Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-11
MUCH EMPHASIS
Laid on the Need Of an
American Merchant Marine
In Annual Report Of Second
Assistant Postmaster General.
Some Interesting Figures as to
Cost Of Carrying Our Mail.

Washington, Jan. 10.-Transporta-
ton Of the mails by railways, steam
ship lines and various star routes cost
the government. during the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1909, SS3,493,162.
These are the figures given IN the an
nual report of Joseph Stewart, second
assistant postmaster general, when
was made public today. The number
of railroad routes employed by the de-
partment was 1916, aggregating 217,115
miles. The total expense of the railway
service for the year was s4b,oo4'o4o' for
the fiscal year of 1911 1t IS estimated
that the expenditures for rallroao
TRANSFORMATION will be $4662O,OoO.
IRE renort of the REIMBURSEMENT of
nav for railroad transportation, Ell
fective July !, 1909, for the ensuing
four wears based upon the weighing
Of mails shows a decrease of $494.-
36O.31. or sos per cent; and for rail-
way postoffice car pay decrease Oh
$319597, or 0.29 per cent.
If has developed that electric street
railway companies in some cities de-
mand extorionate rates for carrying
the mails. Concerning the situation,
Mr.. Stewart says:
"Jn view Of the demands made by
electric car companies for higher rates
for service in the large cities it is found
desirable, in some cases, to substitute
motor wagon service for the electric
car service.
AS the appropriation made by Con-
gress for railway mail service cannot
be used for motor wagon service, II IS
recommended that 100000 be approprl-
ated for the motor wagon service. II
| is shown by the report that automo-
biles are displacing, to an extent, not
onlv the street cars, but horse drawn
vehicles rs means for the transporta-
ton of mails in cities.
The total expense Of the foreign mali
service for the year was $2,7S4,o6o. Iae
rates payable to the steamship COM
panias for the sea conveyance OF letter
mails We're so cents Il pound TO Amer
lean steamers and four francs kllo-
gram to foreign steamers. During the
year, $50, $685. S3 pieces of mail were selie
from the United States to foreign couh-
tries and 270,200,320 pieces were recelV-
ed. The amount collected by this couh-
try in postage on mails sent aproao
was sS,627,0 95.
In 4 general discussion of the foreign
mail situation, Mr.. Stewart says:
Under existing provisions of law the
dapartment is unable to secure con-
tracts for the transportation of our
foreign mails in American steamships
to the ports of Brazil and Argentina
and those of the Orient and AuStfalla.
over 20 per cent. of the vessels carry
inc our mails to the Orient fly foreign
flags, and not asingle one carrying
them to Australia and South America,
except to the north coast, flies the
American nag. The department has no
control over vessels performing SER
vice to these countries and therefore
can not prescribe schedules.
"Our shipping to South America has
been placed at a marked disadvantage
by the building of fast modern steam
ships for service between European
countries and Brazil and Argentina
under the stimulus of government aid.
The service from Rio de Janeiro is
made in Italian, English, French and
German ships to their respective ports
in from II to Is days. while the time
of the trip from New York to Rio de
Janeiro i'm the fastest vessels carry
ing our trade is 1872 days, and other
vessels require as much as % days.
"These countries are of great COM
mercial Importance to our own. Trade
with the Orient could be developed to
immense proportions under encouras-
ing conditions. The foreign trade or
South America amounts to $1,5OO,OOO,O00
and is increasing at the rate of $780,
100000 a year.
1.-THE passage of an act to author
ize the postmaster general to pay for
ocean mail service in vessels of the
second class on routes to South Amer
ica the Philippines. Japan, China, and
Australasia 1000 miles or more in
length. outward voyage, at rate per
mile not exceeding the rate applicable
to vessels of the first class as provided
IN the act of March 3, 1892, will. it is
believed, enable the department to Sc
cure contract service to these parts
of the world
1t is shown by the report that ION
June so, 1909. there We're 1853 full rail-
way postoffice lines, manned by 1851
crews of 1868 clerks, Gncluding rs act
ing clerks); Of these there were 139
full railway postoffice lines having
apartment car service manned by 5C5
crews of 1907 clerks. There were also
1874 apartment railway postoffice lines
name by 1894 crews of 5163 clerks (n-
Guiding GO acting clerks); u electric
car lines with 10 crews of q clerks;
SO steamboat lines with 80 crews of
80 clerks Gncluding "a acting clerks) !;
making a total of 1857 lines of all
kinds, manned by 1886 clerks. In ad-
dition, there were As officials. 129 chief
clerks, 755 transfer clerks employed in
handling the mails at important juno
ton points, and 46G clerks detailed to
clerical duty in the various offices of
the service. The total number of Off
GERS and employees was therefore 49,
oA4( an increase during the year of
7l9.
There We're 354 railroad accidents
during the year in which postal
clerks were either killed or injured or
in which mail matter was lost or dam
a. a