Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-12-08
UNCLE SANS POSTAL SERVICE
AT CLOSE OF FlS-
CAL YEAR NUMBER 71,131.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY EXTENDED.
Nearly 1000 Offices Were BurgIarized
SO Postal Cars Were Wrecked
deficiency in Revenue Ag-
eregates $8,779,492.

Washington, Dec. 3.-Extension of
the rural free delivery service has re-
suited in an increase of LIPS in the
number of postofilces discontinued
during the fiscal year ended June 80,
1904, according to the annual report
of j. l.. BristOw, fourth assistant post
master general, made public yester-
day. During the year there were 2,5i9
postotiices established and 5,5S7 dis
continued. There was a decrease of
l5S in the number of offices establish
ed. The principal cause of the in
crease in discontinuances has been
the extension of the rural free deliv-
cry service. The total number of dis
continuances was $3.50 postoffices,
with a saving in salaries of postmas-
ters aggregating S171,121. At the
close of the fiscal year there were H.
l31 postoftices in the United States
265 first class, 1 ,204 second class, 1896
third class and G5,76G fourth class.
An appropriation of $3,OOO,OO0 for
the establishment of new routes will
be asked by the department for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1906. Of
the needs for the service Mr.. Bristow
says:
There are now in operation 2S,073
routes. 1t is estimated that 1000 addi-
tional routes can be established out
of the appropriation now available,
making 30,073 which will be in opera
tion or ordered established by January
Is, 1905. To maintain service on these
routes from July l, 1905, to June 80,
1906, will require $21, 100000.
"If congress should make a sup
Elemental appropriation of 100000
for the current fiscal year, as suggest
ed, additional routes can be establish
ed, bringing the number in operation
June 80, 1905, up to approximately 49,
500. In that event about $23,120,000
will be required to maintain the sery-
ice during the next fiscal year, making
a total appropriation of SIG, 10000 for
the maintenance and installation OF
the service for the next fiscal year"
The report shows that during the
year / ,593 postoffices were robbed
there were GO depredations on railway
postoffices, star routes, rural free de-
livery routes and screen wagon serv-
ice. There were $40 robberies OF
street and rural free delivery letter
boxes. SiXty-six postal cars were
burned and wrecked, and $50 post
offices were burned. There were 2,S79
mail pouches lost, damaged or rifed.
An increased deficiency of 92.53 per
cent. over the previous year is shown
by the financial statement for the
postal service, incorporated in the an
nual report of f. c. Madden, third as
sistant postmaster general. The re-
port shows that the increase in ex-
penditur2s is on account of the rural
free delivery service. Were it not for
this extraordinary expenditure the
postal service now would be about
self f-sustaining. The total receipts
from all sources for the fiscal year
were $143,5S2 ,624 and the total ex-
penditures $152, ,116, leaving a de-
ficiency of $8,779.492.
Money taken from dead letters, for
which no owners could be found, and
that realized from the auction sale of
unclaimed articles accumulated in the
dead letter office aggregated $22,210.