Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1904-01-13
RURAL DELIVERY
IMPROVED
BETTER SERVICE TO BE REM
DERED IN THE FUTURE.
PoSToFFICE AFFAIRS
Talked Over in a General Way-Ap-
priations Made.
PoSToFFICE AFFAIRS

Washington, d. c., Jan. = II.
Swiftness IN delivery and a greater
extension of the postal service than
ever before these are the keynotes
of Postmaster General FL C. Payne IS
annual report, made public yesterday.
messed the winds to aid In the work.
raised the winds to aid in the work.
Furclad Eskimos behind swift rein
deer are carrying mail over snowy
wastes In Alaska, while dark-skinned
Porto Rican postmen are plodding
along their routes through tropic jun
gles-but even greater improvements
are sought.
The department asks for an appro-
priation to investigate the feasibility
of using the telephone in communi-
eating special delivery letters to those
along rural routes. In New York the
sacks of mail may be sent whirling
through pneumatic pipes direct from
the postoffice to the car, and returned
in the same manner.
The free delivery system is expand
ing more rapidly than any branch of
the service, according to the report.
The estimated expenditure for the fis-
cal year beginning July l, for city
and rural delivery is $47, 100000, an
amount equal to that expended for
the maintenance of the entire postal
service in 1884.
The department can afford it, the
report contends, because in the fiscal
year ended June 80 last the gross
revenues were nearly $1,500,00O in
excess Of the estimates for that year.
In the same time the rural delivery
routes were nearly doubled. There
were 1919 separate routes in opera
ton on June 80, and the increase
during the present year is expected
to be great. :.
Because Of the questionable meth
DDS employed by carriers on some of
the rural routes, the report urges
that the privilege accorded them by
Congress permitting the delivery of
express matter be rescinded, and that
the pay of the carriers be increased.
The report was delayed because of
the fraud Investigations. The
'house-cleaning, In the opinion of
the Postmaster General, has cleared
the service of dishonest employees. He
says:
.'This investigation hasresulted in a
complete reorganization of some of
the bureaus of the department, and it
is hoped has eradicated all dishonest
irregular and criminal practices,
which the investigation has developed
as having been in existence for sew
eral years.
ensions for decrepit employees or
those injured in the service are asked.
In addition to this, the following
recommendations are made to Con-
gress:
That where clerk or letter carrier
has been twenty-five years in the ser
vice and shall have attained the age
of 65 years, the Postmaster General
shall be empowered, upon the recon-
II0IludGlOH VI JL0 pOSohldSICI3 W Gill
ploy a substitute for such clerk or
carrier, which substitute shall re-
ceive not to exceed two-thirds of his
salary, the other one-third to go to
such clerk or letter carrier.
| That congress earnestly consider
the propriety of granting an annuity
to railway postofice clerks who are
permanently disabled in line of duty
or worn out through long, faithful
service.
That a sum of 100000 be appro-
priated to be Immediately available,
for the purpose of enabling the de-
partment to continue the installation
of additional rural free delivery
routes until the end of thepresent fis-
cal year, and that Congress authorize
an increase of thirty-six in the field
force in connection with rural free
delivery service.
Mr.. Payne declares that if it were
not for the introduction of the rural
free delivery routes the department
would be more than self-sustaininq
at the present time.