The Washington times., 1901-11-04
HANDLING OF THE MAILS.
The Second Assistant Postmaster
Generals Annual Report,
Star Route, Rural Free Delivery, and
Pneumatic Tube Service Reviewed
"A New building for Repair
Work I'm This City Recommended.


W. s. Shallenberger. Second Assistant
Postmaster General, submitted on Satur-
day his annual report for the fiscal year
ended June 80 to the Postmaster Cen
eral. The document is a lengthy one, and
goes with great care into every detail of
the office and gives a clear and compre-
hensive review of the work of the office
performed in the past year.
Speaking OF the mail service in opera
ton and the cost of its maintenance, Mr..
ShalenberSer makes the following sum-
mary of the star service: Number If
routes. 22,I95 length OF routes. 267, ,35.- IA
miles: annual travel, 1874. 40i 54l.20 miles;
annual rate of expenditure. $5,2O4, l16.S6ai;
average number of trips per week, 4.S3;
rate of cost per mile Travelled, 3.S7 cents;
rate of cost per mile of length, Sl9.46.
The appropriation for the last fiscal
year was $5240,OO0. The sum reported by
the Auditor as expended so far as shown
by accounts stated to September 80. 1901,
was S5.1i3, ,2l1n, leaving an unexpended
balance of 96,7SsS9. From this amount,
however, must be deducted all accounts
chargeable to this appropriation which
had not been stated by the Auditor up to
September 30 1901.
The average rate per mile travelled on
June 80, 1901, under the old contracts. was
3.SI cents. The average rate per mile
Travelled on July /, 1901, under the new
contracts, was 5.26 miles, an increase Of
1.39 cents per mile, or 35.91 per cent.
At the average rate paid under the new
contracts-5.26 cents per mile-a contractor
travelling IS miles each week day would
receive H.3llz per day, or Sill.60 per year.
The annual rate of expenditure for all
star service was: July ], 1901, S56S2, ,566. .35]s;
September so. 1901, s., ,7g1, 1856 10. The apprc
priation for the current year is s.. $50 900.
1t is estimated that there will be a de-
ficiency for the current year of about
S2s0,O00.
The amount estimated as necessary for
the fiscal year ending June 80 1903, is
So. 7l5, eco. being 81 135 OO0 or 20.34 per cent,
more than the appropriation for the cur
rent fiscal year, and $50. or 14.S9 per
cent more than the estimated expendi
ture for this year.
The snnuaf rate OF expenditure on July
/. 1891 S5,5S2, ,366. 3SA. includes $19,57S.9O for
Porto Rico and Sl6S69 for Hawaii. this
being the first time that the payment for
star service in those Territories is includ-
ed in the appropriations.
Regarding box delivery on star routes,
Mr.. Shallenberger says:
1t is contemplated that the new con-
tracts shall make provision for delivering
mail into boxes along nearly all of the
routes.
THE delivery of mail into boxes along
the lines of star routes is an incident to
the main purpose of these routes. namely,
the transportation Of mail in closed pouch
es between postoffices. The routes are
the delivery of mail into boxes, the car
rier being expected to travel the most di-
rect or usually Travelled roads between
the several postofiices on his route. but
it has been demonstrated that a large
number of people living on or near the
lines of these routes can be given the
benefit OF delivery service without any
increase in the distance Travelled by, and
with hut little delay to the carrier,
In connection with the general relettlng
in the first section last year this box
delivery feature was applied to about one
fourth of all the star routes in the coun-
try-those in the Eastern States. This
year the same feature viii be extended to
the fourth section, including all the States
and Territories tthree exceptcd) west OF
the Mississippi River, thus covering. in
the two sections, i. Ul2 routes, being more
than one-half of all the star routes in the
United States.
The box-delivery service is also being
occasion arises for making new contracts.
This office has discontinued the prac-
tise of granting to contractors general
permission to sublet their service. 1t has
taken the position that, having let the
contracts to persons who have agreed 20
reside on or contiguous to the route and
to give their personal supervision to the
performance Of the service, II VIII not
favor a proposition TO delegate the duty
Of personal supervision 10 Il sub-cOntr&c-
tor unless there shall be some special and
substantial reason therefor, and that the
needs of the service justify the Depart
ment In expecting tnat, under cOmpeti-
tive bidding limited TO such persons, the
fun amount named in the contract snail
be paid to the person actually performing
or supervising the service. Therefore ap-
plicants for permission to subiet are re-
Quired to state the special reasons why
the service should be sublet, the name
and address of the proposed subcontrac-
tor, and the amount of compensation to
be paid him. This enables the Depart
ment to make Investigation as TO the suit
ability of the proposed subcontractOr and
his ability to provide the proper stock ana
equipment with which to perform She
service.
THE contracts in the Eastern States
under the last general letting having been
awarded to local bidders, permission to
make sub-contr2cts has been granted in
but comparatively few cases, and it is to
be noticed that out OF the $3.50 routes there
were but few failures on the part of local
contractors to promptly start the service
on the first day of the term, whereas in
past years, under the system of awarding
contracts TO nonresident speculative bid
ders. there have been several hundred
failures each year to promptly begin the
service, thus necessitattng the employ
ment Of temporary service by the De-
partment pending the making OF arrange
ments by the contractors with their sub
contractors. The star service discOntin-
ued during the year en,ied June 30. 1901
by reason of the establishment of rural
free delivery service, amounted to Sl3l,
40. ~"
For the pneumatic tube service the ap-
preparation for the year ended June 80
as reported by the AuGitOr, was $222, ,2j4
leaving an unexpended balance of s., ,746
In regard to the investigation Of pneu-
matte tube systems thS report says:
In the act approved June 2, 1900, Con-
gress Incorporated the following para
graph:
-' For the investigation by the Post
master General of the cost Of construc-
ton. operation, and utility of all sys-
TENS Of pneumatic tubes for the trans
mission of mail including full details and
/ maps, and any estimates and proposals
cost OF stations and their operation, and
all facts bearing upon the use of said
tubes in connection with the mail ser
vice. to enable Congress to determine
whether the service should be owned,
lea sed. extended, or discontinued by the
Government, also. the cost at which the
Government may acquire existing plants
OF necessary patents, $1,000
Under this provision a careful and thor
ough investigation was made by commit
| tees composed of experienced and cap
able officers of the postal service, and
some OF the most able and expert bust
ness men OF the country. comprehen-
siVe report was submitted to the Depart