Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-26

Iolh, Wltn $40, pennsylvania, WIN
344; Illinois, with 301. In point of
population Iowa ranks eleventh among
the states. Ohio has IL less presiden-
tlal offices than Iowa. Massachusetts,
with a population of half million
more people than Iowa, has nearly 100
less offices. Wisconsin, with practi-
cally the same population, has Ill less
presidential offices. Georgia, with a
larger population than Iowa, has only
one fourth as many presidential post
offices. New York has presidential
office for approximately every 10000
people, Pennsylvania one for every
10000 people, Illinois one for every
$500, while Iowa has one for every
5000 people.
In fourth class offices, however, Iowa
ranks only twenty-first in point of
number, although she is fifth in point
OF rate of compensation paid. Tutuila
(Samoan islands) stands number one
as to rate of compensation, having but
one office, which pays $3.50 per year.
Massachusetts, is second. with 634 Of
fees and an average compensation Of
$371.73; Rhode Island is third, with
llS offices and average compensation
of $35963; Connecticut fourth, with
1858 offices and average pay of $94475,
and Iowa fifth, with 1,462 offices and
an average salary of S315.67 Con-
sidering the large number of offices,
the average salary in Iowa is far
above all others. For example, Wis
consin with $50 more fourth class Of
fees than Iowa, averages only two
thirds the salary, and Pennsylvania,
with more than three times as many
postoffices, pays only an average of
only 5000 per year.
In gross receipts and per capita eX-
pended in support of the service Iowa
has retired to the back part of the au-
ditorium, being led by twenty-six
states. The District of Columbia leads
the bunch, with gross receipts of $685.
900, or an average of $3.19 per capita.
per CAPITA expenditure of SLAP With
the District of Columbia out of the
race, New York comes first, with re-
ceipts of nearly s21 100000 per annum,
or one-seventh of the total postal rev.
enues of the country. Strange to say,
Illinois follows with S12.500.000, beat
ing Pennsylvania by S2,000,000. These
three states produce about one-third
of all the cash received from the en-
tire service.
The number of postoffices in the
United States from 1890 to 1908 was
as follows: 1890 rs; 1900. 903; 1910,
1900: 1920. 4,50O: 1880. $3.50: 1910,
13.46S: 1850 1S,417: 1870. 2S,49S;
1864, 2S,S7S; 1865, 2O,550; 1870 2S.492;
1880. 429s9; 1890, 62,4O1; 1900, 1858;
1902, 1924.
The records of the postoffice DEPART
ment fail to give the number of Offices
in existence in 1913. With the eXcep-
.tion of slight decline in 1912, the ia
BILE shows a steady increase from 1870
to 1859. Between the years of 1859
and 1870 owing to the disorganized
condition of the service in the southern
states, caused by the rebellion, the
steady advancement in the number of
offices was arrested but from 1870
until 1901 there was steady and rapid
increase in the number of Offices es-
tablished, indicating the rapid pro-
gress our country has made not only
in population but in material strength
and power. The decrease in 1902 was
caused by the extension of the rural
! free delivery service as substitute
| for many country postoffices.
In the year 1890 there were seventy,
| five postoffices in operation At that
| time the population of the thirteen
states was 3.929,214. served by seven
ty-five postoffices. an average OF one
office to 52,4O0 people Since that
| time the offices have multiplied over
1000 times, while the population has
multiplied only twenty times, with ap-
proximately 1000 people for each post
office.
| During the year 1902 there We're L.
| TAG postoffices robbed, II mail trains
held up; mail, messenger, star route
and wagons robbed; 465 letter boxes
robbed. Seventy-four postal cars were
burned; $50 postoffices burned; 762
pouches lost; 742 pouches cut or stol
| en-.
The toal number of arrests during
1902 was 1,721. OF this number 112
| We're postmasters, % We're assistant
postmasters. Ga clerks in offices, 1a
| railway postal clerks, 20 letter carriers
43 mail carriers, IS employed in minor
positions, remaining 1,417 were per-
| sons not connected in any way with
the service and among them were 2S7
| postoffice burglars.
OF the total number of arrests, /,
| 721, 1,191 were disposed of in Unit
ed States courts, resulting in 719 con
yictions. One hundred and forty-sev
en- defendants We're discharged by
grand juries, lis We're discharged on
preliminary examinations, rs were ac
quilted. In 63 cases sentence was sus
pended In 81 cases proceedings were
dismissed and defendants died
awaiting trial. Eleven forfeited bal
and 10 escaped from custody, leaving
sos cases pending in the United States
courts, During the year $11,50O was
expended in rewards to persons assist
| ing in bringing criminals to Justice.
|
MISS ROOSEVELT HoNoRED.
Receives a Grand Reception at Sar
Juan Last Evening.
San Juan, Porto Rico, March 25.-