Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-09
OUR POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Rural Delivery Has Knocked Out 5y5s7
Postoffices. -.

Rural Delivery Has Knocked Out 5y5s7
go Postoffices. =.
Extension Of the rural free delivery
service has resulted in an Increase Of
1,125 In the number Of postofices dis
continued during the fiscal year ended
June go, 1904. according to the annual
report Of J. L. Bristow, fourth assist
ant postmaster general, made public
yesterday. During the year there were
2,548 postoffices established and 5,5S7
discontinued. There was a decrease of
1853 in the number Of offices establish
ed. The principal cause Of the increase
In discontinuances has been the ex-
tension Of the rural free delivery SER
vice. The total number of discontin-
uances was 1850 postofices, with saw
ing in salaries of postmasters aggre-
eating $171,12i. At the close of the
fiscal year there were 71,1s1 postoffices
In the United States-2s5 first -class,
1904 second-class, 3,89s third class,
and 65,7s6 fourth class. m
Operation Of rural mail delivery and
the extension Of private interests Of
rural telephone service have created
a demand from the patrons Of rural
routes for the delivery OF small pack
ages OF merchandise on an order to To-
cal merchants by postal card, tele-
phone, or otherwise. The value Of
such packages Is small, and the pres
ent rate Of cent per ounce, the re-
port says, Is practically prohibitive.
Mr.. Bristow recommends that con-
gress fix a rate Of cents per pound,
or any fractional part thereof, on
packages not exceeding FIVE pounds,
mailed at. the distributing postoffice
of any rural free delivery route. II
this special rate were established.
Mr.. Brlstow says, 1t would be great
convenience to patrons and become
a source OF revenue to the depart
ment.
It is estimated that 100000 will
be needed by the department to con-
tinue the establishment of rural routes
as fast as they are favorably re-
ported and approved for the remain
der Of the current fiscal year. It is
likely that 1900 routes win be re-
ported within the next two months,
and at this rate the appropriation
available will be exhausted about jan
uary Ii, 1905
An appropriation Of ss,ooo.ooo for
the establishment Of new routes will
be asked by the department for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1905. OF
the needs for the service Mr.. Bris-
tow says:
There are now In operation U.s.
o7s routes. II is estimated that ap-
proximately 1000 additional routes
can be established out Of the appro-
priation now available. making so.-
07S which win be In operation or
ordered established by January is.
1906. no maintain service on these
routes during the fiscal year from
July /, 1905, TO June so. 1905. win re-
require y21 10000. II congress should
make a supplemental appropriation Of
$5oo,ooo fcfSsde current fiscal year,
as suggested, additional routes can
be established, bringing the number
in operation Junr 80, 1905, up to ap-
proximaeely 81, 500. In that event
about s23,120.o00 will be required to
maintain the service during the next
fiscal year, making total appropri-
alton Of $2a,120,000 for the mainte-
nance and Installation Of the service
for the next fiscal year."
Appointments Of postmasters for
the fiscal year numbered 1882, q
decrease of t1,24s as compared with
the preceding year. due to there hav-
ing been a smaller number Of expi-
rations Of commissions Of presiden-
tial postrnasters and to the, policy of
the department in discouraging chang
es in fourth-class postmasters except
for cause.
Mr.. Bristew recommends to con-
gress that the interstate commerce
law be amended so as to prohibit
common carriers, to wit, telegraph
and express companies, or any OF
their employees, from aiding or abet-
ting in green goods or lottery swind-
les or any other scheme carried on
partly by mail and partly by COM
mon. carriers and which is In viola
ton Of the postal laws.
The report shows that during the
year 1893 postoffices were robbed;
there were sixty depredations on
railway postofices, star routes, rural
free delivery routes and screen wagon
service. There were $40 robberies OF
street and rural free delivery letter
boxes. Sixty-six postal cars were
burned and wrecked and 56O post
offices were burned. There were
1887 mail pouches lost, damaged OF
rified.
The above figures show decrease
In the number Of postofiices and a de-
crease In the number Of postal cars
burned and wrecked, as compared
with the, previous year, also q de-
crease in the number of robberies re-
lating to railway postoffice service,
star routes, rural free delivery routes
and screen wagon service, and an In
crease in the number Of postoffices
burned and the number Of letter boxes
robbed. This increase In the num-
ber of letter boxes robbed Is due 70
the growth of the rural free deiiv,
cry service, these boxes being placed
upon the public highway and more
subject to depreciation than CITY