New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-12

Wy
Wcar rom which date to the end of the fiscal
SI toIrteen trips were made from York ana
nued the yesr BT the four
the '''I mTbrn German Lloyd and four steamers of
f0rty,seven grips from NeWYork and the 'a aam a
Of the MercaRte Mar3 3er compan
fortvfva fr lnS1rySsevSn trips from New-York and
h%st , clerks was Increased by sixteen making the
'otI NUMBER thirty-ffve.
STATISTICS OF SERVICE
efs o for So the nH sob Of appointment Of
Lag as compared with the preceding wear "
tablished and 55a discontinued ID Shown a de- de-
and e % I2S IN the nur.oer OF offices established
discontinued. - INC "'tii'ei "a 0'i''7
Al The close Of the fiscal year there were 7l.1s1
postofaces In the United States-65 first cass l204
SECOND class 1856 third class and 65.76 fourth
poSm Fns fse ySar there we're designations of
City free delivery service has been Established AZ
% p0stof1ces during the year as against 80 in 1893
At the close OF the fiscal there LOO free
One 5a,. hundred and ninety-six carriers have been
and 1850 for offices where the service has been ex-
preceding year. WV
The me s gross receipts at fre delivery Offices during
Per cSaI over the preceding year The cost of the
ea 90" per cent as COMPARED with the preceding
Zo2 per the sross receipts of free delivery
onces, as against 2G69 for the previous year the
cost per carrier was $3.50 49, while for the previous
Fees Of eight cents each on special delivery mat
total amount of $sl,076 81 showing that 9Sss. 457
During the fiscal year there were estabjisbed Az
rural free delivery routes. making total Of "a 566
routes IN operation on June 80, 1904.
SALARIES OF RURAL, CARRIERS
For two years previous to July I, 1904, the maxi
annur1l being limited by the provision Of law that
ne saary or carriers be fixed at mot exceeding
In the report Of this department for the fiscal
ommendation for the abolition of the privilege Of
Qened that The maximum sa of T t5e a Carriers
ee raised to 500 per annurn for route of twenty
Tor rural carriers for the current fiscal year re-
stTicted the express package privilege and pro-
exeeedIng $50 per annum."
limited TO twenty-five miles and an attempt was
mace mace equaIize the length Of various
Iocalltes In view of the diverse conditions in the
various parts of the country and in particular To-
US Ge is equaILaauon or the length Of routes
99drecI9n We're abandoned. 1t also found
to thirty miles in states LybeTa tF if III 81 Iei
zone successfully since July l. 1903. Then, it
establish more short length routes than formerly
because or the territory being restricted hat 1t is
Is the purpose of the department to make as many
or the routes full length as practicable
on mileage basis is not equitable. inasmuch as
or the country according to the soil and topogra-
ply Of the locality. But these considerations also
these conditions in fixing the salary of carrier
would preclude any general system and necesstate
wholly impracticabIe with so large force of car
riers covering so vast an area. It is also urged
that the quantity Of mail handled should be con-
sfdered but it is generally the that the carrier
who has large quantity of mail 10 handle travels
in thiTkly p9puated locality where the roads
a whole the mileage basis is by far the most
IN the North must contend with the cold and snow,
while those in the South must struggle with the
west with the black mud during the rainy seasons.
This ssFce is of sqS for set 6a e9af
not practicable.
NEW RATE OF POSTAGE NEEDED.
With the establishment of rural mail delivery,
and the increasing extension OF rural telephone ser
demand by the patrons of the rural service for
such as food sturfs TOBACCO, drygoods drugs etc
on an order to the local merchant by postal card
ages Of merchandise is usually small and the e
PPTecoay prohBVe The patron or erchan
cannot afford 10 pay IS cents tor the deliXSry or
if a special rate were established on such matter
from the distributing office for delivery to any
be great convenience to the patrons and become
feref6re Recommended for the Consideration
of Congress that a rate of three cents a pound or
ages Of books or merchandise. not exceeding five
pounds mailed at the distributing postofnce or any
rural free delivery route for delivery to a patron
on said route This rate should apply only to pack
ages deposited at the local postoftlce for delivery
to to patrons on routes emanatng from that office
and mail transmitted from one office 10 an
other The rate of three cents pound would be
ample remuneration for the department because
there is no expense for railway transportation, and
the system by which these packages are to be de-
livered is already established and such delivery
would entail no additional expense upon the depart
r1ent. A special stamp could be provided for this
At the last session Congress authorized the
cep in the mails Of third and fourth class matter
complying with certain conditions on the payment
the provisions OF this act into ERECT nave not long
been in operation. but far difficulties have
of law. II is distinct advantage to the business
In great saving of labor to heavy maers and
the department
FRAUDULENT ENTERPRISES.
In consequence of the vigorous application and
enforcement during the fiscal year of the statutes
prohibiting the of the mails in the conduct or
schemes defraud, there has been a marked re
duction in the number Of fraudulent enterprises
This is Enthusiastically shown by the falling off in
the volume OF complaints received from the pub!lc
Fraud orders" We're issued to the number Of l6i,
as against 103 during the fiscal year Immediately
preceding. Besides the cases in which such pro
hibitorv orders were issued, several hundred END
less chain enterprises have been suppressed their
operators in most cases agreeing Volunt ariy TO
abandon them upon being informed that they were
held by the Postomce Department to be 1leg1ti-
mate
AS the result of the policy formerly pursued, un-
der which these enterprises were treated as coming
SO eHended the field Of their operations as TO in
terfere seriously with many branches OF leg1t-
constantly increasing numbers of people. BY means
of them it proposed to supply almost every
kind of merchandise nominal cost, but the
Inevitable CONSEQUENCE was that while a relatively
few were able to meet the conditions of the offer
and thus secure the article, the majority Of IN
of money and effort expended.