Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-04
FOR BETTER SERVICE
Is Text Of Mr.. Shallenberger's
Annual Report.
MADE PUBBIO TODAY
Recommendations PAY FOR
RAILWAY CLERKS.
Recounts Work of Third Assistant
Postmaster Generals Office
for Past Year.

General, submitted today, Second Assistant
Postmaster General w. S. Shallenberger
shows that all classes of domestic mail in
operation June 3d. 1908, to have been as
follows: Number of routes, 80, 44S; length
of routes, 5O6, 26s. 40 miles; number of miles
Travelled per annum, 400, 1913, 359.2s; annual
rate of expenditure, s63, 594, 5i2.34; rate of
cost per mile travelled. 12S9 cents;
rate of cost per mile of length, $125.61;
average number of trips per week. 9.36.
Compared with the report of June 30.
1902 shows a decrease in number of routes
of 263, or 1853 per cent; decrease in length
of routes, 1872 miles. or % per cent: in
crease In miles travelled per annum, 1885,
61, or per cent; increase in annual rate
OF expenditure, $4,312. 664, or 1921 per cent:
increase in rate of cost per mile travelled,
30 cents. or 3.12 per cent; increase in rate
OF cost per mile of length. $S.S1, or 7.54 per
cent; increase In average number of trips
per week, ~, or 4.23 per cent. Number Of
contracts drawn in duplicate during year.
o,S51; proposals received during the year
under general advertisement. ALA; pro-
posals received during the year under bull
letin advertisements, 7,748
The aggregate cost of foreign mails was
$3.50, 70, which, less the Intermediary
service to foreign mails. makes the aggre-
gate business of the mail service under the
Jurisdiction OF the second assistant post
master general $65, 97S 131O4.
The number of star routes was 90613,
with mileage of 249.364; number Of spe-
cla! ONCE routes, 11,441, with a mileage of
u 49,; steamboat routes. PA, with mileage
OF 39,9O4; railroad routes, 2,035, with mile
age of 192S25: railway post office car
routes, 2I2. with mileage of SO, 400; railway
mail service Officers and clerks, 1O,41S;
mail messenger routes. 1900, with mileage
of 81, 113; wagon routes lin cities), 2j3, with
mileage of 1872 electric and cable car
routes, $40, with mileage of 1923; pneu-
matte tube routes, 3, approximating 12k
miles in length.
Star Routes.
The appropriation for the last fiscal year
for star routes was $6715,0OO. The sum
reported by the auditor as expended, so
far as shown by accounts stated to Sep
TENDER 30 1903, was $685., $685. leaving
an unexpended balance of $153, 1905 From
this amount must be deducted all accounts
chargeable to this appropriation which had
not been stated by the auditor up to Sep
TENDER 30. 1888 r-. 4.1
The appropriation for the current fiscal
year is S6,96OOOO
The annual rate of expenditure for all
star service was: July /, 1903, 81 161, 1876. 9S;
September 80. 1903. $7,O63, 1873 40.
The amount estimated necessary for
the fiscal year ending June 80. 1905, Is
IS, 100000, being s1,140,OOO, or 1881 per cent
more than the appropriation for the current
fiscal year, and 13,2S per cent more than
the estimated expenditure for the, current
year.
The star service discontinued during the
year ended June 80. 1903, by reason of the
establishment of rural free delivery service
amounted to 3o3,l9594- In some cases the
once subsequently found 1T necessary to re-
establish the star service, but the cost of
service as re-establshed has not been de-
Quoted from the amount above named
The feature of delivering mail into boxes
along the lines of routes will be extended
to the entire system of star service on
more than 10000 routes, aggregating over
$4,000 miles in length At the close Of the
last fiscal year the box delivery had been
in effect in the first section (the far east
for two full years, and in the fourth sec
ton (he far wesD for one year, and in
June last inquiries were sent to each of the
11,524 routes in those two sections to as
certain the extent to which the people were
availing themselves of this facility. The
replies received from 1855 routes show
that 1880 boxes or cranes have been
erected along these routes and that 1O3.743
families are having their mail delivered to
them by the carriers by the means of these
boxes or bags attached to cranes. The re-
ports indicate that this service is generally
satisfactory to the people who are served
by 1t.
Railway Mail Service.
Mr. Shallenberger devotes much space
to the railway mail service. Last year
800, 537 ,962 pounds of paid second-class
1896, 1884 pounds of matter carried within
the county of publication free of charge,
making total of 545, S43 ,S46 pounds or
2I2,921 tons. Good progress has been made
In the work Of inducing publishers to make
such separations of their publicat lions as
will facilitate the handling and expedite
the delivery Of such matter.
Under the head OF reorganizations and
classification the report says:
Reorganization and Classification.
reference was made in my last annual
report to the fact that In lieu Of favorable
action upon the full reorganization and re-
classification bill. which had been intro
duced in recent years, Congress had made
provision for additional classes and for
increase of salaries in higher classes, which
resulted in substantial benefit to the serv-
ice and was highly appreciated both by the
department and by clerks Interested Clerks
of classes 2 and in full railway post
offices have, however, received no consider
alton in the way of proportionate increase
Of salary. Clerks performing service on
apartment lines. on the other hand, have
received a readjustment Of their salaries
1.-The work performed in full railway post
offices being more important and arduous
rrnIUY IN l--f--~