The Cairo bulletin., 1910-12-24
POST OFFICE OFFICIAL SAYS
LAST YEAR BEAT RECORD IN
RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE
4s MILLION IS ASKED
70 Pay Railroads For CARRYING Mail
in Coming Year increase Of 5.6
Per cent--Wants Ship
Subsidy. A8

| WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.--N0ntiifiOnS
|of railway and ocean mail service are
discussed, fully in the annual report
iof Joseph Stewart, second assistant
postmaster general, submitted today
20 Postmaster General Hitchcock. ssl
4 considerable saving was affeefpst
turing the. year BY the bureau of the
second assistant, which ,is charged
WITH the authorization ana direction
OF the transportation OF both dor,,es-
'le and foreign mails. The aggregate
sose of the transportation Of domes.
'ie mails during the year was $Sf.70g.. \
43S.ds, While the cost Of foreign mails
was $3,1l2,30246. Notwithstanding
the increased amount OF mafI ham
died the percentage OF increase In the
ccst was only LIS per cent.
During the year 3,375 mail routes
we're An operation covering ais
tance Of 22o,73O miles. The dis
tance Travelled by the mai. OF the
United States was 426, 1923, 1O9.55 miles
IThe amount Of money necessary for
railroad transportation for the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1912, is Sass
900, being SO per cent more than the
appropriation for the current fiscal
year
In every instance possible the pol-
ICY Of equalizing the rate OF nay for
| he transportation Of mali by rail-
7oad routes on the basis OF lowest
'ost,ahas been followed. The depart
lment has saved $l2,274,4ss by the
operation of the new method OF al
lustine pay, to and including the pres
ent fiscal year, Is sixteen railroad
companies have fled suit against the
United States attacking the validity
II the order OF the postmaster gem
eral in readjusting the rate of pay.
Particular diligence has been mani
tested by the department in its in
luiry into the cost to railroad COM
panies Of carrying the mail.
The need for improved ocean mail
service again is called to the atten-
tion OF the congress. The passage OF
ian act to authorize the postmaster
general to pay for ocean mall service
IN vessels of the second class on
1outes to South America, the Philip
oines, Japan, China and Australasia.
1t rate per mile not exceeding the
ate applicable to vessels of the
first class as provided In the act Of
March 2. 1891. will, 1t is believed, en-
1ble the department. to secure con-
| tract service to these parts of the
world GiSkaQi nsa
Many Accidents.
During the year there were 446
raiiroad accidents In which postal
clerks were either killed or Injured
or in which mail matter was lost or
damaged Twenty clerks, four sub.
stitutes ard three mail weighers
were killed, 9S seriously and s17
slightly injured. The year was more
disastrous in the number of clerks
Fkilled on the railroads than any In
the history of the service.
Among the recommendations made
by Mr.. Stewart are the following:
That the department be epabled to
readjsut the compensation for the
transportation of mail on railroad
routes during the four years term.
That the postmaster general be all-
thorizel to pay for the services or
vessels OF the second class IN carry
Ing mails to various ports In South
America and the far east.
That salaries OF supervisory Off.
cers Of the railway mail service be
Increased.
That authority Of law be given for
granting further leave during periods
of disability, not exceeding twelve adj
titional months, with pay at fifty per
cent Of his regular salary, to rail-
way postal clerk who Is seriously in
iu7ed as not to he able to resume
lrty at the expiration OF twelve
months.
That thirty days annual leave OF all
senee be granted railway postal
alorks.
That provision be made for the re-
tiremeat of incapacitated or superan-
nuated railway postal clerks