Statement showing the number of Presidential post-offices in the several States and Territories, and the aggregate salaries of the postmasters thereat, as adjusted to take effect July 1, 1885.

The grand total of gross receipts of Presidential offices for the four quarters ended March 31, 1885, amounts to 75.36 per cent. of the revenue of the Post-Office Department for the same period.

REVIEW OF SALARIES OF POSTMASTERS OF THE THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH CLASSES UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883.

In compliance with the act of Congress, approved March 3, 1883, as construed by the honorable Attorney-General of the United States, under date of February 13, 1884, and reaffirmed June 14, 1884, the work of reviewing

the salaries of postmasters and ex-postmasters of the third, fourth, and fifth classes was assigned by order of the Postmaster-General to the salary and allowance division, April 7, 1884. At the same time a detail was made of seven clerks from other Bureaus of the Department to carry on the work, and six weeks afterward this temporary force was increased to nine clerks.

After the work had been assigned to this division the large number of applications for review of salaries which from time to time had been received at the Department were collected, briefed, and classified by States and Territories. This was done in order to systematize the work and provide for an adjustment of the claims as rapidly as the limited force at command could handle them.

The period covered by the act of March 3, 1883, dates from July 1, 1864, to June 30, 1874; although under the biennial system of adjustments actual benefits which may accrue to postmasters under the act date from July 1, 1866.

From the records of the Department the following tabulated statement has been prepared, showing the aggregate compensation paid to postmasters, the number of offices in operation, the number of Presidential offices, the number of offices of the first and second classes, and the number of offices of the third, fourth, and fifth classes, embraced under the act of March 3, 1883, for each of the fiscal years from 1864 to 1874, inclusive, viz:

Statement showing aggregate compensation of postmasters, total rumber of post-offices, number of Presidential post-offices, post-offices of the first and second classes, and post-offices of the third, fourth, and fifth classes, coming within the scope of the act of March 3, 1883, for each fiscal year from June 30, 164, to June 30, 1874.

This statement shows that the number of first and second class postoffices for the period named formed but a very small portion of the total number of post-offices in operation.

The work of review was hastened as rapidly as possible consistent with accurate work, and the limited force at command, during the past year.

At the present time, the first schedules of claims for thirty-three States and Territories have been completed. The claims are scheduled by States and Territories in alphabetical order.

The claims for the State of Pennsylvania are now in process of re

view. Sixteen thousand five hundred and twenty-one claims have been reviewed, and 5,900 have been allowed. Ten thousand six hundred and twenty-one were found to be below the 10 per cent. requirement of law, or for periods outside of the limit defined by the act.

The total amount allowed as additional compensation is $378,922.96. The progress of the work of review is shown in the following tabu. lated statement, viz:

Statement showing progress of work of reviewing the adjustments of salaries of postmasters at offices of the third, fourth, and fifth classes, in compliance with requirements of act of March 3, 1883.

The supervision of box-rent rates during the past year by this office has greatly improved this branch of the service. Extreme rental prices have been adjusted to conform to the local conditions and circumstances of the respective offices, thus securing greater uniformity of prices. This satisfactory exhibit is partly due to the operation of the act of March 3, 1883, by which the box-rents at Presidential offices are included as a part of the gross receipts of the respective offices.

Under the old law (act of July 12, 1876, and section 116, P. L. and R., 1879), the revenue derived from the rent of boxes at Presidential an important factor in making up the salaries of Presidential

offices was

the salaries of postmasters and ex-postmasters of the third, fourth, and fifth classes was assigned by order of the Postmaster-General to the salary and allowance division, April 7, 1884. At the same time a detail was made of seven clerks from other Bureaus of the Department to carry on the work, and six weeks afterward this temporary force was increased to nine clerks.

After the work had been assigned to this division the large number of applications for review of salaries which from time to time had been received at the Department were collected, briefed, and classified by States and Territories. This was done in order to systematize the work and provide for an adjustment of the claims as rapidly as the limited force at command could handle them.

The period covered by the act of March 3, 1883, dates from July 1, 1864, to June 30, 1874; although under the biennial system of adjustments actual benefits which may accrue to postmasters under the act date from July 1, 1866.

From the records of the Department the following tabulated statement has been prepared, showing the aggregate compensation paid to postmasters, the number of offices in operation, the number of Presidential offices, the number of offices of the first and second classes, and the number of offices of the third, fourth, and fifth classes, embraced under the act of March 3, 1883, for each of the fiscal years from 1864 to 1874, inclusive, viz:

Statement showing aggregate compensation of postmasters, total rumber of post-offices, number of Presidential post-offices, post-offices of the first and second classes, and post-offices of the third, fourth, and fifth classes, coming within the scope of the act of March 3, 1883, for each fiscal year from June 30, 1864, to June 30, 1874.

This statement shows that the number of first and second class postoffices for the period named formed but a very small portion of the total number of post-offices in operation.

The work of review was hastened as rapidly as possible consistent with accurate work, and the limited force at command, during the past year.

At the present time, the first schedules of claims for thirty-three States and Territories have been completed. The claims are scheduled by States and Territories in alphabetical order.

The claims for the State of Pennsylvania are now in process of re

view. Sixteen thousand five hundred and twenty-one claims have been reviewed, and 5,900 have been allowed. Ten thousand six hundred and twenty-one were found to be below the 10 per cent. requirement of law, or for periods outside of the limit defined by the act.

The total amount allowed as additional compensation is $378,922.96. The progress of the work of review is shown in the following tabu. lated statement, viz:

Statement showing progress of work of reviewing the adjustments of salaries of postmasters at offices of the third, fourth, and fifth classes, in compliance with requirements of act of March 3, 18-3.

The supervision of box-rent rates during the past year by this office has greatly improved this branch of the service. Extreme rental prices have been adjusted to conform to the local conditions and circumstances of the respective offices, thus securing greater uniformity of prices. This satisfactory exhibit is partly due to the operation of the act of March 3, 1883, by which the box-rents at Presidential offices are included as a part of the gross receipts of the respective offices.

Under the old law (act of July 12, 1876, and section 116, P. L. and R., 1879), the revenue derived from the rent of boxes at Presidential offices was an important factor in making up the salaries of Presidential