The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-12-05
DECREASE IN THE DEFICIT
Finances of the Post Office Depart
ment Show a Much Better
Condition.
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
prOvement of the Service-PrOg-
ress of Rural Free Delivery
Growth of the Money Order BUSH
ness-POstal Check Favored.

Washington, Nov. 2S.-The annual
C. Payne has been made public. Be-
sides the report of the conditions of
the various divisions of the postal
system, it contains important recon-
mendations for improvement. One is
reduction in the rates of foreign
postage, to be arranged with Great
Britain, Germany and France. There
are several recommendation looking
toward the betterment of the condi-
tions of the employees of the depart
ment. There are recommendations
for legislation for the improvement
and extension of various divisions
and the checking of many abuses of
the postal service and for Inaugural
ton of new ideas.
The report shows the total receipts
of the department for the year 1902
to be 1921, S4S, O47.S6, as against SILL
631, 1889 in 1901; total expenditures
for 1902, 1924, 7S5, 697.O7, as against
$115.554,92O.s7 for 1901; excess of ex-
penditures over receipts, 1902, 3d.
937 ,649S1; 1901, 1898, 727.4S--a de-
crease in the deficit from the previ-
Gus year of $9s6,O77.67.
Rural Free Delivery.
Of the rural free delivery system
the report says: Rural free delivery
service has become an established fact.
1t is no longer in the experimental
stage and undoubtedly congress will
continue to increase the appropriation
for this service until all the people of
the country are reached where it is
thickly enough settled to warrant it.
If congress shall make the necessary
appropria tons, it is believed that
within the next three years the extern
sion of the service will have been COM
pleted.
1t is further stated that the rural
free delivery system has increased
postal receipts, enhanced the value of
farm lands at least five per cent,
brought the farmers in close touch
with the markets, and conferred many
other advantages on those commune
ties where it is in use.
The money order business has
largely increased during the fiscal
wear. both in number and amount of
money transmitted. Domestic money
orders to the number of 40, 474, 327 were
issued for 1913, 551 ,279, and 1911 Ill for
eign money orders for $5.S21, 729. A
new departure proposed is postal
check
Registered letters and parcels to the
number of 2.S31 400 were transmitted
through the mails during the year,
with loss of only III of them. Over a
billion and half dollars was carried
by the department in registered par
GELS. and only $115.77 was lost.
The tender of parcels post conven-
tons with England, France, Italy and
other European countries. similar to
that now in force between this country
and Germany, is recommended.
Fraud orders to the number of 247
were issued against the promoters of
various schemes.
The postal service handled 745,742,
ST. pounds of mail matter. from which
a postage revenue of $t16,72S,6 44 was
received. Fourteen per cent. of this
weight was frstlclass matter, and this
class produced rs per cent. of the rev.
enue.
Much space is devoted to mail trans
portatiOn and routes in this country,
Porto Rico. Hawaii and Alaska.