The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-10
BY Exclusive wirc from The Associated Press.


Washington. Dec. 9.--According to
the annual report OF Postmaster Cen
eral Charles Emory Smith, the postal
service during the year ended June 80
cost $107. .74O. .267.99 and the receipts
were s1O2. .354, ,579.29. leaving IL deficit of
$5,3S5, ,6SS.70. This deficit is 81, 225,OSS
less than that of the previous year.
and s2,T11,S ,S11 less than the average
annual deficit for the past eight years.
The estimated expense Of the current
years business is s121. .276,3i9: and the
estimated revenue. S116,633,O42, leaving
an expected deficit of s4634307.
Strongly endorsing extension of ru-
raj free delivery, the report says:
We are now carrying the postoihcc to the door
" 31,OOOOO0 OF people massed in towns and
cities. The task before us is the more compli-
Gated work OF carrying the postofiice TO the
door Of about q, 900, ,OO0 scattered over lWO,OO)
square miles OF territory. We already cover
ing with rural delivery larger area than Eng
land. all effected within the past two years. BY
the end Of the current fiscal year we shall reach
cne.sixth of the 2l,oOo.OOO to be served What
has already been substantially accomplished is
certainly capable Of skiold expansion.
On the 1st OF July. 1899. there were 39l rural
delivery routes in operation. Within the fiscal
year. under an appropriation OF S45Oo0O, this
number increased to 1,2l4 On the lst nj
July, 1900 the appropriation OF Sl,7jo,O0O he
came available. and on the 18th of November
2,814 routes had been located AMI established.
81, ,OT9 miles in aggregate length, covering G6sl!
square miles, divided among 81 states and terri
tories, and serving population OF l,sOl,52f.
The number OF applications pending at that date
and awaiting action or under investigation was
more than 2,10O-nearly enough to double the
la l,,.,,
The close of the present fiscal year will about
1900 routes in operation. carrying the mail daily
to the doors OF not less than 3,5OD,oo residents
of the niral districts.
HOW REVENUES INCREASE.
The report describes at length a
thorough test of rural free delivery
made in Carroll county, Md, covering
an area of 453 square miles. The ex-
pertinent began by the discontinuance
of 63 Of the 94 fourth-class postofilces
in the territory and of 33 star routes.
and by the substitution of a free de-
livery service with four complete pos
tai wagons and 26 rural letter carriers
in their own cOnveyances. So radical
an innovation, involving the displace-
ment of a number of officials natural
ly at the outset excited some antagon-
ism. But the service proved so salts
factory and the advanta ges of univer-
sal delivery were so great that the op-
position speedily subsidized, and there
is now an undivided sentiment of COR
dial support and approval. Mr.. Smith
says:
The Inauguration OF the change was followed
by an immediate and marked advance in the
quantity Of mail. The increase the first quarter
in the number OF pieces handled was about 40
per cent. With the means oi transmission
brought to the door more letters written.
but there was special augmentation vi tie
volume Of newspapers, circulars and postal cards.
The other facilities Of the postal system were
employed in liberal measure. In the first quar-
ter Of rrral free delivery as compared with the
last quarter preceding, the increase OF reeis-
tered letters was 81 per cent, and of money
orders 40 per cent The increased receipts durins
the first quarter l,thl. % per cent. As
the normal increase is only about per cent
in the populous centers, and less than per
cent. in rural sections, these figures attest The
efficacy OF OF rural delivery in swelling the
revenues. The saving effected in the discoEtnu
ance Of fourt!-class offices and star routes
amounted for the quarter to -, sos Adj to th'.
the increase In receipts, and have a credit
account which very nearly balances the cost Ct
the rural delivery, thus showing that the scr-
vices in Carroll county Is wcll-ngn >clrsustar.-
ing.
ESTIMATEDCOST OF RURAL. FREE |
DELIVERY.
BY process of averages taken from |
existing free delivery routes represent
ing varying conditions the postmaster !