The times., 1899-11-16

that the department would be going too
extensively into the frejght-carrying bust
ness For the first time in the history Of
the registry service The receipts on account
o. registry fees reach the million-dollar
mark and pass it,
New contracts have been entered into
for supplying registered package tag. OF
fetal and dead-letter envelopes. and also
for furnishing envelopes for the use OF the
several executive departments during the
year ending June 90 1900 the former at
practically the same prices as those of the
previous year, and the latter / regret 10
say at somewhat advanced cost. am
satisfied that il would be 10 the advantage
Of the Government to have these contracts
made for four years instead Of one year.
and recommend that Congress be asked 10
authorize such a change.
The weight of second-class matter
mailed upon which postage was collected
at the pound rate was 352, 703, 226 pounds
and the amount of postage thereon was
$3.527. C32- -26-au Increase in weight OF l6.~
576.SS pounds and $165, ,76S.SS in amount
Of postage collected, OF 4-93 per cent over
the previous year.
From the comparative statement OF
postage collected at the larger postothces
IT appears that . Offices, New York
and Chicago. mail 35 per cent of the
second-cIass matter, that offices, New
York, Chicago. ST. Louis, Boston. and
Philadelphia, mail so per cent; 25 offices
70 per cent and 81 offices 70 per cent, leay-
ing but q per cent as the total mailing at
the other 1888 Offices The amount OF
postage collected during the year on mat
ter Of a higher class improperly mailed with
or as seC0nd-Class matter is So. 4S4.0I. The
department is in receipt Of numerous re-
ports from pOstmasters at delivering Of
fees showing that overweight class
matter is constantly being despatched from
mailing Offices without due postage rated
thereon as required by law.
One-Cent Postage Favored.
There is some demand for a l-cent rate
on drop letters deposited in letter carrier
Offices for delivery through boxes in those
Offices. As no more service is required for
such letters than when deposited in the
offices where free delivery has not been
established. l favor the proposition.
The chief postoffice inspector reports
that during the year his Office received
I,034 complaints relating TO registered mat
ter originating at and addressed to post
offices In the United States OF this num-
Der 5,1S3 were fully investigated, leaving
! sol outstanding at the close of the year.
OF the 5.lS3 cases investigated, only L163
were found to involve actual losses Re
( cOveriss were made In 1872 OF the above
cases leaving 451 unaccounted for.
The table of values will show that the
values sent in the registered mails by and
TO the Pcstofflce Department and the
/ Treasury Department during the year
/ reached the almost incredible sum OF
+ 81 SIS, ,l44. .24S72. With the exception of
the stamped paper included in these fig
ures, amounting TO something less than
S90, 00o 000 the rest of this enormous sum
represents actual money values. such as
currency. coin, gold and silver. bonds. and
the like. No figures have been furnished
by the other departments 10 show the
money values of articles sent and received
by them in the registered mails; and il is.
of course, impossible TO give even an ap-
proTimate estimate OF the money values
sent and received in the registered mails
by banks trust companies mercantile
I houses, and the public generally. which.
doubtless guided by the yearly statistics
Of the registry service, do not hesitate TO
freely patronize a system which the Gov
ernmenJ is willing to entrust with the
transmission of upward Of a billion of dol
lars, with apparently almost perfect Sc
curity.
"A comparison OF the statistics for the
country in general with those for the thiT-
ry leading cities shows that the increase
at- AA+E 4E--StlA SCI VIE IDS tEcI EtBCl q
throughout the country. the percentage
Tor the thirty cities being S.41, while for
the entire country il is T.4S. A general
Improvement IN the safeguards OF the ser
vice IS also noticeable in the decrease IN
tie number of losses. The decrease is
marked in losses due to burning of post
Offices postal cars and steamboats, all oil
hem unavoidable so far as this service
Is concerned. and in the number OF losses
through the dishonesty OF postal officials
ana employees.
Il is my opinion that a corps of at Ieas
ter special agents or inspectors under the
control of the Third Assistant Postmaster
General should be provided exclusively fol
registry work throughout the country. III
order TO bring the service up TO the stand
ard which ought 10 be maintained at al
times to make good to the patrons TO it!
fullest extent the guarantee of the saf,
transmission and correct delivery OF theil
valuable mail matter. The tendency O
The times is toward the specialist in eyery
sphere of business life. The reason FOL
it is obvious and applies just as fOrcibl
30 the needs Of the registry system as t
anything else
Letter Carrier Registration.
Following the idea OF extending the ad
vautages OF the service for the create
convenience Of the public. the question O
providing for the registration Of mail mat
Ter by letter carriers at the houses of resi-
dents in the e-deltvery cities receive
consideration and at this time all tn
books and forms necessary therefor, TO
geJher with the instructions. are in cours
OF preparation, and it is hoped that the pla
viii be in operation about January
next.
Many obstacles to the success Of thi
idea were advanced by the postmaster
who were invited TO criucise IT, but th
chief one, and really the only cue Of Sc
rious importance, was that it would Civ
additional labor 10 the letter carrier. caus
him 10 make overtime. and delay the sery
ice Of the general mails. The rigid require
ments OF the eight-hour law. as it no,
exists which forbid the employment Of tn