Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-11-06

{ we're a part of this old system, wer,
severely condemned in report made
by an expert committee appointed BY
Congress for the purpose of inquir'
ing into Departmental methods anC
procedure. Frequent changes of ad-
ministrative heads and general disin-
clination to make the radical changes
required resulted in nothing being
done. and things were allowed to drift
along and conditions to remain just as
before.
The waste in the use of supplies
thus literally furnished, was not the
cnly item Of expense which these
methods entailed Absence of proper
oversight into detail governing the
business permitted a force of clerks to
remain upon this work whose service
could have been more usefully employ
ed elsewhere or discontinued alto
gether. All thie together with the in
appropriate and unsuitable system in
operation. led to a mass of unneces-
sary correspondence, in which the
complaints of postmasters at protract-
ed delay and errors in filing requisi-
tons formed considerable part, and
which better system and wiser man
agement could have measurably less
ened. if not entirely abolished. Num-
erous changes in the method of opera
ton were accordingly made, careful
scrutiny of acquisitions required, as
well as all requests for monetary al
lcwances, with the result that very
considerable economies were effected
in time, labor, and expense.
Measures Of Economy Adopted.
Another discovered need for which a
remedy was promptly applied, was a
revision of the specifications under
which blanks, books, etc., for money
order service were furnished. By this
revision reduction of practically one
third of the blanks formerly under con-
tract has been accomplished. Careful
study of the amount needed during a
contract period resulted in greatly re-
duced bids being made possible by fur
nishing contractors with true esti-
mates of the actual quantities requir-
ed, the amount so saved for the four
year period beginning December l,
1915, being approximately $4,000.
There is also another matter of con-
siderable expense to the Department
which a wiser policy has now greatly
lessened and will eventually altogether
abolish, viz, the practice of renting
the canceling machines used in the
service. All such machines are to be
placed on aforementioned basis.
AS the Department has been paying
from 1920 to 1910 per annum rental Off
each of these machines, the need of a
change in this direction was clearly
seen. This need is now gradually be-
ing met, the Department now owning
sos of these machines, and it is ex-
pected that at the end of this rental
period, June 80, 1917, there will be a
sufficient number Of these Government
owned machines to replace at least half
OF those under rental, thus allowing
$150,000 for the purchase of new ma
chimes the following year, and practi-
cally aboIishing the necessity for rent
ing such machines thereafter. At the
present time the cost of these rented
machines is $4,000 annually.
Repairing scales returned from the
service as defective and damaged, has
also produced a considerable economy
in that direction, 2,737 of those re-
turned being put into good order dur
ing the past year. AS the parcel post
uses a great number of scales in the
conduct of its business, 50,193 of the
100-pound beam capacity scale having
already been furnished, the repair of
such as can be made serviceable again,
instead of being condemned and sold
as waste material along with others,
as has been the practice heretofore,
represents quite saving at very small
cost.
Careful Management of Supplies.
The great number of acquisitions an
nually sent in from the post Offices OF
the country for the numerous articles
needed, amounting during the past year
to something like 100000 demanded
system and method for successful op-
Grafton. This was met by the estab-
llshment of the central distributing of
fee plan which provides Offices select
ed with reference to their railroad OF
other mail transportation facilities fol-
the territory to be supplied, embrac.
| fyer