The San Francisco call., 1907-01-07
HIGHER WAGE FOR
POSTAL CLERKS
Hitchcock Discusses Cues
tion Of Increased Salaries
in His Annual Report
AUTOS FOR CARRIERS

WASHINGTON. Jan. GA PROPOSE
tion to increase the postal clerks sal
aries and the proposed abandonment of
the back stamp" on letters are dis
cussed by First Assistant Postmaster
General Hitchcock in his annual re-
port;
The report shows that at the close
of the fiscal year $4,000 postoffices were
in operation and that the total num-
Der Of employees. not including post
masters and assistant postmasters, was
fully l5O 0OO The total personnel of
posto1ces of all classes aggregated
205.2SS
The gain in postofice revenue dur
ing the year, about sl5.OOO.OOO. was
unexpectedly large, and the returns for
the present fiscal year thus far indi-
cate that the unprecedented gain is
being maintained. So great is this
gain, Hitchcock points out. that the ad-
dietonal appropriations requested of
Congress scarcely viii be sufficient to
maintain the service.
In view Of the large increase Of the
business Of the department, Hitchcock
says. q larger administration organiza-
tion is imperative. He urges that the
present force Of his bureau be strength
ened by the appointment OF additional
high grade men and the appointment
OF a larger force Of field agents to keep
the department in closer touch with the
postal needs Of the country.
RECOGNITION OF EFFICIENCY
The report indicates that, in order to
obtain more effective cooperation in
the administration of the postal ser
vice, greater authority and RESPONSE
bility should be conferred upon the
postmaster.
2 he "a Tov ny ar,f
has given much study 70 the introduc-
ton Of the uniform system of recog-
mixing efficiency Of employees.
Efficiency" says Hitchcock, should
/ be made the important factor in regu-
/ latinE compensation OF postoffice en-
/ ployes All promotions Shouts be
based on merit. and no favoritism Of
any kind should be permitted"
Study OF the location Of postoflces
1 with relation TO railroad facilities has
occupied much time during the year.
The desirability Of placing the main
f office" says the report, in such prox-
unity 10 the principal railway station
that the mail can be delivered from the
train to the working room without in
! termediate hauling is becoming more
+ generally recognized. Steps have al
ready been taken 10 secure a number
/ Of postofice sites at points immediate
~ adjacent TO railway terminals. This
plan viii eliminate the heavy wagon
4 service, a service that unquestionably
represents the slowest stage in the
present system Of city mail distribu-
ton"
The department has established a
uniform rent for postoffice boxes, elimi-
mating entirely the dissimilarity of
charges heretofore prevailing. The
rate is made according to carefully
4 graduated scale and runs from 10 cents
quarter in small fourth-class offices
TO 81 a quarter in the New York City
Office.
AUTOS TO CARRY MAIL
Hitchcock reports that the use of spe-
cially equipped automobiles in the col
lection service in Baltimore has proved
so successful that the department is
planning for a similar collection SER
vice in several other cities.
1T is believed that in large cities au-
tomobiles can advantageously be sub
stituted to a considerable extent for
the horse carts now employed so gem
orally in collecting mail By the use
Of automobile vehicles a much speedier
collection service can be adopted with
out added expense. Unquestionably the
motor vehicle can be made an import
ant factor in the postal service, as it
already is in other business enter
prises."
Hitchcock says that while the gross
receipts Of city delivery offices were "a
per cent greater than in the preced-
ing year the cost OF the service was
but 81 per cent more than in 1905,
while the average per cent of the cost
OF service TO gross receipts was but
1919, as against 1905 in 1905.