Items of Interest December 12, 1903 Issue

Items of Interst

The estimated postal expenditure for both city and rural free delivery service in the United States during the fiscal year beginning July 1 next, will aggregate about $47,000,000. There were 15,069 appointments of postmasters during the year ending June 30, last, and the removals of postmasters for cause show a decrease. There were 4,462 post offices discontinued, of which 2,163 resulted from the extension of rural free delivery; the salaries of the postmasters of the latter offices aggregating $121,332. During the year postmasters were dropped from the rolls as follows: Resignations—Presidential, 67; fourth-class, 8,277. Removals—Presidential, 401; fourth-class, 1,386. Deaths—Presidential, 86; fourth-class, 713. On July 1, last, there were 74,169 post offices, of which 242 were first-class, 1,101 second-class, 3,690 third-class, and 69,130 fourth-class. City free delivery service was established during the year at ninety-nine post offices, making a total of 1,032 free delivery offices.

There are now in operation 19,398 rural free delivery routes. It is estimated that 3,260 additional routes can be established out of the appropriation now available by March 1, 1904. To maintain the service of these routes during the fiscal year from July 1, 1904, to June 30, 1905, will require $13,560,000.

The annual report of the director of the United States Mint Bureau shows that the coinage mints at Philadelphia. New Orleans, and San Francisco in operation during the year produced an output greater in the number of pieces than in any previous year, aggregating 205,872,482. The pressure for small domestic coins and for Philippine coins reduced the aggregate of gold coinage to $45,721,733, and the stock of gold bullion in the mints increased from $124,083,823 to $157,511,571. The net gain in the gold stock of the country during the year is estimated to have been $57,157,149. Of the silver bullion purchased for dollar coinage 33,218,712 fine ounces were on hand at the beginning of the year, and 17,502,938 at the close of the year. The total deposits of gold bullion at the various offices of the mint service during the year were of the value of $127,004,443.

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