The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-08
About 100000 Square Miles Yet to BE
Covered, Requiring About 20 900
More Carriers.
MR.. WYNNE'S ANNUAL REPORT
MORE MONEY REQUIRED AT ONCE
TO EXTEND THE SERVICE.
No More State or Municipal Bonds to
BE Accepted as Security for Gov
eminent Deposits.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE annual
gross cost of complete rural free de-
livery service throughout the United States
will approximate $24, 0O0, 900, according to the
annual report of First Assistant Postmas-
ter General Wynne to-day, received from
August w. Machen, the general superin-
tendent of the service. The remaining
100000 square miles not now covered by
rural free delivery service, according to the
report. will require the employment of $4,000
or 1900 carriers in addition to those now
employed. making the entire force of car
riers. when the extension of the service Is
completed, within the next three years,
10000. After this extension is completed the
annual rate of increase in the appropria-
lions Is expected not to exceed or per
cent. the rate maintained in other
branches of the postal service. To extend
the service 1900 routes a year until 1T be-
comes universal, the report says, Will re-
quire such large increased appropriations
that the annual postoffice deficits for the
ensuing two or three years will probably
reach 100000 or 100000, IL not more.
but. once the service is completed, the ad-
ditional revenue derived will soon reduce
the deficits to present figures, If not en-
sirely wipe them out.
During the year 1902 l., 403 petitions for
the service were filed, making a total on
July last of q, 646, which exceeded by over
1000 the total number during the preceding
four years. Since July petitions received
have averaged over 600 month. With the
amount required for routes to begin Dec. l
the entire appropriation has been absorbed,
leaving on Dec. l fully LOO routes for
which there is no appropriation available.
This number probably will be increased by
Jan. l to at least $500.
Mr.. Wynne and Mr.. Machen say that to
comply with the demands of the people and
OF members of Congress the department
Will require additional appropriation,
otherwise further establishment of service
will be deferred until July i next. IL the
additional funds are granted 1900 rural
free delivery letter carriers will be in act
i've service by May !. The estimates call
for ten division superintendent, an in
crease of three in number
On July last the city free delivery serv-
ice embraced 933 cities, including four in
the insular possessions, and the total num-
Der of uniformed letter carriers in the city
service was 1850, as against 1889 the pre-
vious year 1t is estimated that the free
delivery will be extended to seventy-two
Offices during the current year. 1t Is also
estimated that the expenditure will aggre-
gate 81, 328, 800 for the maintenance and ex-
tension of city delivery service during the
fiscal year beginning July l. 1903. including
SS12, 900 for special delivery service, which
branch has been added to the free delivery
system during the past year. These figures
show an increase over appropriations for
the current year of 81 So, $50