The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-11-28
PAYS ITS OWN WAY.
The Free Delivery Service Is Now
Self-Sustaining.

washington, Nov. 27.-Flrst Assistant
Postmaster General w. NJ. johnson in his
annual report says the yearly increase in
the postal revenues has resulted in the
free delivery service becoming self-sus-
tanning. OF the gross postal revenues of
the United States for the past fiscal year
S74, z95 294 came from SEC free delivery
cities. The remaining $500 presidential post
Offices yielded $l6,063. 20, while the 72,f9
fourth-class post offices produced SlS,9l3,-
5l9. MI. johnson says the fact that the
postal service In the largest cities is prac-
tlcally perfect Is the explanation of why
the annual percentage Of increase in the
revenues of the frea delivery post offices
should be threa times greater than in the
smaller cities and five times as large as
that of the fourth-class Offices. As rural
free delivery reaches out into the country,
giving equal facilities without regard to
locality, he says It increases the revenues
at rate at least equal TO that maintained
in the free delivery cities, where during
the past five years it has averaged eight
per cent
Rural Free Delivery.
At the end Of the present fiscal year
5000 rural routes will be in successful OPP
Grafton, 5000 being in effect by December
3 The latter figure represents just 90 per
cent of the applications for such service
hled since its Inauguration five years ago.
The inhexible policy is announced here
after of avoiding maintenance Of unneces-
sary post offices and superfiuous star routes
contemporaneously with rISTal free celv-
cry routes. On July last the force of 4,S0l
rural carriers was serving $50 GA people
at a fraction over Is cents per capita, and
on December 2 next 100000 of the rural
population will be enjoying free delivery.
Every establishment of a route, the report
says, is followed promptly by steady in
crease in the volume OF mall both delivered
and collected
CIty Service.
The city free delivery service now en-
braces S66 cities and towns, including four
in the new insular posse ssiOns, all these
employing an army Of l6, SS9 uniformed car
riers, who collect and carry the mails two
or more times each working day to $1,000,
900 patrons. The total cost per annum to
the department for this service is so cents
per capita. The gross receipts of the free
delivery post offices were $T4, 295, 3S5, an in
crease of over II per cent. for the year.
The total estimate for the next fiscal year
for this city free delivery service is $lS,-
745, $50
The Money Order Business.
The average daily sales of money or
ders in the United States, fees included,
are s973,Sl4. The aggregate amount OF
money orders issued was 1924, 6lS, 6Sl, an in
crease of S39, 10000 for the year.
In the five years just passed the number
of presidential post offices has increased o
per cent; salaries of these postmasters in
creased is per cent; allowances for clerks
in the first and second-class offices, IS per
cent; the number of free delivery Offices
50 per cent; the number of carriers, rs per
cent; the cost of the free delivery service,
"A per cent; the increase of gross receipts
at free delivery offices, Al per cent, and
money order business, So per cent.
Recommendation.
Among the recommendations are: A re-
duction Of money order fees so as to make
the maximum Is cents, instead of 30 cents;
Reconsideration of clerks at first and sec
ond-class post offices; an appropriation Of
$40, 100000 for pOstmasters' salaries; the ap-
pointment Of a fourth assistant superfn-
tendent Of city delivery service. to have
charge of the southern field, and that at a
the larger post offices a supervisor of car
riers" be appointed, to have exclusive
charge Of the force Of letter carriers.