The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-14
MINNESOTA GAINING.
POSTAL BUSINESS OF. THE STATE
INDICATES srLskDID DE-
VEL0P4IENT
IS TWENTY SECOND IN LIST
interesting acfxeleaned From the
Annual Report of the Fourth
Assistant -Postmaster
General.
GLOBE WAsHINGTON eBuREAU,
Post Building, Room LAS.

WASHINGTON, p. c., Nov. 1S.-F'rom
the annual report of the fourth assistant
postmaster general it appears that the
state of Minnesota ranks twenty-seeond
in the per capita, expenditure in the use
of the United States mails. According
to the records. theAeitizens of that state
spend on an average 81. 49, apitce a year
for postage The total amount spent was
81, 621, 6e66 SO. The entire number of post
offices in the state is. 1857
The amount of money spent by the peo-
pie of a state in the use of the mails is
sometimes regarded as an index of the
business ACTIVITY Of the state. This test
would hardly be fair as a measure OF
the; prosperity vof an agricultural state
like Minnesota; which may grow and sell
wheat in large quantities and at a good
price without Using the mails,to any in
creased extent.
The state of New York heads the list
as user of the mails. The people there
spend $3.50 each per annum in postage
The District of Columbia appears to have
a higher record butt it is due to the use
Of the mails by the government Illinois
comes next to New York, with an annual
expenditure of more than s11, eO0, 600. Mas
sachusetts comes third, and then follow
Colorado, Nevada, California, Connect
cut, Montana. Vermont, Wyoming, Rhode
Island Maine, Washington, Idaho, New
Hampshire, Ohio, Missouri, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Oregon and Minnesota. In
South Carolina there is least use of the
mails. There the population spend on an
average but Al cents year for postage.
The state which has most postoffices is
Pennsylvania, 5,13S The District of Co
lumbia has six
Malls Are Well Guarded.
The report of the inspector for the post
office department shows that 3l2 ordinary
letters were lost through the carelessness
or Expectations of the postal employees.
There are S07 cases of lost letters still
under investigation. Three hundred and
seven complaints were made from Mime
sofa where no loss was suffered The
loss of two letters was due to accident,
of five to persons not in the postal en-
pioy, and in 531 cases no discovery was
made. $50
Speaking of the years record in this
department, Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Bristoe says.
During the fiscal year larger number
OF postoffice inspectors was empioved
than during any other year in the his
tory OF the postal service. Numerous ir-
Irregularities, Were discovered in remote
country postoffices which our inspectors
nave been unable to reach in former
years. In some instances frauds were de-
tected, and large amounts of money col
Iected from dishonest officials, which
would not have been discovered had it
not been for the unusual vigilance reaair-
ca OF the inspectors force during the
year.
The losses in 1897 were 10 ner ca,t
Oh the total. number of cases referred and
investigated, or an average of / niece
IN every 22,S40 handled In 1898 tbe loss
was ss,s per cent. or an average of /
piece III every 24,6oS pieces handled. The
iessafor 1883 was. ST. per cent. or an ave-
rage OF piece fn3'evervN $3.50 handled
the less in 1900 wass7.2 per cent. mr. an
average of piece in every 1852 pieces
handled. The falessd III 1851 was So ner
cent, or an average OIL piece in every
a ,66e pieces handled. $50 ~ ~
Hhe total number of arrests during the
fiscal year was l,611. Of this number
l0s2 were disposed of in United States
courts, resulting in '654 convictions Two
died awaiting trial, 81 81 forfeited bail. 8
escaped from custody. while So were ac-
Quilted In so cases proceedings were dis
missed, rl39 were discharged ON pre,fmiraa-
~ examination and III were DISCHARGED
by thess grand jury, leaving 4e1 cases
pending in the United States courts on
I,s iso'
80 n rs s.ats courts eases Were disposed
e,,,;t.o1s .s IN % convictions and u ac-
=. "a s,o ieavihg II cases awaiting trial
ING 'iose oi tie nsc cary
work in Outlying Districts.
The general conditions in Alaska bav.
become more settled and the nostal serv-
ice has been fairly Wei Organized dI1rin o
the last four years tn; throughout the Yukon
arrest was made in. that Territory d,,rjne
the year. which snaakssweJl For tho ;,'