The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-02
MORE MONEY,
FOR R. F. D.
Postmaster General Payne Will Ask
Congress for Twenty Millions
for Next Year.
Capt. H. A. Castles Report Shows
That the Increased Deficit Is
Due to the r. F. D.
From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build

From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build
ing, Washington.
washington, Oct. 2-+Postmaster Gen
eral Payne will probably ask for an ap-
preparation of s2O.O0O,OOO for rural free
delivery service next year, which is
S7,500.000 more than congress appropriated
for the current year. The appropriation
for the current year for the extension of
the service will all be used up by the
end of the present calendar year, only
enough remaining to pay salaries for the
remaining six months of the fiscal year.
It is not unlikely that congress will ap-
propriate a deficiency allowance amount
ing to $500. 900 or $500, 900 to provide for
new routes that are put on this year.
This was the way the rapid establish
ment of new routes last year was provided
for last session. Congress appropriated
Tor the purpose $4,000
Under authorization Of congress, there
have been established since July last
$50 new routes, and there are 210 that
nave been agreed on and are yet to be
put In operation this year. 1t is expected
that by the end Of the present fiscal year
there will be In all 81, 900 routes in opera
ton The estimate Is made that it will
take s12,500.o0O to operate the routes that
Will be In existence at the end of the
year, and $9,000.000 more will be asked
to, establish additional routes.
LIN submitting his estimate for rural free
uei'eiy SeIFlCe. the postmaster general
Will undoubtedly call the attention Of
congress to the fact that in order to do
the greatest good to the greatest number
OF people he was obliged to make a rule
mat no route should be established on
which fewer than 100 families resided,
rule that has seriously retarded the extern
sion OF the service in Minnesota and his
own state Of Wisconsin. While he will
not ask congress to fix limitations for the
establishment of routes Mr. PAYNE would
De greatly relieved If some standard were
HHed py legislation. 1t Is not improbable
that congress will prescribe a minimum
number or families or pieces of mail to
De handled before route is established.
Captain Castles Report.
Captain Henry A. Castle, auditor for the
posto1nce department, estimates that the
deficit Of the department for the fiscal
year ending June 80 last will approximate
S4,elIoo0. Estimated receipts for the year
We're S134, 1851 900 and expenditures S13S,-
S85.0OO-a considerable increase in both
cases over preceding years; but still the
dehc1ency OF last year exceeds that Of the
preceding year by over $1,5O00O The
increase in the deficiency is due to the
extension of the rural service, expendi-
lures for which amounted to $4,000. 600
last year, and which will increase rapidly
each year until all available territory is
covered with this service
While stating that the rural free deliv-
cry service is the cause of the present
deficiency. Captain Castle does not saw
that the service should not be extended.
He believes that rural service is a good
thing and that ultimately it will pay its
own way. '}-F >
captain Castles annual report to the
secretary of the treasury, which will be
ready in about a month, will almost GER
tainly contain some reference to faulty