Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-22
Increasing in Extent and
Efficiency Every Year.
Sec. Corte|you Placing Affairs
on Firm, Business Basis.
Hoped to Soon Do Away With Deficits and
Have an Income.

Washington, Nov. 21.-Postmaste,.
General Cortelyou recently completed
and forwarded to the secretary of the
treasurer the estimates for the post
office department for the fiscal yea,
ending June 30 1907. They show n rc-
ductiOn of expenses wherever it is he
lieved il will not impair the service.
hut provision for development of postal
facilities to meet the growing needs of
all sections Of the country.
The estimates for the postal service
at large-thc field servicc-aggregat
$i93, 100000. an increase over last years
appropriation of about $4,000. 900. This
increase represents the normal growth
of tho service based upon what the pos
tai authorities regard rs the most care
full and conservative estimates. The
principal items in TIE increase are the
rural delivery service, railway mail
service compensation to postmasters
and their clerks and the compensat ton
of letter carriers.
For the maintenance of the rural de-
livery service and its proper extension
over $29.000.000 will be required. This
is an increase of S3,600,000 over the ap-
preparation for the current year.
The estimates for the railway mail
service and railway mail tranSpOrta-
ton call for an increase of about $780,
900 over the current appropriation.
To provide for the compensation of
poStmasters and clerks in postOffices an
Increase of nearly $2,000,0O0 will be ne
cessary for the coming year and for
city letter carriers an increase of more
than $4,000 will be needed.
That the extension of the pneumatic
tube service is contemplated is shown
by the fact that the estimate carries
81. 322 600 more than the current appro-
priation.
A number of other and comparative
ly minor increases have been asked
for in order to allow for the natural
expansion of the service and to meet
the constant demand for improved pos
tai facilities.
Curtailment has been recommended
wherever possible and many decreases
are shown, of which the following are
examples:
Railway transportation, special ia
ciiities, decrease $167 900; letter carriers.
new offices. $4,000; free delivery ser
vice in incidental expenses, 100000; in
cidental expenses, rural delivery, $685.,
000; advertising. schedules of foreign
mails, $4,000. The recent re-organiza-
ton of the department.. it, is pointed
out, is also in line withrthe intention to
simplify the administration of the ser
vice and reduce expenses. =
No large appropriations for expert
ments or innovations have been asked
for by the postmaster general, his aim
being. it is stated, for the present at
least, to improve and develop the ex-
ist service.
The deficit for the FISCAL year ended,
juno 30. 1905, was S14572, 5S4. This
amount. the difference between the ex-
penditureS and revenues of the depart
mert," it is officially announced. may
be said to represent the actual cost of
the service to the people. If recent cal
cul1tions are as accurate as they have
been frequently in the past, they af-
ford good reasons for believing that the
deficit for the year ending June 30. 1906,
will he considerably less. 1t is an inter-
eStinE fact that the total revenue for
the fiscal year 1905 exceeded the total
expenditures for the fiscal year 1904 by
nearly $500 900.