount carried was WILL
354.12I. against sl14 ss2,S4e There Were 2;Ss
new money order offices established the
recommendations for congressman acuon
are numerous and interesting. Mr. Heath
recommends that clerks in post9nices be
salaries similar to that of letter carriers,
so as 10 give fair prospect OF ADVANCE
ment and certainty of compensation.
Grading Clerks.
At present there Is no rule or system or
grading clerks at postoff.ces. 1t IS COR
tended that an efficient pcstoffice clerk Is
the peer Of letter carrier. and theirs shoud
be no discrimination in the pay or priv
leges accorded to either class. The hours
OF labor of a letter carrier are limited ~
law TO eight hours a day, and he is allowed
fifteen days leave OF absence with pay.
Postoffice clerks have no limitations on
their hours and no vacation without loss
OF pay. An appropriation OF Soo.WV is re-
CURED for the employment OF subs t9ae
clerks TO allow vacations. An approIhla-
ton of Sll, SOC, 900, an increase OF $soaoeo over
this year, is recommended for the neSl
fiscal year for clerk hire. congress having
appropriated $4,000 less than the depart
nent estimate for Clerk hire during the
past fiscal year, considerable enbarr2Ss-
ment has ensued meeting einergenc;es incl
H. ,1,~ staHv n a.
ness. The consolidation Of postofices is
again recommended. Congress is asked TO
repeal the law forbidding the abolition OF q
consolidation of postoffiees. The abolition
of small postoffices contiguous to large
office having free delivery and the estab-
lishnent OF stations and sub-stations in lieu
thereof, Mr.. Heath says, has been found 20
result not only In vastly improved pubic
service, hut In a substantial saving In ex-
penses, and he desires authority to continue
this plan Authority is asked TO make the
clerk hire appropriation apply TO all classes
of pdstofYices. At present an allowance for
clerk hire can only be gwen 20 Hrst ana
second class postmasters.
Many third-elass postoffices which only
escape by few hundred dollars OF receipts
from being included in the second class
have so much business that ii Is impossible
for any one person properly to attend to IL.
and the posemas,ers are constantly com,
peeled TO pay for such clerical hep they need
out OF their own salaries. There are 29lo
third-class postofTices. 100 second-cass and
Ito first-class One result claimed is that
ii would remove the temptation Tor pest
masters to pad their receipts fraudulently
10 Increase their apparent revenues SO az
10 get into the second class.
Free Delivery.
Free delivery was extended during the
fiscal year to fifty-nine Offices. Additional
Offices entitled TO free delivery number ITO.
During the current fiscal year service has
been established at thiTty-four OF those Of
fees. leaving seventy-six 70 awai, ne con con
assistant postmaster general recommends
a modification of the eight-hour law. as ap-
piled 10 letter carriers, so AS 10 provide Tor
the eight hours for six days work, and
only as many hours on Sunday within the
eight-hour Limit as are absolutely necessary
for ths requirements of the service. This
recommends ton is IN accord With the views
expressed by the convention Of pcstmGsiers
recently held at Detroit. and II is believed
It's adoption would meet the approval Of
the letter carriers themselves
New Carrier Grade Recommended.
Mr.. Heath recommends an additional
grade or carrier, 10 b. known as carrier
scygea.ta in all cities having fifty carriers
or more and that these positions BE- assign
ed by competitive examination among car
riers who have served five years or more
The duties Of these sergeants woull Ire 10
supervise the work OF the letter carriers on
their routes. and to investigate complaints:
IL asks an appropriation for salaries OF
carriers Mt established Offices for the next
fiscal year OF sl2.691.Z9l. for the s11arics OF
horse hire allowance, $1,000; car fare and
bicycles. $4,000; all other inciaentals. $50 =
c9o, making 81 grand total for the service OF
s18,5la.@00 he recommends a repeal or tina
law requiring The use OF the present form
Of ruorev order In the interest Of safety
ana simplicity. ard also authorization for
use of a postal check payable 10 bearer.
Tnt. detailed report Of the operations OF the
rural free delivery viii D. presented within
6 few days. Congress raised the Gppr0pria-
ton for this purpose from so. 90 TO Si5s.1si0
and Mr. Heath recon- r1a mas, IN View CT the
success Of the extension OF the service ami
the satisfaction i has given. thai an appro-
prlafs0n Of sAlp,es0 be made Tor rural free
delivery during the nexi fiscal year