Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-07
EXPENSES INCREASED IN
 PoSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT
Postmaster General Says there is Marked Improvement in Service.


 Washington. June 6.-PosJmaster General Burleson today gave out a statement summarizing various meas ures adopted or contemplated in the administration of the postal service The statement says in part:
 During the ninety days of. the new administration about 1000 additional clerks approximately 300 additional city letter carriers have been attached to the various post offices throughout the country, and besides these addl- tions to the regular force approxi- mately $1,000,000 has been authorized for temporary clerk hire, and about $500 1000 for temporary city letter car riers. These unusual financial del mands made it necessary for the Post : master General to go to Congress in May for an emergency appropriation of $600,00 which was promptly granted, and $300.000 allotted for tenn pOrary clerk hire and a like amount for temporary carriers.
 "On March 5. 1913. there were about 2,200 vacant postmasterships of the Presidential grade. and some 300 have become vacant since. Of these more than 1.800 cases have been briefed and about 1.500 nominated to the Senate. Of the fourth class postmasterships which were found vacant on March 5, including those which have become vacant since. amounting to about 4,500 more than 1,700 have been filled as the result of civil service examinations CT inspectors reports. leaving at the pres ent time about 1000 of the presidential grade and some 2.S00 of the fourth class to be disposed of. These are be- ing dealt with eXpeditiously,
 Rural Free Delivery Extended.
 Within the last sixty days 488 peti- tions for rural delivery routes have l been disposed Of. resulting in the es- tablishment of 203 routes, involving an annual expenditure for mainten ance of approximately $190,000. By the establishment of these new routes and the extension of old routes more than 100000 people are now receiving their mail at their doors. instead of at remote post offices.
 Tn pursuance of the policy of ex- pediting the delivery of mail, the Postmaster General has ordered the discontinuance of the backstamping If all ordinary mail which heretofore has delayed its delivery anywhere from twenty minutes to one-half hour.
 s"rhe condition in the railway mall service was found to be most urgent where through mistaken ideas of econ omy the clerical force had been so re- duced as to affect efficient service and car space cut down to a danger point. With the advent of the parcel post system on January l. which increased tremendously the volume of business handled, additional clerks and in creased car space were most impera- lieve this, it being left to the new ad- lieve this. it being loft to the new ad- ministration to restore the efficiency of this important branch of the service. Nine hundred and ten additional clerks have been added to the service since March I. and increased ear space costing s267, GOO a year has been pro- vided Already a marked improve ment is noted in this service.
 To Get Highest Possible Efficiency.
 The parcel post regulations have been modified so as to permit the de. livery to the addresses. without addi- tional charge, of matter reaching the office of address with improper stamps affixed.
 By an arrangement made with the Canadian postal service the rates of postage on Sunday editions of daily newspapers mailed to subscribers in Canada, who also are subscribers to the weekday editions, has been fixeG at one cent a pound or fraction thereof instead of at one cent for four ounces or fraction, as formerly"
 Ut is Postmaster General Burleson's S desire and earnest endeavor to estab- fish, in the interest of economy and efficiency, uniform methods and prac- tices throughout the entire service and to direct pOstmasters to the best way of administering the postal facilities To this end he proposes to keep in close touch with their opera tions and thus bring the service to the highest possible degree of efficiency"