The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-03
DEFICIT CAUSED
BYSR /: ! R|:|.A ROUTES |
Postal Service, However, Has
Hope of Being Some Day Il,
self-supporti1g.
TOTAL RECEIPTS s143,582,624
Bristow Recommends Smaller.
Rate for Delivcrysof fslas:s. 81.
Packages. .53
.s .------.-.--..-----..-----.'---------.-'--- -
4 tBy Associated prcss.)'

WASHINGTON, d. c., December -
All increased deficiency Of a2.es per cent.
over tho previous year Is shown by the
financial statement for tho postal SER
Vice Incorporated III the annual report
Of e. G.. Madden, third assistant postmas-
cr-genernl, for the fiscal year, ended
Juno go 1904. THE report shows, how
ever, hat the Increase IN expenditures
Is on recount OF tho rural free delivery
service. Werc 1t not for this .extradrdi-
nary expenditure, tho postal service would
now be about self sustaining. Tho total
receipts from all sources for the fiscal
year wero $1435S2,G2t aud tic total oX-
pendtures $15a,3G:11c, leaving a deficiency
Of &S,71G 4a3. q, trlle deficiency FOR tho pre-.
vio,,s year was S1,56o,rii. Mr.. Madden says:
ut Is believed that as soon az the r,,,n |
fres delivery service is fully esta bl'shtd
the Increase In the, expenditures on &C.
count OF that service each year Will not
be more tllsn',t normal increase for
other items tho service, and tnnt With
in o. short time after such normal con-
ditions obtain the postal service will be
self supporting. IL condition which has not
existed since 1888
BristoW's Report.
Extension OF tile rural free delivery
service has resulted III an Increase OF
125 In Tho number OF postofflces dis
continued during the fiscal year ended
June 30. 1901 according to the annual re-
port of J.. r.. sBristow, fourth assistant
acknowledgement. made public to-day.
During tile year there were 2549 postof-
fees established 3and $3.50 discontinued.
There was n. decrease of 1SS in
tho number Of offices established.
,,..t, i,,
contiuuanccs has been the extension Of
the rural0free delivery service.
Operation of rural mail delivery and the
extension by private interests Of rural
telephone service has created a demand
from patrons ofSrural routes for the de-
livery of5snall lnaclia ges of merchandise
OH All order to local merchants by postal
card, telephone or otherwise. The value
of such packages is small and the pres
ent rate OF one cent per ounce. the re-
port says, y Is practically prohibitiYe. Mr.
Brstow recommends that Congress fix
a rate of three cents per pound, or any;
fractional part thereof, on pncAuges not
exceeding five pounds, mailed at the dis
tributing pos toffice of any rural free de-
livery route. IL this special rate were
established, Mr.. Bristow says 1t would
be a great convenience TO patrons and
become a; source of revenue to the de-
partInent " s
An appropriation OF s3,ooO.ooo for the
establishment ofsnew routes will be asked
by the department for the fiscal year
ending June 30 1906 making n. total APP
preparation Of 600 for the n1ainten-
ance and installation Of the service for
the next fiscal year.
Mr.. Bristow recommends to. Congress
that the interstate commerce law Gc
amended SO as to prohibit common car
rics, towit. telegraph and express COM
panies, or any of their employees, from
aiding and abctting i'll green goods or lot
terry swindlcs, or any other scheme car
ried on partly by mail and partly by COM
mon carriers and which is in violation VI
the postal laws.