New-York tribune., 1910-01-10
PAID P. O. 5000,
The Department NozC a Great
Business Institution.

Washington, Jan. s.-As a business instt-
tuition the Postofice Department, next to
the United States Treasury, is the greatest
under the government. According to ng-
ures submitted by Charles P. Grandheid,
First Assistant Postmaster General, for the
fiscal year ended June so, 1903. the gross
revenue of the postal service reached the
enormous total Of SOS. .562.ss3 an increase OF
s12,oS3, ,72o, or 6.s1 per cent over the preceding
year.
There were 1902 Presidential postofaces on
July l, 1903. OF this number SsS were frst
class, an increase OF Il: 1.707 were second
class, an increase OF 112, and 5.091 were
third class, an increase Of 2So- The total
increase in the number o. Presidential Of
fees was $50. There were 1.444 postoffices
established in the year and 1904 were dis
continued. leaving COLA offices in operation
on June 80. 1903. In the year 1,S2S post
masters were appointed at Presidential OF
fees. At fourth class offices 9.161 poslmast-
ers were appointed
Concerning the routine Of his bureau, Dr.
Grandfield says:
The annual rate OF expenditure for the
salaries of Presidential postmasters on
July l. 1909. was as follows: First class
81 ,408, 600; second class. s4,0l240O: third
class. s7.344.S00. making a total of sl2.765.S00
Al the close of the fiscal year there were
1878 assistant postmasters at first and sec
number of clerks at first and second class
offices increased from 2S.220 to 1880. and
the carrier force at city delivery offices
of 110 clerks and 1.26s carriers.
The retention of fourth class postmasters
during satisfactory service has become the
established practice of the department, and
the policy OF recommending the reappoint-
ment OF Presidential postmasters who have
proved efficient has been followed consist
emily, with highly beneficial results. s
1t is recommended that the law be so
amended as to provide for the advancement
of an office Of the fourth class 70 tne
ton of the postmaster amounts TO $1,000
and the gross annual receipts TO $1,000 for
four successive quarters. The ofnces that
would be affected by such a change in the
statute are mainly those located at sum-
mer and winter resorts, where large
business. equivalent to that OF a Presl-
Dental office, is transacted during one or
In number of cases. at rapidly growing
Offices the salary Of the & asslstana ,st a,5 post,
the principal clerks, due to the operation
of the law governing the promotion OF
clerks and carriers and the fact that the
annropri \ ton for assistant postmaSters for
the current fiscal year does not provide an
adequate number Of positions IN certain
grades There should he a maximum and
minimum salary for assistant postmasters
fixed by law and sufficient latitude allowed
in the appropriation act to prevent this
anomalous condition.
DIR. Grandfield makes a strong argument
In favor of thirty days annual leave for
clerks and carriers in first class and sec
ond class offices. He adds:
At the close OF the fiscal year there were
1900 postofices Of the Presidential class.
Of this number 3217. or 4i.6 per cent, were
housed in leased quarters, for which the
annual rate of rental was 81 726. sos On
June 50. 1903. there were 434 offices located
in federal buildings, an increase eff Is dur
ing the year. 1t is expected, however, that
this number Will be largely augmented dur
Ing the current nscai year. On the date
last mentjo oned there We're 3.Sl2 numbered
stations, I'll delivery stations and 24I branch
nostOftices.