Chapter II: Preface

This little work on postal affairs aims to familiarize postal employes and others with the operations of the Post Office Department in all its varied and numerous details. No attempt was made to cover the wide field of postal activity and inquiry for which a much larger book and much greater space would be required. It is simply meant to be a book of reference, a sort of hand-book on postal subjects for busy people who may not care to read lengthy accounts or stories which a few paragraphs might sufficiently explain, or care to wrestle with columns of figures which are best given in official reports and chiefly valuable to public men for legislative purposes, for comparison and survey.

All necessary postal knowledge of immediate public interest is herein set forth in such compact shape as to acquaint the reader with what he might want to know, or direct his inquiry to sources of wider information if the desire was not satisfied with the reference thereto which this work might afford. In general it will be found amply sufficient for all ordinary purpose as the scope of subjects is as wide as the active operations of the Department at present include.

The special articles referring to subjects of general postal interest cover a considerable range of inquiry and deal more fully with those matters which are but briefly mentioned in that portion devoted to the purely business details of the Department. Much of this material is new and all of it treated so as to interest the reader. These articles on general postal topics in connection with the other matter herewith given, relating to the service, may please some one here and there and perhaps justify the publication of this little contribution to the literature of the time.

L. M.

Washington, D. C.

March 15, 1917.

To Mr. Ruskin McArdle, late Private Secretary to the Postmaster General, now Chief Clerk of the Department, whose friendly regard I have long enjoyed and whose courteous and considerate treatment to all with whom his official relations have brought him into contact, this little volume is respectfully dedicated as a mark of appreciation and a token of deep and lasting esteem.

THE AUTHOR.

ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT

The operations of the postal service are conducted by divisional arrangement with the duties of each accurately and specifically defined. Previous to this administration much of the work of the various bureaus was found to be overlapping each other and exercising a separate authority in correlated matters. These officially related duties were each brought under a proper head, insuring prompt attention and fixing a definite responsibility which has been found to be of recognized benefit and value.

OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL

_Postmaster General._--ALBERT S. BURLESON, Texas.
_Private Secretary._--ROBERT E. COWART, Texas.
_Chief Clerk._--RUSKIN MCARDLE, Texas.
_Assistant Chief Clerk._--WILLIAM W. SMITH, Tennessee.
_Division of Solicitor._--
_Solicitor._--WILLIAM H. LAMAR, Maryland.
_Assistant Attorneys._--J. JULIEN SOUTHERLAND, North Carolina.
WALTER E. KELLY, Ohio.
EDWIN A. NIESS, Pennsylvania.
JOHN A. NASH, Pennsylvania.
_Bond Examiner._--HORACE J. DONNELLY, District of Columbia.
_Law Clerk._--ARTHUR J. KAUSE, Ohio,
_Division of Purchasing Agent._--
_Purchasing Agent._--JAMES A. EDGERTON, New Jersey.
_Chief Clerk._--FREDERICK H. AUSTIN, Missouri.
_Division of Post Office Inspectors._--
_Chief Inspector._--GEORGE M. SUTTON, Missouri.
_Chief Clerk._--J. ROBERT COX, North Carolina.
_Appointment Clerk._--Vacant.
_Disbursing Clerk._--WILLIAM M. MOONEY, Ohio.

OFFICE OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL

_First Assistant Postmaster General._--JOHN C. KOONS, Maryland.
_Chief Clerk._--JOHN W. JOHNSTON, New York,
_Division of Post Office Service._--
_Superintendent._--GOODWIN D. ELLSWORTH, North Carolina.
_Assistant Superintendent._--WILLIAM S. RYAN, New York.
_Division of Postmasters’ Appointments._--
_Superintendent._--CHARLES R. HODGES, Texas.
_Assistant Superintendent._--LOREL N. MORGAN, West Virginia.
_Assistant Superintendent._--SIMON E. SULLIVAN, Maryland.
_Division of Dead Letters._--
_Superintendent._--MARVIN M. MCLEAN, Texas.

OFFICE OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL

_Second Assistant Postmaster General._--OTTO PRAEGER, Texas.
_Chief Clerk._--EUGENE R. WHITE, Vermont.
_Division of Railway Mail Service._--
_General Superintendent._--WM. I. DENNING, Georgia.
_Assistant General Superintendent._--GEORGE F. STONE, New York.
_Chief Clerk._--CHASE C. GOVE, Nebraska.
_Division of Foreign Mails._--
_Superintendent._--ROBERT L. MADDOX, Kentucky.
_Assistant Superintendent._--STEWART M. WEBER, Pennsylvania.
_Assistant Superintendent at New York._--EDWIN SANDS, New York.
_Division of Railway Adjustments._--
_Superintendent._--JAMES B. CORRIDON, District of Columbia.
_Assistant Superintendent._--GEORGE E. BANDEL, Maryland.

OFFICE OF THE THIRD ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL

_Third Assistant Postmaster General._--ALEXANDER M. DOCKERY, Missouri.
_Chief Clerk._--WILLIAM J. BARROWS, Missouri.
_Division of Finance._--
_Superintendent._--WILLIAM E. BUFFINGTON, Pennsylvania.
_Division of Postal Savings._--
_Director._--CARTER B. KEENE, Maine.
_Assistant Director._--CHARLES H. FULLAWAY, Pennsylvania.
_Chief Clerk._--HARRY H. THOMPSON, Maryland.
_Division of Money Orders._--
_Superintendent._--CHARLES E. MATTHEWS, Oklahoma.
_Chief Clerk._--F. H. RAINEY, District of Columbia.
_Division of Classification._--
_Superintendent._--WILLIAM C. WOOD, Kansas.
_Division of Stamps._--
_Superintendent._--WILLIAM C. FITCH, New York.
_Division of Registered Mails._--
_Superintendent._--LEIGHTON V. B. MARSCHALK, Kentucky.

OFFICE OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL

_Fourth Assistant Postmaster General._--JAMES I. BLAKSLEE, Pennsylvania.
_Chief Clerk._--J. KING PICKETT, Alabama.
_Division of Rural Mails._--
_Superintendent._--GEORGE L. WOOD, Maryland.
_Assistant Superintendent._--EDGAR R. RYAN, Pennsylvania.
_Chief Clerk._--LANSING M. DOW, New Hampshire.
_Division of Equipment and Supplies._--
_Superintendent._--ALFRED B. FOSTER, California.
_Assistant Superintendent._--Vacant.
_Chief Clerk._--Vacant.

OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR FOR THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT

_Auditor._--CHARLES A. KRAM, Pennsylvania.
_Assistant and Chief Clerk._--TERRENCE H. SWEENEY, Minnesota.
_Law Clerk._--FABER STEVENSON, Ohio.
_Expert Accountant._--LEWIS M. BARTLETT, Massachusetts.
_Electrical Accounting System._--
_Chiefs of Division._--
LOUIS BREHM, Illinois.
JOSHUA H. CLARK, Maryland.
JAMES R. WHITE, District of Columbia.
_Miscellaneous Division._--
_Chief._--JASPER N. BAKER, Kansas.

LATEST FACTS OF POSTAL INTEREST Report of Postmaster General; Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1917

The long continued agitation between the railroads and the Post Office Department over the method of payment for mail transportation is in process of settlement by actual tests. The contention is whether the basis of payment shall be by weight or by the space used. While the space rate is the higher of the two it lends itself to rational readjustment, and is therefore best for government needs. The tests made show a saving of about $7,000,000 per annum by the space method.

The efficiency standard now required of Postmasters, has it is stated, greatly improved the service and the announced policy of the Department to reappoint all those who render meritorious service has been adhered to and will be continued.

During the year ending June 30, 1917, 38 second class offices were advanced to the first class; 135 third class to second, and 1,203 fourth class to third. Average annual salary of post-office clerks is now $1,142 per annum, city carriers $1,126.50.

Removals of employees for cause are now rarely made, statistics show less than one per cent in both the post office and city carrier service.

It is recommended that where because of unusual conditions, rural carriers cannot be obtained at the maximum rate of pay, advertisements be issued calling for proposals for the performance of such service.

Motor vehicle routes are now in operation on a total length of over 41,000 miles, averaging 54 miles per route, at an average cost of $1,786.49 per route.

There are now 43,463 rural routes in operation, covering 1,112,556 miles. Cost of rural service decreased 0.011 per patron during the year 1917; cost per mile decreased 0.114 cent per mile.

The cost per mile of travel by star-route contractors is $0.1024. Cost per mile of travel by rural carrier is $0.1510. This difference in cost is receiving departmental consideration.

Shipment of parcel post packages increased 14 per cent in 1917, the increase representing more than 25,000,000 pieces. Cooperation of postmasters in bringing the insurance feature particularly that of partial damage prominently to public notice, has resulted in an increase of over 8,000,000 insured parcels over the showing of 1916.

Growing carelessness in addressing letter mail resulted in 13,000,000 letters being found undeliverable during 1917, an increase of 21 per cent.

The report shows an audited surplus for the year of $9,836,211 the largest in the history of the department. The increase over the preceding year was 5.66 per cent, while the increase in cost was 4.45 per cent. The audited revenues for the year amounted to $329,726,116.

Remarkable growth in postal savings is shown. In 1917 there were 674,728 depositors with a total of $131,954,696 to their credit. The average balance for each depositor was $195.57. This was an increase over the previous year of 71,791 in the number of depositors, $45,934,811 in the amount and $52.90 in the per capita balance.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
PAGE

Latest Facts 7
General Postal History 11
Beginning of Personal Communication 12
Postal History of England 12
Penny Postage 13
General Post Office in London 14
French and German Postal History 15
The American Colonial Period 16
Under the Continental Congress 16
The Crown Postmasters 17
Post Offices and Post Roads Established 18
The Period of Progress 18
Postage Stamps Introduced 19
Progressive Steps Taken 19
Historical Data 20

CHAPTER II

_Questions of Finance. Postal Revenue--How Derived and Expended_

Revenues and Expenditures 21
Method of Expenditure 21
Appropriations 22
Auditor 23