Evening star., 1900-12-10
The Annual Report Of the Postmaster
General.
INCREASE OF REVENUE FOR THE YEAR
Great Extension of Rural Free
Delivery and Its Value.
TIL E FRAUDS IN CUBA

| The financial operations of the department
| for the last fiscal year are shown briefly in
| the following statement:
Revenues and Expenditures.
| Ordinary postal revenue, S100,Sa9. 433. A F.;
| receipts from money order business, 81, ,455.
| 1855 total receipts from all sources, $1O2,-
| 354,579.29; total expenditures for the year,
| S107. .74O 261 99 excess of expenditures over
receipts. s5.3S5, ,6SS.70.
From this statement it will be observed
that the revenues have now passed the hum
dred million mark: also, that while the ex-
penditures were over six millions greater
than for the previous fiscal year. the de-
fct for the year 1S.s9-1900 was but $685.
GsS, being s1,225.0SS less than that of the
previous year.
The following is an estimate of the reve-
nues and eA penditures of the postal service.
which has been transmitted to the Secre-
tary of the Treasury for the fiscal year
ending June 60 1902:
Total postal revenue for 1900, S102.354.-
513: add ~ per cent for estimated increase
year ending June 30. 1901, s7.676,5 ,593; esti-
mated revenue for 1901, $11O.O31, ,112. Add
Is per cent for estimated increase year end
ing June 30, 1902 $6,6Ol,S10; estimated reve-
rue for 1902. $116 633, O42; estimated expen-
diture for 1902, s121. .276.349; deficiency for
1902, estimated, "a 1884, 3O7.
Rural Free Delivery.
The extraordinary extension Of rural free
delivery during the past two years has
proved 20 be the most salient, significant
and far-reachng feature of postal develop
ment in recent times. We have had other
striking advances but they have been along
lines already we'll settled. But to under
IKE the personal and daily delivery of the
mail at the individual and isolated farm
house on the remote country road marks
what in this widely extended land amounts
fN q np
Rural free delivery has now been sur
ticiently tried to measure its effects. The
immediate and direct results are clearly ap-
parent. 1t stimulates social and business
correspondence and so swells the postal re-
ceipts. Its Introduction is invariably fol-
lowed by large increase in the circula-
ton of the press and of periodical litera-
ture. The farm is thus brought into direct
daily contact with the currents and move
ments of the business world. A more ac-
curate knowledge of ruling markets and
varying prices is diffused, and the producer.
with his quicker communication and larger
information, is placed a Surer footing.
The value of farms, as has been shown in
many cases. is enhanced. Good roads be-
come Indispensable, and their improvement
is the essential condition of the service
The material and measurable benefits are
signal and unmist taxable.
We are now carrying the post office to
the door of 81 100000 of people 1nassed in
towns and cities. The task before US Is the
more complicated work of carrying the post
office to tn door Of about p ,Oo0,0Go, scat
tered over 100000 square miles of terri
tory. Its n agnitude is not to be under
estimated. England. France and Germany
make rural free delivery, their postmen go-
ing foot. But England contains 80, SCI
square miles, France 2O4092 and Germany
2DS. $50. We are already covering with rural
delivery a larger area than England, all
effected within the past two years. By
the end of the current fiscal year we shall
reach one-sixth of the 21,0o0O00 to be
served. What has already been substan-
TALLY accomplished Is certainly capable of
skiold expansion.
On the 1st of July. 1899. there were 391
rural delivery routes in operation. Within
the fiscal year, under an appropriation of
$780, 900, this number was increased to 1.214
On the 1st Of July. 1900. the appropriation
of S1,150,OO0 became available, and on the
18th of November 2.614 routes had been
located and established, 81 .979 miles In ag-
gregate length, covering 66.S42 square miles.
divided among forty-four states and terri
tories. and serving a population of sol 524.
The number of applications pending at that
date and awaiting action or under investi-
cation was more than 2, 2,10O-nearly enough
to double the existing service-and every
day brings more The close of the present
fiscal year will see about 1900 routes in
operation. carrying the mail daily to the
doors of not less than $500. 600 residents of
the rural districts.
Cost of Extension.
If rural free delivery is to be accepted as
a general policy, it is prudent to inquire
into the probable cost of extending the SER
vice throughout the sections of the country
favorable to its establishment 1t must in
the nature Of the case be limited to those
regions which geographically admit of it's
Introduction and which sufficiently set
tied to warrant 1T. Any calculation with
the present data must be somewhat con-
jectural. but an approximate estimate may
be reached. Surveying the country with
reference to the density of the population
and the character of the territory and en-
| tcring upon a detailed examination by
states, it is believed that in the aggregate
! an area of about 100000 square miles com
prises all to which the service might rea-
sonabiy be extended. Certainly it would
take some years to cover that area and it
| is all that need now be contemplated
In arriving at an estimate of the gross
! cost there are three methods of cOmDu-
! tation. The first is to take as the basis
| tie cost per square mile. the second the
cost per capita and the third the cost per
| county. On July 1. 1900, the rural delivery
service covered an area of 30, 756 square
miles. with 1,276 routes. The cost per
| route including the compensation of carrier
and incidental expenses. but not admins
| trative expense. is fixed at $50. This makes
the total cost for 1,2I6 routes covering
30 756 square miles, $3.50 76o or PIG per
| square mile, of for a million square miles
| $2l 10000.
The second calculation is on the basis of
| population. The strictly rural popuIa alton
| of the country varies little from "A 900, 600
| It Is believed that upon a moderate esti-
! mate. 100000 of this number live in terri
| tory beyond the possible range of free de-
| livery, leaving 21,u0,OOo within reach The
| cost of the service. as 1t now exists, Is 90 I
| cents per capita. AT this rate the cost for
2l.D0,UO people would be sl9, 467 900.
The third computation takes the county
| as the basis. There are in the United
States, excluding Alaska. 2,S43 counties AID.
| plying the same percentage, which on the
| best information obtainable was determina-
| tive of the area to be considered 1t is found
that l ,:i31 counties. or their equivalent. are
| suited to free delivery. The cost in Car
| roll county Md, where a full county sery-
| ice is in operation, is $22 500 In Washing
| ton county. Tenn, the cost is $15,60O The
| average of the two is s19O50. If they We're
| fair samples this might be taken as a
| basis. but both counties are hilly, their
| physical subdivisions are Irregular and II
| is the opinion Of special agents who have
given the subject careful study that the
cost Is higher by one-third than it would
be In counties of the middle western states
| which generally level. and where the
| roads are laid out on the section and quar-.
| ter-section lines. 1t is estimated that one
| half of the 1881 counties are Of the lat.
ter class. and may be served at cost one
| third below the overage of Carroll anC
| Washington. or that the average cost 70,
| the whole would be one-sixth less Thi:
,,alxa