The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-30
Topeka PostOffice Has Not In
creased Postal Deficit.
Only 80 Per Cent of Receipts
Used to Pay Expenses.
SHOWS AN INCREASE.
Business Of Local Office COntin-
ues to Gain.
Postmaster Rodgers Says Par
cells Post Would Help.

In report from the postmaster
general at Washington today, the
statement is made that the cost of
the postal service exceeded the re-
ceipts by nearly $17,OOO,0OO for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1908.
But the United States government
will never be able to blame the To-
peka postoff1ce department for a part
of their deficit. Never in the history
of the department have conditions
been more prosperous and at the
present time the Topeka office is the
best equipped. and still the best pay
ing station of any city Topeka's size
in the United States.
In speaking of the startling deficit
reported at Washington this morning.
Postmaster A. K. Rodgers told the
average the Topeka postoffice is one
of the best paying propositions in
Uncle Sans line of postof1ces. Dur
ing the past year, it took but 80 cents
out of every dollar to pay the ex-
penses of the local department. The
other 10 cents were turned in to
Washington. This is considered
marvellous gain when the big repairs
and Improvements on the federal
building are taken into consideration.
In speaking of the future of the To-
peka postoffice department Mr..
Rodgers had much encouragement to
give.
The main cause for the big deficit
in the postal service of the country is
the maintaining of the rural routes.
These alone caused over half of the
deficit. Mr.. Rodgers said this morn
ing that the rural service in Topeka is
in the best of condition and when
congress granted the postoffice de-
partment their demands the rural de-
livery question would be a paying de-
partment just as the big offices in the
larger cities. 1.-The parcel post sys-
tenn will be a great thing for the in
crease of revenue in the Topeka rural
stations" said Mr.. Rodgers this morn
ing. And on questioning it was found
that at the present time a farmer has
to pay 16 cents a pound for parcels
delivered to him from the city stores
When the postal service obtains the
rights to lower the postage rates on
this matter the farmers will do q big
per cent of their trading by letter and
telephone and the business of the
rural routes will be greatly increased.
Postmaster Rodgers seems to think
that a rate of cents a pound would
be the Just amount of postage to re-
quire and would bring the deficit out
of the hole For instance many
farmers drive to the city to buy few
articles that could be delivered to
them by mail much quicker and much
cheaper if the new rates were used.
There are many farmers in the
their ordering and delivering by mail
and telephone but it is a great cost to
them and can only be afforded when
their time at the farm cannot be sub
stituted.
In speaking of the increase of de-
liveries in Topeka, Mr.. Rodgers thinks
that this will be out of the question
for a few years at the very least. At
the present time there are two de-
Iiveries in the residence districts and
in of he 1ifU
In some resident districts where there
are big manufacturing establish
ments there are more than the two
deliveries to these firms and these
new deliveries are being Installed as
fast as the business increases. These
are the only additional mail deliveries
that Topeka can hope to have for
good many years: In truth this is all
any city has. except where night BUSH
ness is conducted in the business dis
tricts and in this case night deliveries
are made.
The pneumatic tube service is an
other pipe dream that Topekans have
been having for some time. For in
stance between the substations and the
main office and the railroad stations
and the postoff1ce. In the case of To-
peka where the offices are so far apart
this plan would be a great improve
ment over the service. Now the mail is
taken to the substations by street car
and to the railroad stations in mail
wagons. A pneumatic tube service go
ing one way between the postoffice and
the railroad stations would be natural
w accommodating as all of the railroad
stations in the city are about so feet
lower than the postoffice. However,
this has little to do with the well work.
ed pneumatic tube system.
The recommendation by the postmas-
ter general that the leave of absence
with pay allowed by law to employees of
the postal service be increased from 10
to 80 days is welcomed by the local au
thorities. Mr.. Rodgers said this morn
ing that new law like this would be
hailed with delight by the many en-