New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-03
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
Increase of Rural Free Delivery
REPORTS of BrfStOlC and Madden.

Washington. Dec. 2-Extension Of tho rural
free delivery service has resulted In an IN.
crease Of 10 in the number OF pOstofaces dis
continued in the fiscal year ended Juns go
1904, according to the annual report OF J. L.
Bristow Fourth Assistant Postmaster General.
made public to-day. In the year 2j49 post
offices were established and > ~ were dIscor-
tinued. At the close Of the fiscal year there
were I1,13l pOstofices IN the United States-26J
first class, 1.20i second class. 3S96 third class
and t1,IG6 fourth class.
The operation OF rural mail delivery and the
extension by private interests OF rural telephone
service have created demand from patrons of
rural routes for the delivery of small packages
Of merchandise on an order to local merchants
by postal card telephone or otherwise The
value OF such packages is small and the present
rate of one cent ounce. the report saws Is
practically prohititive Mr. Bristow recon-
mends that Congress fix rife OF three cents
pound. OF any fractional part thereof on
packages not exceeding FIVE pounds mailed at
the distributing postoAice Of any rural free de-
livery route
IT is estimated that S5OgNNO will Re needsd By
the department TO continue the establishment
OF rural routes as fast they are favorably
reported and approved for the remainder Of the
current fiscal year Il is likely that 1 200 routes
and az this rate the appropriation availabIs will
be exhausted about January L.. 1905. An ap-
preparation OF $3OGaOOo for the esta blishrnsnt
o. new routes viii be asked by the department.
LOT the fiscal year ending June 80 1906. There
are now 2S,OI3 routes in operation.
appointments OF postmasters fo- the fiscal
year numbered 1882. a decrease OF 124e az
compared with the preceding year
MI STistow recommends that the Inters,ats
commerce law be amended so as TO prohibit
'e'csIaPh and express companies or any OF
their employees. from aiding and abettinr IN
sleeI eoods or lottery swindles. any other
fraudulent scheme carried on partly by mail
anu partly by common carrier. In the year
1'''"5 postoftces were robbed
An increased deficiency Of % n mar cs-. -
the previous year Is shown by the financial
statement Incorporated in the annual rapor, =,
r. c Madden Third Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral for the fiscal year ended Tune 30 1904
The report shows however. that the increase IN
expenditures is or account of the rural free de-
livery service. Were IT not for this extraordi-
nary expenditure the postal service would be
nearly self-sustaining- The total receipts from
all sources for the fiscal year were SI43. $50 624
and the total expenditures S152 362 1I6 leaving
a deficiency OF $S.T79 49, The deficiency for
the previous year was S456OO44 Mr. Madden
says:
1t is believed that as soon as the rural free
delivery service is fully established the in
crease In the expenditures on account OF that
service each year will not be more than the
normal Increase for other items OF the service
and that within a short time after such normal
be sef-supporting. condition which has not
existed since 1883.