Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-12-21

! Washington, D. G.. Dec. 2O.-Dr
Charl>s p. Grandfield. first assistant
postmaster general. in his annual re
port submitted today to Postmaster
, General Hitchcock. shows that the
number Of postotlices in operation or
June 80. 1910. was $3.50. The gross
revenue OF the postal service during
the fiscal Year amo9nled to 1924.
loS.6l..62. an increase of $20.566.247.
81. The expenditures for the year
assrcsared ,Ss.9,9777.224.5o. an in
crease OF $S.9'%.l2l.6l. The deficit
WAS $5.>+>266.S$. as compared with
$,..++l'l9.Sa for the preceding
Year.
Although the business of the pos
tai service increased during the last
fiscal yeaA more than 10 per cent the
expenditures decreased from an av.
erase Of 500 Per cent for each of
the ten years preceding to 400 per
cent in 1910.
The number of postofiices estab-
lished during the year was 1909 and
the number discontinued 2,073. At
presidential offices 2.576 postmasters
were appointed and at fourth class
offices 9,42S postmasters were ap-
pointed.
The net increase in the eXpendi-
ture for postotfice clerks during the
year was $2,917,OO0, making the to-
tai expenditures 31,5S3,5S7; for let
ter carriers the net increase was 81,
S30.S25. resulting in an aggregate
cost of $3O.392,579, which was $751;
O47 less in 1910 than in the previous
fiscal year.
The policy Of the department to
make no changes in postmasters so
long as their services we're satisfac'
tory was followed uniformly through
out the country during the year.
An urgent recommendation is made
that the department be given author.
ity properly to adjust the salaries of
assistant postlnasters. Under the
present system it frequently happens
that an assistant postmaster receives
a smaller salary than some of the
clerks whose work he supervises. The
department has estimated apprOpria-
tons to adjust this anomalous con-
dition.
1t also is urged in the report that
somewhat increased salaries be pro-
vided for supervisory employees, in
Guiding superintendent. assistant
superintendent and foremen, some of
whom now receive less in salary than
is received by some of the clerks and
letter carriers. 1t is pointed out that
many efficient supervisory officers
have received no promotion since
their apportionment although they are
subjected to greater sp0nsibilities
than the subordinate employees, great
err expenses and longer working hours.
The entire amount requested for the
promotion of supervisory officers is
about $4,000
1t is recommended, too, that pro-
vision be made for the promotion to
higher grades and increased salar-
les of expert distributors of mail in
various offices. 1t is pointed out that
the services of these men are in.
valuable and that they are difficult
to replace when they leave the SER
vice.
An urgent recommendation is made
that in the event of the death of a
postoffice clerk in the line Of his
duty, provision be made for the pay
ment of a reasonable sum to his
heirs, precisely as is now done in
the event of the death of railway
postal clerk in the line of duty. 1t
is shown that the increasing use of
labor saving machinery in the modern
city postoffice makes greater the liza
bility to accidents. In the Office of