The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1901-11-30

Interesting Tigurss From tile Annual A'*
port Of the Sirst Assistant ReAkr
nssbter Genorni.

washington. Nov. n First AsAisfs
ant Postmaster-Ge w: M. John
son, in his annual report, says the
yearly increase in the postal revenues
has resulted in the free delivery servs
ice becoming self-sustaining ~ ths
gross postal revenues Of the United
States for the past fiscal year R7AA
205,304 came from 800 free deliver
cities. The remaining 5000 presides
| tial post offices yielded $1U.oos,2 ss.
while the 72,47O fourth class post of-
fees produced $1s,0l3,5I9.
| Mr. johnson says the fact that tlle
postal service in the larger cities ~
perfect is the explanation why the
annual percentage Of increase IN fhe
revenue Of the free delivery post 0fr
fees should be three 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 \ \
increases the revenues at rate 40
least equal to that maintained IN the
free delivery cities, where, during me-
past five years, 1t has averaged ei9hf
per cent. At the end Of the present
| fiscal year 5000 rural routes will be In
successful operation, 5000 being IN ef-
feet by December ?. The latter figure
represents just so per cent Of the ap-
plications for service flied since its
Inauguration five years ago.
The intiexible policy Is announced
of hereafter avoiding maintenance of
unnecessary post Offices and snper1iu-
our star routes contemporaneonsly
with rural free delivery routes.
On July last, the force OF 4,30l
rural carriers was serving 2,S40,64e
people at a fraction over 75 cents per
capita, and on December next, Nj
600, 900 Of the rural population will be
enjoying free delivery,
Every establishment OF a route,
the report says, is followed promptly
by steady increase in the volume Of
mail both delivered and collected.
The free delivery service now en-
braces 500 cities and towns, including
| four in the new insular possessions,
all these employing an army Of 16,3s9
uniformed carriers who collect and
carry the mails two or more times
each working day to 32,000,O00 pa
irons. The total cost per an
| mum to the department for this serv-
| ice is SO cents per capita. The gross
receipts Of the free delivery post Of
fees were $74,295, 3e5, an increase of
over II per cent. for the year. The
| total estimate for the next fiscal
year for the city free delivery sery-
ice is $1S,745,45O.
The average daily sales Of money
orders in the United States, fees in
cluded, are $073,s14. The aggregate
amount of money orders issued was
1894 ,61s,6s1, an increase of $4,000, 900
for the year.
In the five years just passed the
number Of presidential post offices
has increased % per cent; salaries Of
these postmasters increased 10 per
cent; allowances for clerks III the
| first and second class offices 13 per
cent; the number Of free delivery
offices SO per cent; the number of
carriers rs per cent; the cost Of free
delivery service "a per cent; the in
crease of gross receipts at free de-
livery offices Al per cent, and money
order business So per cent.
Among the recommendations are:
a reduction of money order fees 50 as
to make the maximum rs cents in
stead of 30 cents; Reconsideration Of
clerks at first and second Gloss post
offices; an appropriation Of S20,0O0.0OO 4
for postmasters' salaries; the appoint
ment of fourth assistant superin-
tendent Of city delivery service. to
have charge of the southern field, and
that at all the larger post offices 2
supervisor of carriers" be appointed
to have exclusive charge Of the force
of letter carriers.
TRAVELLING MAN SHOT.