Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1884 — THE POSTOFFICE. [ARTICLE]

THE POSTOFFICE.

Postmaster-General Hatton Reviews the Work of His Department. Reduced Revenues Caused by the Reduction of Postage—The Postal Clerks. Quick Local Service Demanded—Abolition of the Sinecure System. We present below the salient features of the annual report of Postmaster General Hatton: For the fiscal year the revenues were $43,338,197.08; the expenses, $46,4(4,900.68, leaving a deficit of $3,066,863.57, to which are added outstanding debts and the credits of the Pacific Kailroads, raising the excess of disbursements over the revenues to $5,304,484.12. Tho revenues were $2,170,565.52 less than for the ireceding year, owing to the reduction on postage from 3to 2 cents. The amount paid Postmasters was $11,283,830.87, an increase of $968,436.41 over that of the previous year, and $383,830.87 In excess of the appropriation. This excess, Mr. Hatton says, was nnavoidable, because the law fixes the compensation of postmasters, and allows them to take it out of the revenues of their office before making their returns to the depaitment. The aggregate amount appropriated for the service of the year was $46,746,037.62, or $341,076.97 more than the amount disbursed on account thereof, and $536,394.07 less than the total disbursements and outstanding liabilities. The estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, are: RECEIPTS. Ordinary postal revenue $50,872,820.24 Money-order business 400,000.00 $51,272,820.24 DIBBURBEMENTR All expenses, including Pacific Railroad credits $56,099,169.50 Deficiency to be supplied $4,826,349.26 The receipts for the year are estimated with unoertamty. the report says, becanse there is as yet no basis by which the revenues on a - cent basis can be reckoned, tho reduction in the rate of postage from 3 cents having come at a time when it unequally affected the various qharters. But a regular increase of 9 per cent, is expected, and that would place the reoelpts at the figure given above.

In the expenses there will probably be for compensation to postmasters a deficiency of at least $1,500,000, and for transportation by railroads about $1,000,900. Tho estimate also contemplates the payment out of the appropriation of the entire cost of mail service on the Pacific railroads, a portion of which is now by law credited on the books of the Treasury, and does not appear in the appropriation for mail transportation. The amount Involved by the contemplated change In tho mode of settlement Is approximated at $1,100,000, which amount, added to the two deficiencies mentioned, will leave the estimates $3,458,769.50 in excess of the appropriations for the present year. The reduction of postago affected the sales of postal cards so that the number issued last year was 16,640,000 less than the preceding year. The collections on second-class matter were $1,889,692.14, an Increase of $184,414.61 over the preceding year. Of th s source of revenue 24.90 per cent, was collected in New York, 9.41 per cent, at Chicago, 6.42 per cent, at Boston, with Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and San Francisco following in order. There were 11,246,545 registered articles handled and 4,751,872 pieces of undelivered mall were received at the Dead Letter Office, in speaking of the work of the Dead Letter Office the report says: “The amount realized from the sales of articles tor which no owner can bo found is deposited in the -United States Treasury. The Proceeds of the last auction Bale, which was In anuary, 1884, was $1,915.43. Tho money separated from dead letters which cannot be restored to the sender Is also placed in the Treasury, and the amount deposited during the year was $7,239.47. The value of postage stamps received from various sources and destroyed' was $2,082.18. The late Postmaster General Maynard ordered that such useful printed matter as had previously been sold for waste paper should bo distributed among the Inmates of the various hospitals, asylums, and other charitable and reformatory Institutions within the District of Columbia. This practice still prevails, and 23,162 magazines, pamphlets, illustrated papers, Christmas cards, valentines, etc., were disposed of in that way during the year.” During the year there were 11,963 appointments to places In the postal service, the number being 549 less than during the preceding year. There are now 71,671 employes In the department. The Postmaster General urges the development of the free-delivery system, holding that it encourages method in the delivery of mall and stimulates correspondence. He recommends that in densely populated districts hamlets bo united in their postal accommodations, so as to bring them within the scope of the law which allows a free system to every postoffice having more than 20,000 patrons. Mr. Hatton, citing the fact that the freedellvery system earned last year $1,278,278.25 over its expenditures, says he is convinced tho time has come for the reduction of postage of local letters.

The department views with jealous eye the growth of the messenger service system, and the Postmaster-General describes the duty of the postal service in the matter ot quick local delivery, as follows; “The necessity and demand, in cities, for prompt transmission and delivery of letters passing between business men and others hag resulted In the establishment, In many places, of what may be termed letter-express companies, which, by the employment of messenger boys, are enabled greatly to facilitate Intercourse of this character'among merchants, professional persons, and others engaged In active life. It Is done at a small expense and with so much system and promptness as seriously to diminish the revenues of the department at several lettercarrier offices. The patronage which is extended to these companies affords evidence that the free-delivery system, notwithstanding Its facilities and benefits, has not progressed so far as to meet all the wants of energetic business life in large commerc.al cjties. Therefore, further Improvement of the service In this paftidular should,' in my Judgment, be attempted, not only to prevent a loss of revenue, but with a purpose to make it as useful as gosslble. I am of opinion that the public ave a right, to expect that this department should make the same effort to serve them promptly and falthtnlly in the transmission and delivery of letters as is done by private parties. I know of no way In which this can be better accomplished than by tho use ot a special postage-stamp for letters mailed and Intended for special and prompt delivery at free-delivery offices. This stamp should be of the denomination of ten cents, and. when affixed to a letter, in addition to the proper’postage charge, should Insure for it as speedy a delivery as possible after Its reception at any letter-carrier office. This outside distribution could be effected by employing messenger boys, at a small salary, and in such numbers as the circumstances should warrant. I am satisfied such an effort to accommodate the public would still further commend the free-delivery service to its patrons In the large cities where It Is In operation." The Postmaster-General says he agrees with the Secretary of War that those officers of the department who handle money should be Insured by corporations instead of being required to give an official bond, the solvency of which Is always in doubt. The report expresses confidence in the efficiency of the star route service, but urges the amendment of the laws relating to contracts In that branch so as to give the awards to persons who live along the line of the route, and thus stop the speculation business. Tribute is paid to the postal clerks. The report deplores any attempt to weed out this branch of the service without cause. In conclusion the report gives data of the routine working of the department and urges the develoiment of the foreign mail system generally, especially with Mexico. It also approves the suggestion made by the superintendent that i ostal notes be amended to be payable to order if desired, and describes the work on various buildings and facilities of the. department.

WM. Turner, the American sculptor, has lately finished at Florence, Italy, the colossal statue of Commodore Perry, which is to be erected at Newport, R. L A NEGRESS of Crawford County, Ky., less than 30 years old, is the mother "of eleven children. Bennie Jenifer, a newsboy on the Panhandle Road, recently found $30,000 in an empty car seat M. Worth, the man milliner, intends to come to America to lecture on art in dress