Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-07
More Than Sixty-Five Tbous-
and Post0ficeS With POO,
288 Employees in Operation
at Close of Fiscal Year,
UNIFORM SCHEDULE OF
BOX RENTALS ADOPTED
First Assistant Postmaster
General Urges introduction
of Merit System in Promo
ton of Mail Clerks,

Thy Morning Journal Special Leased Wire
Washington, Jan. Ga proposition
to increase postal clerks salaries and
the proposed abandonment of the.
back stamp on letters are discussed
boy Assistant Postmaster General
Hitchcock in his annual report. iust
made public. Parts OF the report
given u in advance, have already
been handled by the Associated Press.
The report shows that at the close
OF the fiscal year. $500 postnfiices
were in operation and that tho total
number of employees, not including
postmasters and assistant postnlasters.
was nearly 10000. The total person
mel of postofdces of all classes aggfe-
gated 20G.2Ss.
Thu gain in postofheo revenue dur
ing the year. about $50. 900. goo was
unexpectedly large, and the returns
for the present fiscal year thus far in
dictate that the unprecedented gain is
being maintained. So great Is this
gain, Mr.. Hitchcock points out, that
the additional appropriations re-
qnested OF congress viii scarcely be
sufficient 10 maintain the service.
In view of the large Increase Of tho
business of the department. Mr.. Iitch-
SAYS, a large administrative ar
ganizatian iN imperative. He urges
thai the Present force of his bureau
be strengthened by the appointments
of additional high grade men and the
appointment Of a large force Of field
agents. to keep the department m
closer touch With the postal neede of
the country.
The report Indicates that in order 10
cur more effective cooperation IN
o ~ - 49,. 80. -. - - AF L.
vice, greater authority and RESPONSE
biltty have been conferred upon post
masters.
During the past year the department
given much study to the question
Of introducing a Uniform system OF
efficiency records OF employees. EFF
tciency,' says Mr.. Hitchcock. should
be made The important factor In regu-
lating compensation Of p%ostofiice cm-
ployes. All promotions should be
based On merit and no faVoritism OF
any Kline shold be permitted
Study of the isoation Of postofIices
occupied considerable time during
the year. The d%esirabillty Of plac-
ing the main office" says the report.
lin such proximity To the principal
railway station SO that the mail can be
delivered from the train TO the work
ing rsom without Intermediate haul-
ing Is becoming more generally reCog-
- ~ NhA w. 49, h'HN RANAA ANN'
TO secure a number Of postofiicc sites
at points immediately adjacent 10
terminals. This plan will
the heavy wagon service. a
service that unquestinnabiy represents
SluWest stage IN the present SNs-
tenn of city mail distribution
The department has maintained q
uniform rent for postofhce boxes.
entirely the dissimilarity
Of charges heretofore prevailing. The
rate is made ~cCording to a carefully
graduated scAge and runs from ten
cents a quarter in small fourth class
offices To 81 a quarter in the New
York city office.
Mr. Hitchcock reports that the use
Of specially equipped automobiles IN
the collection service in Baltimore has
proved SO successful hat the depart
nent IS planning for a similar col
lection service in several other cities.
IN large cities automobiles can adj
f~antugcously be substituted to "a con-
extent for the horse carts
now employed so generally in collect
mail. BY the use of automobiles
much speedier collection service can
BE- organized without added expense.
'nquestionably the motor vehicle can
made an important factor IN the
POSTAL service. as IT already is In other
business enterprises.
Nr. Hitchcock SAYS that while the
ross receipts OF city delivery Offices
we're 1906 per cent greater in 1906
han In The preceding year, the cost nf
he service was but 800 per cent more
han in 1905. and the average per
OF cost Of service Go gross re-
elpts was but lS.la a. against 1898
n 1905.