3. Number of Post-Offices, Extent of Post-Roads, and Revenue and Expenditures of the Post-Office Department; with the Amount paid to Postmasters and for Transportation of the Mail. 75 453 903 Miles. 1,975 13,207 20,817 1,558 31,076 2,300 36,406 3,000 43,749 3,260 3,459 3,618 59,473 48,673 52,089 1841 13,778 155,026 1842 13,733 149,732 1843 13,814 142,295 1844 14,103 144,687 1845 14,183 143,940 *1846 14,601 152,865 Revenue Amount paid for of the Department. Department. Compen. of | Transporta'n Dollars. Dollars. 22,081 75,359 128,644 Dollars. 37,935 160,620 280,804 421,373 551,684 1,043,065 961,782 1,002,973 1,130,235 1,204,737 1790 1795 1800 1805 1810 1815 1816 1817 1818 1819 4,000 67,586 1820 4,500 72,492 1821 4,650 78,808 1822 4,799 82,763 1823 4,043 84,860 1924 5,192 84,860 1825 5,677 94,052 6,150 94,052 105,336 1828 7,530 105,336 1829 8,004 115,000 1,707,418 1830 8,450 115,176 1,850,583 1831 8,686 115,486 1,997,811 1832 9,205 101,466 2,258,570 1833 10,127 119,916 2,617,011 1334 10,693 119,916 2,823,749 1835 10,770 112,774 2,993,356 1836 11,091 118,264 1837 11,767 141,242 3,408,323 4,100,605 12,519 134,818 1838 1839 4,235,078 12,780 133,999 4,477,614 4,654,718 1840 13,468 155,739 4,539,265 4,759,110 4,379,296 4,443,768 4,546,246 4,235,052 4,295,925 4,374,713 Expenditures 1,111,927 1,059,087 1,117,490 1,130,115 1,197,758 1,306,525 1,447,703 1,524,633 1,659,915 4,237,285 4,289,842 3,487,199 Dollars. 32,140 117,893 213,994 377,367 495,969 748,121 804,422 916,515 1,035,832 1,117,861 1,160,926 1,184,283 1,167,572 1,156,995 1,188,019 1,229,043 1,366,712 1,468,959 1,689,945 1,782,132 1,932,708 1,936,122 2,266,171 2,930,414 2,910,605 2,757,350 2,841,766 8,198 30,272 69,243 111,552 149,438 241,901 265,944 303,916 346,429 375,828 352,295 337,599 355,299 360,462 3,303,423 4,621,833 239,635 327,966 487,779 521,970 599,189 664,611 717,881 782,425 815,691 383,804 411,183 447,727 486,411 548,049 559,237 595,234 635,028 715,481 826,283 897,317 945,418 1,719,007 812,803 1,638,052 891,352 1,996,727 933,948 3,131,308 980,000 3,285,622 1,028,925 3,296,876 1,019,645 3,159,375 1,147,256 3,087,796 1,426,394 2,947,319 1,358,316 2,938,551 4,297,867 4,084,297 2,716,673 788,619 767,464 768,939 785,646 885,100 942,345 1,096,313 1,153,646 1,274,009 1,252,226 1,482,507 1,894,638 1,925,544 * The returns for 1846 are for the first year under the new law, passed March 3, 1845. 4. Revenue under the New Law. Revenue of the Post-Office from 1st July, 1836, to 30th June, 1846. Year, ending 30th June. 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 Total to 30th Average of nine years Year ending 30th June. Letter Postage. and Pamphlets. Miscellaneous Receipts. Fines. 28,429 20,589 14,236 11,247 20,755 The above statistics apply wholly to the revenue under the old law. The following table shows the income for the first year under the new law : Miscellaneous Receipts Total Annual $4,236,779 4 238,733 4,484,657 4,543,522 4,407,726 4,546,849 4,296,225 4,237,288 4,289,841 39,281,620 4,364,625 Total Annual 1846 $2,881,697 $562,143 $235 $43,124 $3,487,199 From the above tables it will be seen that the annual average income for nine years, ending 30th June, 1845, was $4,364,625. For the year ending 30th June, 1846, the first under the new law, the income was $3,487,199; making a loss, as compared with the average of the nine preceding years, of $877,426; and with the year preceding of $802,642. This loss is chiefly on letter postages, in which, as compared with the average of the nine preceding years, the loss is $926,296, and with the year preceding, $778,534; being the entire loss of the department, under the first year of the new law, within $24,108, as compared with the year preceding; and $123,654 more than the entire loss, as compared with the average of the nine preceding years. The Postmaster-General supposes that this arises in part from packages of letters, addressed to different individuals, being directed to some third person for distribution. In this way, 100 letters, weighing eight ounces, would be charged (the law allowing one-half ounce to each letter) under 300 miles, 80 cents, and over 300, $1.60; the department being entitled to receive, under the law, $5 or $10 according to the distance. One provision of the law of March 3, 1847, is intended to remedy this evil, and to make the increased number of letters increase the revenues of the department. It will also be seen, that, while the income from newspapers and pamphlets, during the last year, is less than during the year preceding by $46,622, it is larger than that of the average of the nine preceding years by $33,164. 5. Gross amount of Letter Postage, and Newspapers and Pamphlets, for the three Quarters preceding the 1st of April, 1846, compared with the three Quarters preceding 1st of April, 1847. [Furnished from the Post-office Department, July 23, 1847.] Newspaper Years 1485-6. (6 3d Quarter, 1845 $692,037 71 4th 66 672,085 81 1st 66 1846. 740,518 71 $2,104,642 23 Year ending June 30. Letter Aggregate average increase, 12 Places. 125,754 39 399,044 40 New York, Total, per cent. 6. Expenditures of the Post-Office from 1st July, 1836, to 30th June, 1846. Year ending Year ending June 30. June 30. 1842 1843 1844 1845 Years 1846-7. 86 3d Quarter, 1846. 66 1847. Weight of all Mails in 19,221 lbs. 66 42,790 lbs. $5,674,752 4,374,754 Letter 752,718 64 144,656 09 144,261 28 840,018 42 159,137 55 $2,377,529 20❘ 448,054 92 The expenditures under the first year of the new law were $4,084,297; being less than the average of the nine preceding years by $415,297, and less than that of the year preceding by $236,433. This saving has been effected by reducing the rates in reletting the contracts in New England and New York. Since the close of the last fiscal year, the new contracts have gone into operation in the North-western and South-western States and Territories, and the cost under them is $323,901; or 33 per cent. less than under those which expired 30th June, 1846. There have been no curtailments of the service; but the frequency and despatch of the mails have been increased. *Estimated. 7. Business of the Post-Office and Compensation of Postmasters. There are no returns to show correctly the increased business of the department. Some idea may be formed by comparing the weight of all the mails sent from three offices for one week in June, 1838, with the weight of the mails on the railroad and steamboat routes only, from the same offices, for one week in May, 1846. Total to 30 Newspaper 1846 $40,084,297 $40,496,343 Average $4,499,594 for 9 years. In consequence of the increased labor in the offices, and the diminished compensation and privileges of postmasters, under the act of 3d March, 1845, nearly one-third of the offices in the United States have been voluntarily vacated since the passage of the act. The extra commissions allowed by the order of 9th July, 1845, arrested these resignations. By the law of March 1st, 1847, higher rates of commission are allowed postmasters. These rates are as follows, viz. : 1. On the amount of letter postage, not exceeding $100 in any one year, 2. On any sum between $100 and $400 in any year, 3. On any sum between $400 and $2,400 in a year, 4. On any sum over $2,400 in a year, 5. On the amount of letters and packets received for distribution at offices designated by the Postmaster-General for that purpose, 6. On all sums arising from the postage on newspapers, magazines, and pamphlets, 7. Box rents not exceeding $2,000 per annum. The postmasters at New Orleans and Washington have special allow. ances for extra labor. Sent over such distance, 40 per cent. แ 33 30 12 7 50 of publication, not more than 100 miles, or any distance within the same State, The term letter postage includes all postages received, except those which arise from newspapers, sent from the offices of publication to subscribers, and from pamphlets and magazines. 8. Rates of Postage. For a letter, not exceeding half an ounce in weight (avoirdupois), sent not exceeding 300 miles, Sent over 300 miles, 10 For every half ounce, and any excess over every half ounce, the same rates of postage; and when advertised, two cents on each letter; or four cents, if the advertising cost so much, additional. For drop letters (not to be mailed), each For all letters or packages, conveyed by any vessel not employed in carrying the mail, from one post or place to any other post or place in the United States, 2 For any pamphlet, magazine, periodical, or other matter of every kind, that is transmittable by mail, and has no written communication on it, of one ounce or less, or for a newspaper exceeding 1,900 square inches of surface, sent from the office of publication, 2 1 cent. For each additional ounce, or an excess greater than a half ounce, 5 cents. 66 1 14 For transient newspapers, or those not sent from the office of pub- belonging to the army," Free. The law will continue in force during the war with Mexico, and for three months after its termination. 3 cts. As the postage on these articles is chargeable on each copy, postmasters will carefully examine all packets, and rate the postage accordingly. When the article to be mailed is a circular, pamphlet, or newspaper, it should be so enveloped or folded that it can be distinctly seen at the office to be such, and also that it contain no writing, marks or signs, to serve the purpose of written communications. If not done up so as to open at the end, it is to be charged as a letter, by weight. No packet can be mailed which weighs more than three pounds. Bound books of any size are not included in the term "mailable matter," except books sent by Governors of States, and those included under the term "Public Documents." The establishment of private expresses for the conveyance of any letters, packets, or packages of letters, or other matter transmittable in the United States mail (newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, and periodicals excepted), from one city, town, or other place, to any other city, town, or place in the United States, between which the United States mail is regularly transported, is prohibited. Contractors may take newspapers out of the mails for sale or distribution among subscribers. Letters addressed to different persons cannot be enclosed in the same envelope or package under a penalty of ten dollars, unless addressed to foreign countries. 9. Privilege of Franking. 1. The President, ex-Presidents, and Mrs. Madison, and Mrs. Harrison, retain the franking privilege, as regulated by former laws. 2. Members of Congress and delegates from Territories, from thirty days before the commencement of each Congress, until the meeting of the next Congress, the Vice-President, and the Secretary of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, during their official terms, may send and receive free, letters or packages, not exceeding two ounces in weight, and public documents not exceeding three pounds in weight. |