Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-12-10
POSTAL SERVICE.
Report of Gen. BristOw for the
Past Year.
Number OF POstomces Aggregate 74..
168-TOtaI Number of Cities Hav-
ing Free Delivery, 1.O32
Number of Rural Free De
livery Routes. 3,39S.

Washington, Dec. 3.-The annual
report of Fourth Assistant Postmas'
ter General Bristow for the fisca!
year ended June 30, 1908, makes the
following recommendations
An appropriation to construct in
| spectors' lookouts in postotiices
wherever necessary in the opinion OF
the postmaster general; that the in
| ter-state law be amended so as tc
| prohibit common carriers from aid
ing and abetting in the green goods,
| lottery or any other scheme carried
on partly by mail and partly by COM
mon carrier, in violation of the pos
tai laws; that special agents and
route inspectors be hereafter desig-
mated as rural agents; that the pro-
vision that rural carriers shall not be
| prohibited from doing an express
package business be repealed; that
the maximum salary of rural car
rier be increased to $3.50 per annum
for route of 25 miles or more in
length, and the enactment of law
requiring assistant postmasters,
cashiers and other employees to give
bonds to postmasters direct and
holding postmasters responsible un-
der their own bonds.
The estimated expenditure for
both city and rural free delivery ser
vice during the fiscal year beginning
July l, next, will aggregate about
$47 100000. There were 15.061 APP
pointments of postmasters during
the year and the removals of post
masters for cause showed decrease.
There were 4,462 postoffices discon-
tinued, of which 2,163 resulted from
the extension of rural free delivery,
the salaries Of the postmasters of the
latter offices aggregating $121,332.
On July l, last, there were 74,169
postoflices, of which PAP were first
class, 1,1O7 second class, 800 third
class and G913O fourth class. City
free delivery service was established
at 80 poStotiices, making a total of
1882 free delivery Offices.
There are in operation 19,39S rural
free delivery routes. 1T is estimated
that 1880 additional routes can be es-
tablshed out of the appropriation
now available, making 22.67S which
will be in operation or ordered es-
tablished by March /, 1904. To main
tain the service on these routes dur
ing the fiscal year from July /, 1904,
to June 30, 1905, will require $13 $780,
600
If congress provides for an in
| creased number of agents as recon-
mended, it will require about $40 9,0OO,-
| 600 to maintain and install the SER
vice during the next fiscal year.
If the maximum salary of the car
riers is increased from 5000 to $3.50
per annum, as recommended, it will
neccssitate an increase in the above
estimates of about 25 per cent.
Mr.. Bristow's report further says:
"An investigation, which is still in
progress, has shown that for num-
Der of years supplies for the free de-
livery service have not been pur-
chased with an eye single to the pub
lie interests. Both in the matter of
quality and the cost of equipment the
ruling consideration has been pri-
yate gain. This applies to articles
| furnished under regular contract,
such as street collection boxes and
carriers satchels, as well as to those
bought in the open market under the
| eXigency privilege, which has been
much abused.
Favored contractors, abetted by n
trusted but unfaithful official, have
corrupted the public service. An
early and thorough reformation will
be undertaken along the line of ser
vice equipment with the prospective
result of improved service at reduced
cost. Fraudulent contracts have been
abrogated. In the re-letting of con-
tracts honest competition will have
fair play"
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